Bubbleb

I have a 2012 Jamis Coda Sport 19in. The max tires I can fit with a few mm to spare on either side of the chainstay is 622x37mm. They are the Vittoria Voyager Hypers. Very nice tire, but I am wanting something more plush around 47-50mm tire and room for fenders if possible. Main area for cycling is GAP trail and C&O. TIA. Right now I am in the investigation stage.

base2 

Well 622 to 584 is 38mm (700c to 650b aka 29'er to 27.5)
&
584 to 559 is 15mm (650b to 26 inch)


Assuming no brake issues, what about using 26 inch wheels? Surely cheaper than a new bike.

I'm curious what others here will suggest.

EDIT: I thought you already had a 650b bike...nevermind.

Bubbleb

Thanks for your reply. I have done a lot of research and I have not run across anyone who has tried this with the Coda before. I found this chart BikeCalc.com - How to calculate Bicycle Wheel Size which seems to indicate a 50mm tire would help maintain around the same size bottom bracket height. I am really wondering if the frame would be able to hold this wide of a tire. I know I would need long reach brakes also.

hillyman

Funny how it goes. For years people turning mountain bikes into road bikes now everybody's turning road bikes into mountain bikes.

Bubbleb

My young adult bike was a Walmart Mountain Bike. It fit so well I never thought of being uncomfortable. Just rode it for miles and miles, till I bent the rims. Too poor to get it fixed. Then I was grown and married. I guess I am looking for the grown up version of the carefree comfort I had back then. Hence the more voluminous tires. And I love to tinker as well. Still looking to save money. I can't have N+1 unfortunately due to space concerns.

katsup

I would suggest getting an older 26" mountain bike as it will cost you about as much as a 650B wheelset, but then I read "space concerns"... Make space with hooks?

CliffordK

The Coda is a Hybrid, although it can be a good base for a drop bar conversion.

I have an older Coda (2000ish). I think I've run up to 35mm tires on it, but currently have 25mm tires mounted.

My chainstays are straight, and I believe would be the primary limitation for tire width.

Since the chainstays are straight, going to 650b would move the tire back slightly in the stays, and one might gain 1mm or so on each side, but hardly worth the effort unless one made more significant changes.

Mine is a 520 steel frame, and one could dimple the chainstays to gain some width (using either 650b or 700c tires).

Bubbleb

Tube top is way to long for drop bars for me personally. I installed Nitto Albatross bars and Ergon grips for swept back handlebars. Reach is much better and the wider tires I installed are much more comfy than the stock 32 tires. I was hoping for wider tires than 37mm. I know proper wheel sets for this are ridiculously expensive though.

base2 

Well, I suppose the thing to do is take the 50mm width, add 5-10 mm to each side for clearance and then measure the stays where the tire would be. That would be the easiest place to start the guess-timation

blakcloud

If they fit you can buy some cheapo 650b wheels on eBay. Won't cost you a lot. It is the tires that might set you back depending on the manufacturer.

Your problem are your brakes, they are V brakes and they would have to change as they won't hit the new diameter wheel. The only choice would be the Pauls Motolite which are over $300 a pair. Now you are in the five hundred dollar plus category for the upgrade. Better off to sell what you have and think about a bike that better fits your needs.

Do you really need bigger than 37 mm? There has to be a plush tire that fits your bike that would be good enough. The Rene Herse tires will give you the plush you need from the suppleness of the tire. You might get away with Barlow Pass depending on how they fit on your rim, but the Jon Bon will fit just fine. Sticking with the 700 might be the most cost effective way to move forward but use better tires.

BTW, I saw you posted a photo of your bike in another thread and looks great. The Albatross was a nice touch.

Bubbleb

Thanks. I did that conversion last summer. I had really wanted a new better fitting bike, but could not swing it price wise. The Craigslist market where I live West Virginia/Western Maryland kinda stinks too. Unfortunately due to the more than usual crappy weather last summer, and a long illness, I only got to ride once. So I have not really tested it fully. I have been tinkering with the handlebar and saddle positions, tilt, for and aft and finally feel it is dialed in. The tow path on the C&O is poor once you get a few miles out of Cumberland so I was hoping for a little something to take up more of the gravely unevenness of the terrain if what I have now doesn't work like I want. Anyway I will probably have to remove the back wheel to measure the width of the chain stay to see if the tires would fit. I am interested in the 650B x 48 Switchback Hill by Compass/ReneHerse.

bubish

If you can't go with a smaller wheel, you can always convert it to tubeless. Then you could run lower pressure and (at least theoretically) get a more plush ride. Might be a fun tinker-ey kind of project, too!