The 650B project is just finished. The following pictures are after I got back from the test ride.
Statistics:
-1987 Bianchi Sport SX (double butted Tange mixed steel)...parts saved include the seat post, stem and headset.
-Hubs are NOS Deore DX (parts bin) front and new Ultegra rear.
-Velocity Synergy 32H rims laced 3X w/ Sapim 14/15/14 (rear is offset).
-Panaracer Col D' something-or-other tires.
-VO aluminum fenders.
-TA little front rack I accidently won on ebay. It has been sitting around for a while, so I threw it on. The rear rack is an old blackburn which was on the bike.
-DA 9-speed bar end shifters (12-23 cassette).
-105 rear derailuer and Suntour Cyclone M-II front, both from the parts bin.
-Suntour Alpha-5000 (Sugino) cranks came with the bike (52-40). It is now 48-38-26.
-Japanese campy knock-off quills (SR) with AFA clips from the parts bin.
-Brittish alloy randonneur bars from the co-op.
-Mafac 2000 centerpulls with Modolo Speedy levers and Diacomp quick-releases all from the parts bin.
-Brooks B17 from the parts bin.
-New groovy red bar tape and brake housing.
-Aluminum bell.
Things yet to come:
-Lights and cyclo computer
Seems to run pretty well. One of the reasons I got this bike is I wanted to do a 650B conversion, but I do not like the way many of the brakes look stretching way down to reach the rims. This bike would barely (within 1 MM on the front fork!!) take 700x28 tires, plus the crank drilled for a triple, so I thought it would make a good canidate (it also is my size). With the 584x40C tires, it barely clears the chainstays (< 3-5mm).
We'll run it back and forth to work next week and see how it does.