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Show Us Your 650B Conversions

Old 03-27-22, 09:19 AM
  #926  
bear_a_bug 
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Pretty sure those are Velo Orange Zeppelin fenders. Best bang for your buck fenders for 42mm 650B tires IMO.
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Old 03-27-22, 09:35 AM
  #927  
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Originally Posted by ThermionicScott
Yeah, growing up is a trap. Don't do it, kids!!
Agreed. Old age is a drag. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.
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Old 03-27-22, 10:47 AM
  #928  
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Originally Posted by topnohu
Could you tell me where I can get fenders like the one pictured on your bike? I have tried searching but must be looking in the wrong places.
If you’re asking about mine, as noted above ( bear_a_bug ), Velo Orange Zeppelins. Other bike looks like the same too. I threw on an extra fender stay for the front end as it was more wobbly than I wanted and I currently at least don’t have a rack.

https://velo-orange.com/collections/...n-fenders-650b
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Old 03-27-22, 03:59 PM
  #929  
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Originally Posted by Andy Antipas
Here is my artistic spin and build circa 1973 Moto Grand Record). @gugie did the frame modifications, braze-ons, and front rack. I built the wheels and bike. Plus, I added the painted lugs, lug lining, and box lining.
This is a drop dead gorgeous bike in my opinion, well done!!!!
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Old 03-28-22, 03:48 AM
  #930  
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Originally Posted by topnohu
Could you tell me where I can get fenders like the one pictured on your bike? I have tried searching but must be looking in the wrong places.
Which fenders?
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Old 05-16-22, 10:57 AM
  #931  
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I have a few new unconventional conversions to show you all. The first is my $50 marketplace find. This was the bike I desperately wanted for my 16th B-day, a 1986 Centurion Ironman. Now I have it. Next is my $125 1982 Eddy Merckx Professional #4699. It was a friends bike and she could no longer ride. It gets ridden plenty now! In the last 2 pics is my already showed 1985 Peugeot PSN-10 in Super Vitus 980. The lightest bike of the bunch at 21lbs. Since I discovered you didn't have to feel like you were riding on a jackhammer, I have been riding much more and many longer rides. I wish I had known this 35 yrs ago!

1986 Centurion Ironman Tange 1,10sp, triple, 22lbs

Kept the original shift levers while making it 10sp!

1982 Eddy Merckx Professional Colombus SL, 10sp, triple, 22lbs.

Beautiful Dura Ace 10sp shifters.

My 3 favorite rides 82 Merckx, 85 Peugeot, 86 Ironman

They are all lovely and all get ridden regularly
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Old 05-16-22, 12:06 PM
  #932  
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'72 px-10 650b

Posted in other threads, but of course it deserves to be here too. I've got some Retrofrictions and better pedals on the way & need to slap a mud-flap on the front fender and I'll pretty much call it done. LOVE riding this bike.

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Old 07-25-22, 09:07 AM
  #933  
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Originally Posted by southpawboston
I've done two 650B conversions. One was a new Soma mixte frame built up for my wife with a 650B wheelset and extra long-reach Tektro R559 brakes. It wasn't so much a conversion, per se, but more of a build conceived from the start, around a frame that was desigend for either 700C or 650B wheels:



The other was a true conversion of a 1980s Japanese touring bike built around 27" wheels. This was more of a challenge because the frame had cantilever brakes, and the mounting bosses had to be removed and rebrazed to fit 650B wheels. You wouldn't want to do this on a frame that you want to keep original, but I made the decision to do this knowing that the frame didn't come from any particular provenance and that I would be powder coating it anyway:





siggurd-- you can mount a bell to the unused shifter boss!

woodrupjoe-- a frame made for 27" wheels presents an extra challenge because it may not be possible to source brakes with enough reach. Bikes built around 27" wheels require, on average, an additional 23mm of brake reach compared to 19mm when converting a bike designed around 700C wheels.

Thanks for sharing! I learned a lot from this build.
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Old 07-25-22, 10:20 AM
  #934  
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Originally Posted by southpawboston
The housing is a NOS Soubitez Catalux 6 that I scored from an eBay seller in France. I retrofitted it with the internals of a new B&M Seculite plus LED taillight with standlight:





The Seculite is a screaming bright taillight, and the standlight function works very nicely... maintains full brightness for about 4 minutes.






I find this to be pretty accurate. My Shogun dropped 13mm after conversion from 27" to 650B, so that's consistent with Bikeman's estimate of 8-10mm for 700c to 650B conversion. I was patient in waiting for the right frame to come around for converting. The early 80s Shogun touring frame that I ended up with had a very high bottom bracket to begin with, at 182mm. After conversion, it's about 169mm... very safe. Also, if you end up getting more BB drop than is safe, this can be somewhat mitigated by using a narrow crankset and/or narrow pedals. The TA double crankset I chose has a Q factor of only 136mm, so it's very narrow.

For 175mm cranks, I would say you need a BB height of at LEAST 265mm after conversion, or 275mm before.

I use the same rear light on my Toei. I might need to do this one as well.
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Old 07-25-22, 10:22 AM
  #935  
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Originally Posted by mountaindave
Wow! Nice fender lines too!
I agree. the kind of look i want in my builds as well.
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Old 08-09-22, 08:01 PM
  #936  
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Thanks for the inspiration. I think I'm finished this build, a Norco / Kawamura(?) touring frame.

Built new cheap Damco rims with used hubs and spokes, including a Sachs Pentasport 5-speed. Good hub, fit the 126mm spacing, though hard to find parts for.

I found some 650Bx42 Marathon Cross tires for cheap, but they are a little tight on these fenders. Tektro R559's reach with a little to spare.



64cm frame

With 650b x 42 tires and bike co-op parts

Fenders a tight fit, city dutch bags fit fine.
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Old 08-10-22, 07:15 AM
  #937  
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I love single speed for around town.

cool wall art/instructions at your co-op!
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Old 08-12-22, 09:39 AM
  #938  
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Here's my Trek, inspired by Rene Herse and the Frek 650 - added custom canti posts and some other convenience features. It's a neo retro build, with a 10 speed rear end, running a 36T cassette so it's got more low end, and it's indexed shifting.

Comfortable for miles and miles.
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Old 08-13-22, 04:57 AM
  #939  
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Originally Posted by CityParkCruiser
Here's my Trek, inspired by Rene Herse and the Frek 650 - added custom canti posts and some other convenience features. It's a neo retro build, with a 10 speed rear end, running a 36T cassette so it's got more low end, and it's indexed shifting.
This deserves its own build thread! Hopefully it won’t be another six years before you post again.
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Old 08-13-22, 08:53 AM
  #940  
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I read the first few pages of this thread to try and get a handle on where 650B is in the size hierarchy.

I'm familiar with:
26"
700C
27"

I'm guessing there are others.

In terms of RIM DIAMETER, can someone list them in ascending order?
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Old 08-13-22, 09:08 AM
  #941  
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Originally Posted by branko_76
I read the first few pages of this thread to try and get a handle on where 650B is in the size hierarchy.

I'm familiar with:
26"
700C
27"

I'm guessing there are others.

In terms of RIM DIAMETER, can someone list them in ascending order?
Off the top of my head, a bunch of tire sizes I had to sort & label yesterday.
520 For both Terry (skinny) & S7 but not the S7 people usually think of. 24x1&3/4 1930-1940's kids bikes.
540 Wheel chairs
559 the 26 inch you are probably thinking of
571 S-7 the S-7 people usually think of. 26x1&3/4
584 650b/"27.5"
590 EA3 English 3 speeds, cheap department store bikes of the 1970's
597 S-6
609 (?) They are in great condition, soft, supple. PM if interested.
622 700c/"29'er"
630 27 inch

Last edited by base2; 08-13-22 at 09:24 AM.
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Old 08-13-22, 09:30 AM
  #942  
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Here is the newest conversion to my riding collection. The whole story behind the bike is here: https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...l#post22544162
I absolutely love this bike!


1996 Steelman Stage Race

Faded paint from sitting outside all day, everyday

I kept as many parts from the old guy's build as I could
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Old 08-13-22, 10:46 AM
  #943  
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Originally Posted by base2
Off the top of my head, a bunch of tire sizes I had to sort & label yesterday.
520 For both Terry (skinny) & S7 but not the S7 people usually think of. 24x1&3/4 1930-1940's kids bikes.
540 Wheel chairs
559 the 26 inch you are probably thinking of
571 S-7 the S-7 people usually think of. 26x1&3/4
584 650b/"27.5"
590 EA3 English 3 speeds, cheap department store bikes of the 1970's
597 S-6
609 (?) They are in great condition, soft, supple. PM if interested.
622 700c/"29'er"
630 27 inch
Thank you !

Are they TIRE sizes or RIM sizes?
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Old 08-13-22, 11:06 AM
  #944  
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Originally Posted by branko_76
Thank you !

Are they TIRE sizes or RIM sizes?
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/tire-sizing.html
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Old 08-13-22, 12:57 PM
  #945  
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Originally Posted by ehcoplex
Thank you.

So it looks like 650B is a 1-1/2" wide TIRE that fits a 26" RIM
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Old 08-13-22, 01:51 PM
  #946  
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Originally Posted by branko_76
Thank you.

So it looks like 650B is a 1-1/2" wide TIRE that fits a 26" RIM
WIth a 584 bsd
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Old 08-13-22, 03:44 PM
  #947  
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Originally Posted by branko_76
Thank you.

So it looks like 650B is a 1-1/2" wide TIRE that fits a 26" RIM
650B refers to a 584 ISO rim (and/or tire)- it's the diameter, width is separate. 650B tires come in lots of widths.
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Old 08-13-22, 03:55 PM
  #948  
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Originally Posted by ehcoplex
650B refers to a 584 ISO rim (and/or tire)- it's the diameter, width is separate. 650B tires come in lots of widths.
I think the original intended outer diameter for 650b was 26" which a 38mm or 1-1/2" width 650b would achieve. Pretty arcane stuff really. Your definition is better in my book.
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Old 08-13-22, 04:07 PM
  #949  
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Thanks for the replies...

BSD = Bead Seat Diameter...I've never paid much attention to this stuff, now I get it

According to Sheldon Brown

27" = 630mm BSD

700C = 622mm BSD

and you guys are saying that

650B = 584mm BSD

So this rim is smaller than 27" yet many use 650B in bikes designed for 27" wheels. So, the idea is to use larger tires for comfort with the tradeoff of needing longer reach brakes.

Am I getting this right?

.

.

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Old 08-13-22, 04:22 PM
  #950  
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Another "Frek" inspired creation.
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