Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Road Cycling
Reload this Page >

29 inches versus 27.5 inches...

Search
Notices
Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

29 inches versus 27.5 inches...

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 07-20-18, 11:49 AM
  #1  
McBTC
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
McBTC's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 3,889

Bikes: 2015 22 Speed

Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1543 Post(s)
Liked 51 Times in 39 Posts
29 inches versus 27.5 inches...

If I'm getting it, that's the diameters of 700 and 650B wheels respectively. So, the difference between the radius of the two is 3/4" or, 19.05mm. Accordingly, if using my plastic rule from college days, if the rear brake pad is at the top of the stop on the 105 calipers' arms on my Z85, I could swap out the 700 wheel (that cannot be fitted with 28 mm tires due to frame-impingement problems) for a 650B (11 spd compatible hub) and the rim brakes would still work if the bottom of the stop on the brake's caliper arm is within ~20 mm. Then, I could have a road bike that'd accommodate 28mm or larger rear tires. But alas... arms look to be a mm or two short.

McBTC is offline  
Old 07-20-18, 12:14 PM
  #2  
mrv 
buy my bikes
 
mrv's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Michigan
Posts: 1,800

Bikes: my very own customized GUNNAR CrossHairs

Mentioned: 19 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 519 Post(s)
Liked 428 Times in 249 Posts
650B (584 mm) Conversions for Road Bikes

you might have to switch to long reach brakes. I have a lovely set of Tektros on a bike.
https://www.rivbike.com/collections/...tro-r559-allen like these.

I usually go off the Bead Seat Diameter for the rim, then measure how far the brake bridge is from the center of the drop outs.
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/tire-sizing.html
650b = 584mm BSD
700c = 622mm BSD
So your 700C 311mm (half the BSD). You want to go to 650b, 292mm, so you need another 19mm of reach. (I just took another way to get where you are - so we all think we're right. I think.)

The Tektros listed above range from 55mm to 73mm reach. Kind of depends on where you are now with the brakes you have. Not sure if you wanted to buy brakes with your new wheels.

Some other things to consider (problems I've run into after changing from 27in wheels to 700c wheels):
- My fatter 700c tire hit the bottom of the brake, so I could only run a 32mm tire, not 37mm I wanted ~ now I'm trying MAFAC Racers to get more fatter
- Smaller wheel means lower pedals. So be careful cornering. Ideally your fatter tire will get you back where you belong. Hopefully.
Other than that, no problems. I think.
mrv is offline  
Old 07-20-18, 12:49 PM
  #3  
McBTC
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
McBTC's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 3,889

Bikes: 2015 22 Speed

Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1543 Post(s)
Liked 51 Times in 39 Posts
Good recap and options... I'd like to keep my bike and have a 28 on the back but the more expensive it gets to accomplish that the cheaper it becomes to put the "Z" back in OEM condition and go for a quick sale at ~$450 ('15 at ~1,700-1800 new) or so and just buy a new alloy (endurance/'gravel') bike with 105 components for <$2K (e.g., perhaps a '18 Domane on sale).
McBTC is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
vivvov
Bicycle Mechanics
11
08-14-22 02:39 PM
Jax Rhapsody
General Cycling Discussion
26
05-19-18 10:21 AM
Gyro_T
Bicycle Mechanics
7
06-13-13 07:48 AM
BigBlueToe
Bicycle Mechanics
11
11-18-11 11:48 AM
Bezalel
Bicycle Mechanics
6
08-01-10 04:02 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.