eyemkeith

I'm looking to tap the smartness of yous guys on something: I'm looking for a 50-51 cm frame, low trail, no more than 530mm tt with a 1'' steer tube and built for 650bs. Does this exist in a production (non-custom made) bike? And does it exist for < $650?

jimc101

The closest production frames you will probably find are from Surly, Salsa or Thorn, all of them will be 26" wheels, and have a 1 1/8th steerer.

If you want 650 and 1" steerer, thinkng you will need to go to a frame builder, both 1" & 650b wheels are almost dead as far as new bikes / frames are concerned (MTB excepted), for smaller frames, 26" wheels are easy to find, 1 1/8th steerers hane been standard for the last 15 years, and has virtually eliminated 1" steerers.

The Velo Orange Campeur almost fits your needs, but is 700c wheels, not 650b https://store.velo-orange.com/index.p...eur-frame.html

pdlamb

What you're looking for is the tiniest niche of products, and you're unlikely to find everything on your wish list. If you can relax some of the other requirements, Workman Bicycles might have something that will work for your load.

Chris Pringle

Have you checked out the Soma ES? It meets many of your specs. Lots of people use this frame with 650b wheels. $399 for the frame (fork sold separately.)

Low trail forks + 650b-specific framesets are still custom territory.

bobbycorno

Closest I know of is the Velo-Orange Polyvalent. But the price would be around double your $650 for a complete bike.

SP
OC, OR

redxj

The only one that is close is the Velo Orange Polyvalent, smallest size is 51cm with a 54cm top tube. The smallest size Rawland Nordavinden is 650b as are all sizes of the Stag, but more $$. There are two others that are not custom, but are both over $1K as they are made in the US: Boulder Bicycles and the Box Dog Pelican. The last isn't available and has only partially been announced : Soma's TBD Grand Randonneur.

eyemkeith

Thanks for all the suggestions, folks. I knew I came to the right place.

My wish list is just that. Although I held out hope, I had few illusions that such an animal existed. And btw: my price was $650 is for a frameset, not a complete bike. I'm not quite such a dreamer, but close.

The Soma ES i'm looking at pretty hard, although I have heard rumors of the new rando they may be working on. I'm not in a huge hurry, so I may just cool my heels until I can see what that brings. I looked at a V-O Poly, but that top tube is 10 cm more than I can handle with drop bars -- i have short arms and already want a 7 cm stem to replace my 10 on a 1985 bridgestone 600 with a 530 tt. the rando looks nice, and i've seen them in the wild. they are pretty. I really want to try the 650b that everyone promises is the greatest ride ever and will improve my hairline, IQ score and sex life, 'cause that all sounds pretty good to me. the VO rando is built for 700c.

That Soma, though. I'm looking in that direction.

I'm so open to any and all other suggestions, tho. Thanks big for those so far!

jimc101

Why the requirement for 650b's? do you have existing wheels you need to use? as apart from being a possible new standard for MTB's, there as been no movement visible for them in the long distance world.

The only time I have hear of them in use was in this ride report https://home.comcast.net/~cheg01/CHC1200/chc1200.html, which highlighted the issues a rider had of not using 700c's when everyone else does (i.e. you can't get a spare tube from another rider)

bobbycorno

It must vary a lot with location. Around here (Portland, OR) 650b is HUGE in the rando community.

SP
OC, OR

Chris Pringle

^^^
Yes, 650b is increasing in popularity in the U.S., especially in the West Coast. It's the new craze not only among MTBers, but also among other road groups, including hip city commuters converting older 700c bikes and long-distance riders with expensive custom bikes built in the French-style: low trail fork with pronounced offset, big front Berthoud bag, beautiful Honjo fenders, etc. 650b is still an underground movement among certain cycling groups, but that seems to be rapidly changing. If I'm not mistaken, Jan Heine and Grant Peterson are among two of the big proponents for 650b being used on road bikes in the U.S. There are already rumors that the bike industry has plans to standardize wheels to reduce costs in frame design, tire, rims, etc. 650b is the big focus. This remains to be seen!

thebulls

Maybe in Britain, but here in the US 650B's are making a significant inroad in rando bikes.

thebulls

Take a look at the "Size B" bike at the bottom of the linked page:
https://www.renehersebicycles.com/Randonneur%20bikes.htm

I'm pretty sure it uses a 1-1/8" steer tube and costs about double your budget. But it will build up to a very nice rando bike. Quill stems have their downside because the aluminum can oxidize inside the steering tube and essentially weld itself in place. I just paid $80 to have a quill stem drilled out. Should have remembered to re-grease it after a summer of using that bike for interval training.

Homeyba

Do you think so? I can count on one hand the number of 650b bikes I've seen on brevets. Maybe it's more of a regional thing? Or, is this just the tip of the 650B iceburg???

MetinUz

There are typically at least a couple 650B's in the SF Bay Area brevets I have ridden, usually Rivendell's or BDB Pelican's.

StephenH

A friend of mine just got a Bichetta recumbent with 700's, and I understand that's a new thing- most of the older ones having 650-something-or-others- and they're fairly common in the local rando scene. It's not a problem really, just take an extra tube or two and a patch kit along. But I don't know of any reason to pick that, either.

Commodus

Take another look at the Polyvalent. The smallest size has a 54 TT, but the seat tube angle is very slack. This has the effect of shortening the TT, since the position of your saddle relative to the BB has to remain the same, regardless of the STA.

It's really your only option with your requirements, and I think you'll find it does in fact fit. You may end up with a zero offset post.

Commodus

They're increasing in popularity in this area. I like them because I like enormous squishy tires.

Captain Blight

The Rawland Stag meets your criteria perfectly and has been getting excellent reviews.

mickey85

Might be crazy talk here, but you could always get an older 700c road bike and convert to 650b...

A quick search on Ebay shows a cassette hub 650b set for under $100. If you buy a $3-400 Tange or Reynolds built road bike, a set of 650b for $100, $60 for tires (assuming something like the Col de la Vies), you'd have $100+ for upgrading to aero brake levers, longer brake calipers, and to add stuff like fenders and lights.

Kaptain Amerika

It does now. The Rawland Stag in small or the Rawland Nordavinden in small. Both 650B rando-style, low-trail, and great tube spec.

hybridbkrdr

I wish the industry would provide charts for every adult to say whether they want a bicycle with 24 inch wheels, 26 inch wheels, 650b and 700c.