650b to 700c conversion - easy as...
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650b to 700c conversion - easy as...
Just put the new wheels on and raise/lower brake pads on the clipers as necessary?
Provided there is frame clearance, is it as easy as that?
Provided there is frame clearance, is it as easy as that?
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I doubt your brakes will have that much adjustment range. What's wrong with 650b? A lot of folks do the conversion the other way, from 700c to 650b, just to get more clearance for fatter tires and fenders. To do that they need to change to long-reach brakes or fabricate a drop-bolt.
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There are a few V-brakes made that have the latitude to move the shoes high enough, but they're pricy and when you move the shoes that far it changes the geometry enough that performance is way (really way) below par.
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I did the conversion in question. My utility bike, an early 80s Schwinn Mirada came with 650b rims. The rear was badly bent beyond trueing. Replacements were not cost effective. Picked up a set of 700c rims. They fit, but can't go beyond a 32 on tires. The brakes sorta work. The pads cannot be raised quite enough. It stops good enough, so I haven't screwed with it any more. Wish I could have found a set of alloy 650b rims to replace the stock steel set.
#6
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I know https://www.icyclesusa.com/ is temporarily closed but they did have some 650b rims for cheap at one point. And their shipping cost to Canada was cheap. Maybe you could wait until they're online.
#7
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1. fork-crown to tyre-clearance
2. front-brake, side view of pad-position
3. front-tyre to downtube clearance
4. rear brake-bridge to tyre-clearance
5. rear-brake, side view of pad-position
6. rear-tyre to seattube clearance
If you've got 19mm of clearance and adjustment in these areas, it is a simple swap to 700c wheels. Otherwise, you may need to do some cutting & re-brazing/welding. Similar to converting 700c road-bike to cyclocross or a 26" MTB into a touring-bike (adding/removing cantilever posts), maybe change forks. Not that daunting, I've done quite a few.
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I don't have one yet, but I am scouring the planet looking for either a Rivendell Bleriot or Rambouillet or Saluki. Or a cheap Homer Hilsen or Roadeo. I don't have the privelidge to go on the Wanted forum here. So I try Clist and eBay.
The Saluki and Bleriot are 650b. I would leave them alone unless there was a reason later for going to 700. That is why I was wondering if it is easy or not. But I would just leave them as 650b unless.
The Saluki and Bleriot are 650b. I would leave them alone unless there was a reason later for going to 700. That is why I was wondering if it is easy or not. But I would just leave them as 650b unless.
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Man, looking for boutique 650B bikes, with the intent of converting them to 700C. Anyone ever tell you that you like to do things the hard way?
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I did the conversion in question. My utility bike, an early 80s Schwinn Mirada came with 650b rims. The rear was badly bent beyond trueing. Replacements were not cost effective. Picked up a set of 700c rims. They fit, but can't go beyond a 32 on tires. The brakes sorta work. The pads cannot be raised quite enough. It stops good enough, so I haven't screwed with it any more. Wish I could have found a set of alloy 650b rims to replace the stock steel set.
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I loved the 650b concept. Cost is the biggest factor. Wish I could find a set of 650b disc mountain bike rims for my Nashbar bike. They'd fit with 40 Panaracers.
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Given their boutique nature, do 650B bikes (of average grade) carry a price premium. Could you sell off your bike and pick up a properly dimensioned 700c or 26MTB modern spec bike.?
#13
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650b craze run its course? seems like there were conversions the other way
just a couple years ago.
those sold a few longer reach Tektro dual pivots.. to accomplish.
now I suppose the race short reach calipers get used..
just a couple years ago.
those sold a few longer reach Tektro dual pivots.. to accomplish.
now I suppose the race short reach calipers get used..
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Actually there's a concerted movement to re-introduce and mainstream this size. Just what we all need more standard sizes out there, so that much more inventory will be needed for the same number of bikes.
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An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
#15
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Not sure what the benefits of 650b are other than making smaller bikes more proportional. At 50-52cm sizes, you can't pull in the wheels tight enough to shorten the wheelbase due to minimum chain-stay length (tyre touches seat-tube). Pulling in only the front-centre causes too much weight on front-end and you also end up with too much toe-overlap. Standover height is still high due to minimum head-tube length. At those sizes & smaller, I'd just build a frame around 559mm MTB wheels. I've seen a couple of these frames in 46cm and they're quite cute! Plenty of road rims and tyres available in that size.
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Expect lots of press about the virtues of 650b vs. the current 26 x 1.xx size.
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An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
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An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
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“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
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