Is 26" The Same As 650? i SHOULD Know This?!?!
09-15-21, 03:25 AM
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Is 26" The Same As 650? i SHOULD Know This?!?!
Howdy folks... I recently picked up a Softride TT7 Rocket and the marked tire size says 26". I'm familiar with the MTB 26" tire as well as the 26 x 1 3/8" cruiser style tires but I'm struggling to find more info regarding 26" x 22 rear and 26" x 21 front tires.
Truth be told I bought the bike with the full intent on reselling it but I want to be sure of exactly what I'm selling. The tires are... Rear Tire: Continental Competition Vectran 26" X 22 Tubular and Front Tire: Vittoria Competition Juniores 26” X 21 Green 3D Compound Tubular. Are these 650's or are they exclusive to the 26" market? They're affixed to Corima Medium carbon wheels.
What would be the benefit / advantage / rationale be behind a 26" wheel VS 700c or 650? If someone was interested in the frame / fork combo what size wheels will fit?
Thank you all in advance.
Truth be told I bought the bike with the full intent on reselling it but I want to be sure of exactly what I'm selling. The tires are... Rear Tire: Continental Competition Vectran 26" X 22 Tubular and Front Tire: Vittoria Competition Juniores 26” X 21 Green 3D Compound Tubular. Are these 650's or are they exclusive to the 26" market? They're affixed to Corima Medium carbon wheels.
What would be the benefit / advantage / rationale be behind a 26" wheel VS 700c or 650? If someone was interested in the frame / fork combo what size wheels will fit?
Thank you all in advance.
09-15-21, 04:22 AM
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It's called 650C, and it's 571mm, as opposed to 26" (MTB) which is 559mm and 650B which is 584mm, which is also called 27.5" in the MTB world. Normal 700c wheels are also 29" wheels and are 622mm.
Use - kids racing bikes really, or something handbuilt for a really small person.
Use - kids racing bikes really, or something handbuilt for a really small person.
09-15-21, 06:19 AM
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There are at least half a dozen mutually incompatible, nominally 26" tire sizes, three of which include the "650" designation (650A, with 590mm bead seat diameter, 650B, with 584mm BSD, and 650C, with 571mm BSD). Look for an unambiguous ETRTO/ISO size designation on the tire, e.g. "22-571" and ignore the deprecated inch size designations.
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09-15-21, 06:19 AM
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09-15-21, 06:30 AM
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That looks like an old tri bike, likely 650c. https://www.slowtwitch.com/Tech/650c...izes_7123.html
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09-15-21, 07:19 AM
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The 26” markings are, IIRC, a Dutch/German naming convention, like you sometimes see 700c hybrid tires labeled as 28”.
Skinny 650’s are prevalent on 1990-early Y2K TT and Tri bikes, of which your Softride definitely is, and was done for aero reasons, to reduce the frontal area of the bike, since wheels are a big contributor to aero drag.
Splitting up the frame and wheels to resell probably won’t work, because the bike was designed specifically for that wheel size, and that size wheel doesn’t really swap onto other size bikes.
There were a couple of Softride frames that had interchangeable rear dropouts, to switch between 700, 650 and Track ends, but only a handful were ever made, and the parts have been lost to time.
If your bike is one of those, you’d need to swap in a 700 fork, and have new dropouts made.
If you’re looking to flip it, it’s probably going to be an "As-Is"
Last edited by Ironfish653; 09-15-21 at 02:57 PM.
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09-15-21, 07:51 AM
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They still make those tires, but I ran out of patience for maintaining tubular tires back in the early '80s. If you really want to use that bike it might be better to switch to 650c clinchers.
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09-15-21, 08:16 AM
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Well it's a Continental Competition isn't it? Do you need another? Or just confused about sizing for Tubular tires. I am too. However 26" tubulars and 24" tubulars are something Sheldon said to watch out for as they are not well standardized in their sizing.
Unless special cement which does not allow on-road replacement of a tire is used, tubulars "squirm" against the rims and are slower than the best wired-on tires, even though lighter -- see details from Jobst Brandt.
Tubulars existed in several different sizes, but only 700c and 26-inch tubulars are readily available these days. Beware: sizes of 26" and 24" tubulars are not well-standardized. Take the rim with you when buying a tire, and vice versa. Size variations of tubulars are covered in Sutherland's Handbook for Bicycle Mechanics, 7th Edition, available from Sutherland's, and on the mechanic's bookshelf at better bike shops.
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/tire-sizing.html
Continental still shows a Competition on it's website. However only in 28".
https://www.continental-tires.com/bi...es/competition
The do have a Sprinter in a 26".
https://www.continental-tires.com/bi...tires/sprinter
Tubular Tires ("Sew-ups")
Tubular tires are mainly used for racing. A tubular tire has no beads; instead, the two edges of the carcass are sewn together (hence the term "sew-up") with the inner tube inside. Tubulars fit only on special rims, where they are held on by cement.Unless special cement which does not allow on-road replacement of a tire is used, tubulars "squirm" against the rims and are slower than the best wired-on tires, even though lighter -- see details from Jobst Brandt.
Tubulars existed in several different sizes, but only 700c and 26-inch tubulars are readily available these days. Beware: sizes of 26" and 24" tubulars are not well-standardized. Take the rim with you when buying a tire, and vice versa. Size variations of tubulars are covered in Sutherland's Handbook for Bicycle Mechanics, 7th Edition, available from Sutherland's, and on the mechanic's bookshelf at better bike shops.
- Full-sized tubulars fit rims of the same diameter as 622 mm (700c) clinchers. This size is sometimes referred to as "28 inch" or "700". It is also, confusingly, sometimes referred to as "27 inch." The "27 inch" designation is inaccurate and obsolete, but you'll sometimes run into it in older printed material.In clincher tires, there is a real difference between "700c" and "27 inch" sizes, but for tubulars this is a false distinction. Whenever you see mention of "27 inch tubulars" the writer is actually referring to standard full-sized tubulars, as used on most racing bikes.
- "26 inch" or "650" tubulars are smaller, mainly used on time-trial or motorpacing track bikes. There are two common "26 inch" sizes, corresponding to the 584 mm and 571 mm ISO sizes. There are a couple of oddball sizes as well.
- "24 inch" (two slightly different sizes), "22 inch" "20 inch" and "18 inch" tubulars were formerly used for children's racing bikes, but are pretty much extinct these days. The "18 inch" size corresponds to the "17 inch" (369 mm) size used on Moulton bicycles.
Continental still shows a Competition on it's website. However only in 28".
https://www.continental-tires.com/bi...es/competition
The do have a Sprinter in a 26".
https://www.continental-tires.com/bi...tires/sprinter
09-15-21, 08:18 AM
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As above, not the same size as 26" mountain bike or 650B (also called 27.5). 650C was a thing on small racing bikes and tri bikes for their smaller cross-sectional area for an aerodynamic advantage.
But, as others have said, and a few may have missed, this is a tubular tire, and those might be rarer than hen's dentures. I would assume 650C clinchers (regular tires with a removeable tube) are more common, but are in no way compatible with that rim.
But, as others have said, and a few may have missed, this is a tubular tire, and those might be rarer than hen's dentures. I would assume 650C clinchers (regular tires with a removeable tube) are more common, but are in no way compatible with that rim.
09-15-21, 09:17 AM
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Ive had a few 650c bikes. Getting tires has become a total pita. Even for clinchers.
I had an opportunity to get a 650c Slingshot and passed it up, even though I’ve wanted a slingshot since I was 14. I just can’t justify the trouble.
With glue ups, good luck.
If it was mine, I’d put it back on sale for the exact price I paid and just hope to move on from my mistake.
I had an opportunity to get a 650c Slingshot and passed it up, even though I’ve wanted a slingshot since I was 14. I just can’t justify the trouble.
With glue ups, good luck.
If it was mine, I’d put it back on sale for the exact price I paid and just hope to move on from my mistake.
09-15-21, 09:27 AM
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As noted above… If you can find someone who wants an older 650c trial bike with tubular tire setup, sell the bike as quickly as you can.
We live in an age where tubeless is becoming the preferred choice as many find fixing clincher tire flats too much of a hassle. I can’t imagine many wanting to go back to sew ups.
I do understand the tubular weight savings, but the market for that bike has to be pretty small.
John
We live in an age where tubeless is becoming the preferred choice as many find fixing clincher tire flats too much of a hassle. I can’t imagine many wanting to go back to sew ups.
I do understand the tubular weight savings, but the market for that bike has to be pretty small.
John
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09-15-21, 10:04 AM
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Limited market for sure but it's unique and kind of cool looking. I wouldn't be surprised if there were some old tri guys out there who'd like a reminder of their glory days. They probably wouldn't be put off by the tubulars. Maybe post in C&V Appraisals.
09-15-21, 10:28 AM
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Is 26" The Same As 650? i SHOULD Know This?!?!
09-15-21, 10:40 AM
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Softride
Also learned that bikes that aren't double triangles are banned from UCI sanctioned competition.
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09-15-21, 11:40 AM
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The good news is that that 26" tubular tire is actually slightly bigger in diameter than the corresponding 650c clincher tire. So you can likely fit a 650x28c clincher tire into that same frame space, if you choose to change to clincher rims.
09-15-21, 12:52 PM
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Tri bikes are a little better for time trials because the UCI has some rules that hurt aero and fit.
09-15-21, 01:07 PM
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However,
Amateurs also compete in UCI sanctioned events. Many events that USA cycling puts up are also UCI sanctioned.
Most of the triathlon bikes I see sold today are double triangles. But I don't do tri's so I don't really pay that much attention to what everyone is riding in them.
Last edited by Iride01; 09-15-21 at 01:11 PM.
