dbrk
10-30-2004, 10:49 AM
With the incoming Rivendell Saluki and it's 650B wheel specification we will see something of a revival in bicycling: an old idea brought back from the near-abyss and to my tastes far more interesting, useful, fun, and unusual than yet another ridiculously overpriced carbon bit from Taiwan. I know this "backward" looking direction doesn't suit all that many who frequent this Forum and it is true that it is more along the lines of iBOB/RBWList/SalukiList and even Classic Rendezvous, but it's my impression as well that many here are not that familiar with bikes like these. Serottafolks are curious, avid, and thoughtful and goshgolly I would love to see a company like Serotta look in this more traditional direction too...
650B is a French tradition (wheelsizes are nearly a "national" marker of tradition in Europe since as you move across regions their roads and styles brought about their own notions of wheelsize; our own American traditions are narrow but not as parochial and localized as the Euros and, of course, not nearly as lengthy) and has been used for generations. The notables have been Rene Herse and Alex Singer, of course, though even these have been surpassed imho by Mike Barry of Bike Specialties. And then there is the Confreire des 650 (and, of course, I am a true believer, member #933, so there is the usual zealotry that comes with outlayer preferences and oldfashioned brimstone religious assertions...) which is a very interesting group but better if you read and speak French. Look here for yucks: http://www.confreriedes650.org/
Anyway, some 700c bikes can be converted to 650B and some of the more venturesome cranks have done just that, much to my undying admiration. I may yet try to pull this off on an old Serotta just to get the reactions...anyway look here: http://folks.harbornet.com/kstagg/650b/ for a fine example. As for pictures of 650B, you can log into my yahoo.photos site by guesting your way into my folders; my nom de cycle there is dvicakrababa (which, btw, is Sanskrit for "two-wheel daddio"). There is Rivendell's Saluki too, which is forthcoming.
I know Serotta is all about "competition bicycles" but even companies like BMC and Pegoretti make the occasional city bike or cruiser. I wish there was more interest in small, super high quality builders like Serotta in these sorts of things. There will be others including the Hampstens who will be building in 650B---see the tentative site http://www.cyclestournesol.com for what is coming from Steve and Andy. As I see it (and I don't suppose many others in cycling really care half as much as I do) 650B is a magnificent way to enjoy bicycling and these bikes are meant for the road and trail, not for mountain biking and with their 584mm wheels (in contrast to the small mtn bike std 559mm) they roll like roadies but give you a much more stalwart feel.
Anything but more of the lightestweeniest bike stuff interests me. I hope this interests others. I think Ken Stagg and Ed Braley---the two most involved in 650B conversions have a great idea and inspire me to think outsizeanybox. It is hardly recommended in our country these days to do anything but conform to what the status quo tells us we should want, be it bicycles or politics. Here's to a different idea. Serotta be praised for being open-minded about so many things.
dbrk
650B is a French tradition (wheelsizes are nearly a "national" marker of tradition in Europe since as you move across regions their roads and styles brought about their own notions of wheelsize; our own American traditions are narrow but not as parochial and localized as the Euros and, of course, not nearly as lengthy) and has been used for generations. The notables have been Rene Herse and Alex Singer, of course, though even these have been surpassed imho by Mike Barry of Bike Specialties. And then there is the Confreire des 650 (and, of course, I am a true believer, member #933, so there is the usual zealotry that comes with outlayer preferences and oldfashioned brimstone religious assertions...) which is a very interesting group but better if you read and speak French. Look here for yucks: http://www.confreriedes650.org/
Anyway, some 700c bikes can be converted to 650B and some of the more venturesome cranks have done just that, much to my undying admiration. I may yet try to pull this off on an old Serotta just to get the reactions...anyway look here: http://folks.harbornet.com/kstagg/650b/ for a fine example. As for pictures of 650B, you can log into my yahoo.photos site by guesting your way into my folders; my nom de cycle there is dvicakrababa (which, btw, is Sanskrit for "two-wheel daddio"). There is Rivendell's Saluki too, which is forthcoming.
I know Serotta is all about "competition bicycles" but even companies like BMC and Pegoretti make the occasional city bike or cruiser. I wish there was more interest in small, super high quality builders like Serotta in these sorts of things. There will be others including the Hampstens who will be building in 650B---see the tentative site http://www.cyclestournesol.com for what is coming from Steve and Andy. As I see it (and I don't suppose many others in cycling really care half as much as I do) 650B is a magnificent way to enjoy bicycling and these bikes are meant for the road and trail, not for mountain biking and with their 584mm wheels (in contrast to the small mtn bike std 559mm) they roll like roadies but give you a much more stalwart feel.
Anything but more of the lightestweeniest bike stuff interests me. I hope this interests others. I think Ken Stagg and Ed Braley---the two most involved in 650B conversions have a great idea and inspire me to think outsizeanybox. It is hardly recommended in our country these days to do anything but conform to what the status quo tells us we should want, be it bicycles or politics. Here's to a different idea. Serotta be praised for being open-minded about so many things.
dbrk