Buying a 650b wheelset when it's being phased out

[unterhausen]

I have 650b and 700c wheels for my gravel bike. Right now I have 650x47mm and 700x40mm tires. I'm not super worried about future supplies of 650b tires. Hopefully there will be 650b gravelkings when I need to replace the ones I have now

[Spoker]

Two bikes with carbon 650's for me. I like them. Also like it a lot that they lower the BB height. Not racing with them. Dealing with a pedal stroke now and then.

[C40_guy]

Originally Posted by RemixRob4

650b will stay around - maybe not for racers, but for rando, small bikes, mountain bikes, kids, etc, forever

I have a 650b fun and 700c fast wheelset

I *just* bought a set of Reynolds 650b wheels for my gravel bike. They'll be my fun set. The carbon Levantes are my fast wheelset.

...650x45mm and 700x40mm, both sets Pirelli Zero H.

I'm not worried about tire availability...in ten years we'll be onto something totally different anyway. Or not.

And...for what I spent on the setup - wheels, rotors, freehub, cassette, tires...I'm into the whole setup for under $1K, so...

[NHAero]

I guess I'm in trouble down the line if Panaracer stops making Gravelking slicks in 650Bx 38 and 42! That's what I'm riding on my Bingham and my Habanero. They'll take 700C (Habanero says up to 45mm on my stock frame, not sure about the Bingham but not that wide) but I lose toe clearance and see little advantage for me.

[C40_guy]

Originally Posted by NHAero

I guess I'm in trouble down the line if Panaracer stops making Gravelking slicks in 650Bx 38 and 42! That's what I'm riding on my Bingham and my Habanero. They'll take 700C (Habanero says up to 45mm on my stock frame, not sure about the Bingham but not that wide) but I lose toe clearance and see little advantage for me.

Maybe you and Angry and I should get some investors together and stockpile Gravelking and Pirelli 650b tires.

[sparky33]

Originally Posted by weaponsgrade

I've been kicking around the idea of a getting a 650b wheelset for my Open Wide to see how it rides with fat tires, i.e., 2.0s or above. But I've been noticing rim brands, like Reserve, have dropped 650b wheelsets from their lineup. It's also slim pickings for tires, my bigger concern, as compared to 700. I don't want RH to be my only option. Escape Collective hosted Vroomen on a recent podcast where he said tire makers are dropping the size especially for their higher end lines. I think I'm going to regret getting a 650b wheelset when two years from now I can't find any performance-oriented tires. What does the hive-mind think?

Riding wide 650b tires is the best part of the Open Wide. It's the central goal of the double-dropped chainstay design concept. The Wide is a terrific 700c bike, but it kills on 650b.

Schwalbe, Panaracer, and many small labels are still making 650b tires. Plenty for the years to come.

Did the Escape Collective podcast interview offer any preview of the next Wide version? I listened only up to the paywall at the half. Open was built on 650b innovation, and it would be odd for them to trade that wholesale for generic aero/internal that none of their customers want.

[sparky33]

Originally Posted by C40_guy

I'm not worried about tire availability...in ten years we'll be onto something totally different anyway. Or not.

And...for what I spent on the setup - wheels, rotors, freehub, cassette, tires...I'm into the whole setup for under $1K, so...

Agree.

[weaponsgrade]

Originally Posted by sparky33

Riding wide 650b tires is the best part of the Open Wide. It's the central goal of the double-dropped chainstay design concept. The Wide is a terrific 700c bike, but it kills on 650b.

Schwalbe, Panaracer, and many small labels are still making 650b tires. Plenty for the years to come.

Did the Escape Collective podcast interview offer any preview of the next Wide version? I listened only up to the paywall at the half. Open was built on 650b innovation, and it would be odd for them to trade that wholesale for generic aero/internal that none of their customers want.

Vroomen said they're moving away from 650b compatibility. He cited tire mfgrs dropping support for high-performance 650b tires as the reason. He gave an example of Schwalbe not making the G-One RS in 650b. Various new Open models will have some aero shaping especially at the headtube, UDH, clearance for 700x50s (I think or maybe more), T47, and will be built by Carbon Team in Portugal.

[Mr.Appa]

Originally Posted by C40_guy

Maybe you and Angry and I should get some investors together and stockpile Gravelking and Pirelli 650b tires.

Considering you can still get 27" pasaela tires from panaracer I don't think they will be stopping production of 650b gravel kings anytime soon

[oldpotatoe]

For the OP, if you DO want to look at getting a 650b wheelset, give me a shout.

A Bitex hubset laced to Velocity Ailerons is a sweet wheelset..

[tellyho]

Originally Posted by Mr.Appa

Considering you can still get 27" pasaela tires from panaracer I don't think they will be stopping production of 650b gravel kings anytime soon

Yes, but that's literally the only good 27" tire available.

[C40_guy]

Originally Posted by tellyho

Yes, but that's literally the only good 27" tire available.

Well, all it takes is one. Er, I mean two.

[Jaybee]

Originally Posted by tellyho

Yes, but that's literally the only good 27" tire available.

There's a couple ways to frame this.

1) that's a good enough tire and just stockpile a bunch of them.
2) for wheel sizes that have progressed and are currently in favor, a Pasela is not remotely the best tire you can get for it's intended use. If 650b goes the same way, then I would expect that whatever is new and great in tires in 2035 isn't happening in 650b. And in my experience, tire technology has advanced pretty significantly in the last 10 years.

[snguyen268]

Also considering getting a set of 650b for my gravel as well.

Recently saw a deal on Enve G27 + Enve Alloy hub for $999 or Enve AG28 + I9 1:1 hub for $799. Which one would you guys go with?

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by tellyho

Yes, but that's literally the only good 27" tire available.

Err, not really. J and B, a big distributor lists about 25 different models from Kenya, Pararacer, Schwalbe and Sunlite....Some are quite good tires...