Check it out here:
Frameforum 650b/27.5" mountain bike thread
My opinion is that this wheelsize makes a lot of sense - it'll allow a lot of smaller riders to fit onto a bigger-wheeled frame without some of the sacrifices (long chainstays, weird angles, etc) that they run into on 29ers. More options is always a good thing!
So what do you guys think? Any opinions on this? Anyone want to jump in line to get the first-ever Waltworks Tweener?
Second, what's the best name for these beasts?
-650b'ers (that's the rim size designation)
-27fivers
-Tweeners
-Something else
Ideas?
Shoulder news: My shoulder still hurts. A lot. I will go see Dr. Eric on Monday.
5 comments:
I used to think 29er's should just be 700C mountain bikes, but I guess it doesn't really matter. If they were 700C bikes, then 650B would make sense, but 27.5 (read twentysevenfive -- no "point," for brevity) is more parallel to other MTB names.
This whole conversation is stupid (as am I for participating in it), but for a really upset Sheldon Brown, search for 27five (or something) on the frame email list.
BTW, hope you're shoulder's doing okay.
so if someone 5'7" with a 28in inseam were to ask you for a frame would you push a 27.5 over a 29er (ruling out 26 all together)?
just curious as i've been on a 29er for about 6 months, but its hard to get a great fit on stock sizes (shallow seat angles leave me with setback posts).
Hey Anon -
It's not really a question of just size. Without knowing a lot more about what kind of rider (and what kind of riding) the bike would be used for, I couldn't honestly say. The smallest folks that I regularly build 29ers for are in the 5'8" range, so I imagine these in-between wheels would push that down by several inches. You get basically an extra inch of toptube room (ie, you can make it an inch shorter) due to the wheel size and the trail/head angle considerations, which is very good, and you also get some nice help on the chainstay length (should be able to easily make them the same length as a typical 26" bike) and bar height problems too.
Keep in mind too that I try not to "push" anything on anyone. I try to listen to what people want and then assess whether what they're asking for bike-wise will make them happy. In some cases, that's a 26" wheel bike, in some cases, a 29er, and now, I think, in some cases it'll be a 27five setup. Assuming it catches on enough that there's more than one tire available, that is.
Man o' man, I'm tempted. Maybe a rigid Johnny Cash SS, just to try it out. I'm going to wait for the Dirt Rag review before I do anything rash. And I vote for tweener.
Tempted Walt. Very tempted.
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