Prototype Lapierre DH Bike

 The bike industry is obsessed with labeling everything a 'prototype'. A prototype is when Honda takes a model 5 years away from production to an undisclosed location to see if it actually works - no cameras, no racing, no public. That's just a guy racing a pre-production frame with big wheels. Calling it a prototype makes it sound cutting edge and revolutionary. Big wheels. Nice.

 @idrinkpabst, A prototype is an early sample, model or release of a product built to test a concept or process or to act as a thing to be replicated or learned from. I'm not trying to bitch at you. I just thought you should know this.

 Sure. Dictionary.com knows a lot. In the real world, major industries would never allow prototype projects or materials off private property. Dudes at Motorola don't cruise around town with prototype phones. You don't see prototype Toyotas at the grocery store. Prototype KTMs aren't out at the local mx track testing suspension. If you see a Motorola, Toyota or KTM product off private property, it's a pre-production model that's usually dressed up to look different or hidden from sight. Bike companies call everything they don't yet sell a prototype. It's just funny. No worries, mate.

 @idrinkpabst, I can see your point of view. There are no rules about keeping things secret though. I did like the 'You don't see prototype Toyotas at the grocery store'. Prototype/Pre-production. I get you mate.

 Haha - First of all, I do have my pro dh license. Second, I'm 8 Coors deep watching NFL Network at 1am - so obviously I have nothing better than to talk a whole lot about nothing. Thirdly, the bicycle was invented almost 200 years ago and I'm sure the conversation regarding proper wheel size goes back to days of yellow fever and steam ships. Calling 650b an innovation is a bit dramatic.

 There are no advantages. You're either good or not.

 Sorry - with the exception of steroids or PEDs. That's just science.

 My retired oap mama rides 650b wheels on her shopper... I have to admit she makes it to and from the shops pretty fast! Ahaha

 And you're just a troll who has no photos, details or input on your profile at all and has liked a bunch of xc hard tail pics... by what authority do you put us down?

 I don't have any authority, but I think that the engineers at Lapierre and Devinci do and I don't believe that its all "marketing" at least not when they use 650b wheels on their race bikes.

 Shouldn't you be drinking pabst?

 shanky shaft should change his username to cranky shaft. hahaha. It's a pinkbike forum bro, there's no argument to be won here. and I have to side with idrinkpabst. not only because i drink pabst, but bikes really just have bigger wheels. less focus on geometry, and prettier paint jobs. thats it. If pros knew what was best they'd be on it already. 26" was unquestioned for a long time. and perhaps now as the geometry designs grow slim in creativity, It's time that wheel size was the next discussed topic. We're all just trying to find what works for us (get your lighters out now) Everyone wants their own perfect ride. I do believe that no matter what your wheel size, no matter what your rim width, we shall overcome the terrain, and be a community once again of undivided mt bikers. praise the bike gods.

 A Toyota and a DH bike have slightly different length production cycles, would't you say?

If Intense wanted to, they could go into the shop and have a prototype done by the end of the day…Toyota, might need a little longer for the next Corolla.

There is a whole thread on MTBR about the next SC Nomad prototype being spotted in Whistler…you can bet there are people holding off on there next bike purchase to see what they release.

 I really should've been drinking Pabst. I feel like a fraud.

 Was Steve riding his 26inch bike when he cased that gap? It looked like his red and yellow bike. Shoulda hopped on the 650b version. Heard it makes you at least 5 seconds faster and jump 10 ft further.

 Ok prototypes in other industries are regularly taking out in the real world for testing, happens all the time in automobiles and aviation... when your product is big, you need more than a lab. Hell in military aviation prototypes are routine for competitions/fly-offs, and then everyone gets to see them if its not some black spyplane project. Why people think it'd be any different for bicycles... with cars going to test tracks they usually apply fake body panels or cover it with rubber bras and dazzle paint schemes to break up the appearance so other company spies don't immediately figure out what it is. They're also of course run without model badges. And really for other areas of bike design, there's not much left to do for the major speed improvements that running larger diameter tires bring to the table.

As to the 8 coors deep drinking comment...whooopy...coors isn't beer...its like making love in a canoe, f'ing close to water.

 Thank you giant for don't BRING bigger wheels, at least to the glory, but you couro BRING carbon!!!

 Giant has already said anything that was 26 and didn't change to 650B for this year will be changed to 650B.

 Frank Booth: What kind of beer do you like?

Jeffrey Beaumont: Heineken.

Frank Booth: [shouting] Heineken? F#&% that shit! Pabst Blue Ribbon!

 Shouldnt you be drinking pabst not coors?

 i find it odd that 650b bikes are only now being tested out by teams. why is it that this advantage has only surfaced now that its a trend rather than 5 years ago.

 I would give this ^ 100 + props if I could!

 To change wheel size you have to completely redesign the bike, including frame layout and suspension.

 i agree with ctd07 on this, but its also a way for the different component manufactures to make money, yes there may be a slight performance increase but at the end of the day, it s a wheel it goes round and round

 @matt5311 There weren't any 650b DH forks 5 years ago.

 Actually there were, just not labeled as such. Any 26er fork with clearance for 26 x 2.7 (or more) tires was enough to use any of the 650B tires available 5 years ago, or even 2 years ago.

 Pretty soon we're going to be seeing drivetrain components specifically designed to shift quicker & have optimized compatibility with 650b bikes. Mark my words.

I've been riding longer than most of you guys have been alive (37 years on two wheels and still going strong). I can't count the number of "revolutionary designs" I've seen come and go because they just didn't make a difference and I can't recall a single thing creating this kind of controversy.

I don't if it's a good thing or bad, but I know that I speak for a lot of riders on here when I say that regardless of whether it makes a performance difference or not, I can barely afford this sport and I make a pretty nice income these days.

I can't imagine how a 20 year old kid is supposed afford this "revolution" in technology and stay current in this sport. So a guy/girl has a great mountain bike and if he/she wants to get on this bus he/she is going to have two options:

1) Lose their ass selling their mountain bike and spend a year's tuition on a new bike, or...
2) Lose their ass selling their 26" wheels, tires, frame & fork and spend a year's tuition on a new wheelset, tires, frame & fork.

Either way this makes me mad at the industry that is supposed to be on our side. But yet, I see $10,000 bikes in shops and these days my $6,000 Yeti is little more than an above-average caliber of bike. What's going on here? Anybody else have the fish-in-a-barrel feeling?

 The more the industry pushes to 650b, the less 26's are left behind. If I'm not wrong, Yeti has already stopped production of the SB66 because people are buying into the hype and buying the 650b version instead. Most people,I think, get "butthurt" because the industry seems to be backing us(the ones who want 26 wheels) into a corner and leaving us with almost no say, or choice.

 how many 26 bandwagon kids have actually ridden 27.5 or 29" in the first place.

My guess is not many - and even if you threw them on different size wheels and told them to guess, most would be lucky to get the right answer.

Change = insecurity - welcome to life.

 Can't speak for the rest of the bandwagon kids, but I have. I didn't like the way 29s felt and I didn't see the point to 27.5s. I'm not exactly the best rider out there and honestly couldn't tell the difference between 27.5 and 26, so my argument, for myself, is why even bother with wheel size when more could be done towards changes in bike geometry, braking and other bike equipment? All I'm seeing is a somewhat unnecessary push to get people to buy things they don't need, instead of a proper push for more innovation in equipment. I can't remember the last bike part that was released that didn't have some kind of problem with it.

 I don't care what others are using. The problem, from this year I don't have a chance to buy 26" from most of the companies (talking about 1500 € plus bike). Have to buy 27.5 or 29 - depend of the marketing guys. Everybody says I have option for 26, but it's f*cking lie. For my next bike i must switch. Regardless i will like it or not.

 If it helps, you can have all of the VHS tapes and CDs in my attic.

 @Oriion I'm perfectly happy with 26. There is no way i'm going to throw out all of my 26 gear just because some say bigger is better. That would be a gross waste of good materials and an therefore an insult to the environment.
So what if bigger wheels are almost measurably faster, and roll over stuff easier. I love the challenge of getting over tech bits. If I wasn't 6' tall, I'd probably have run all of my bikes with 24" wheels for the extra fun of having to bunny hop and fly over more stuff.

 My wife has decided to weigh into this argument with her comment: "Most women will tell you 1.5" won't make any difference, it's what you do with it that counts."

basically i think i'm being told i have a small wang, but i'm good at using it. so pick your wheels boys, and just be good at using them.

 Taking "Pick a wheel size and be a DICK about it" to a new, almost literal, level...

 ^^Winning Comment.^^ All bickering can hereby cease.

 The 26" crowd has to fight for their right to party on 26" wheels or they are gonna get rolled over by the media hype and there won't be as many 26" options left.

If the 26" crowd has to be a dick about it, then that is simply what is necessary to ensure the survival of the 26" wheel. It's not fight or flight, its fight for flight.

 Most riders in wc who raced on 650b didn't yet get significant time advantage over 26inch. the difference must be very small, but the 1.5 inch less under your butt before tire contact is significant enough on steeps... at least my 29er did feel like a giant under me and got me riding in weird position to stay balance. i sold it. worst investment ever exept for letting me bitch about em with experimental results. They do roll effortless (not necessarely faster) on fire road and little impact zone, on real stuff the angle of impact of rocks is almost the same on all wheel size and this is what counts for rolling resistance.

 ......yet.

 You have never dropped the soap in prison, I see

 Haaha scary1 you just made my day good one

 Well spotted eliotem! This bike pictured is not the prototype.

 I'm 5'8, riding a 29er so yes it is possible. Whether it's ideal depends not just on how tall someone is but also his posture and strength. A stocky guy like me (think rugby player body type) can manhandle a bike enough to put the big wheeler to good use, which a noodly kid probably can't.

 looks it, that variation is more critical than head angle, i wish writers would stop banging on about slack head angle, boring, axle offset is a key point, well spotted

 Wow, great logic there, how can you have a prototype you can test without producing one? You can't ride a CAD drawing or a sketch.

 Old...go look at the punta ala enduro bike check comments...

 Cool story wood.....

 Looks like an old 26" version with big wheels, not a prototype.