(fixedgear) info & discussion

PB Forum :: Vintage and Fixed Gear Bikes
(fixedgear) info & discussion
Author Message
flag alreadyupsidedown
Posted: Jun 8, 2017 at 20:49 Quote
I guess I should have posted in the FGFS thread, however that would have been a massive grave dig.

Anyway, it just occurred to me that the 650b 'Road plus' gravel format, such as the WTB Horizon and Byway, would have made the perfect standard for FGFS.

Looking back at all the wheel size arguments, a couple of things were clear. 700c wheels with massive tires made no sense for tricking. But at the same time, purists complained that 26" was arbitrary, and had no connection to the track bikes and fixed gears that inspired the whole deal.

650b with a bigger tire would have maintained the diameter of a 700x28c, a classic and reasonable measurement, ideal for maintaining that 'Track bike feel' while allowing for most if not all of the same geometry improvements demanded on the remaining FGFS bikes of today. At least there would have been some claim to lineage, rather than just creating a crippled version of a 26" street MTB.

Just a thought. But its probably too late now.


700x45c looking pretty, but a still hair too thin for progressive tricks, and edging into wagon wheel territory.
photo

Comically huge 29x2.2". What the hell were people thinking...
photo

The eventual size winner... Better performance, but so diminutive and redundant.
photo

Just right: (Pretend it's fixed and has a negative BB drop)
photo
flag never-stop
Posted: Jun 12, 2017 at 1:20 Quote
650b fgfs would be perfect, when you think about it though, the smaller 26" wheel with a larger tyre would be more like the size of a 700c 28c, with 45c's your basically trying to trick a 29er, there has to be chart somewhere with this info
flag POWLEO
Posted: Jun 12, 2017 at 11:50 Quote
never-stop wrote:
650b fgfs would be perfect, when you think about it though, the smaller 26" wheel with a larger tyre would be more like the size of a 700c 28c, with 45c's your basically trying to trick a 29er, there has to be chart somewhere with this info

650b 47c is the same outer diameter as 700c 28c
flag alreadyupsidedown
Posted: Jun 13, 2017 at 8:09 Quote
POWLEO wrote:
never-stop wrote:
650b fgfs would be perfect, when you think about it though, the smaller 26" wheel with a larger tyre would be more like the size of a 700c 28c, with 45c's your basically trying to trick a 29er, there has to be chart somewhere with this info

650b 47c is the same outer diameter as 700c 28c

Correct.

[P=https://gzmyu4ma9b-flywheel.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/WTB-Horizon_Road-Plus_650B-47mm_all-road-asphalt-gravel-dirt-tire_Road-Plus-vs-regular-endurance-road_side-by-side.jpg size=m align=c]
[/P]
Unless you get into balloon-style cruiser, or fat MTB tires, (which nobody really rides anyways) 26" is still nowhere close to 28x700c. Most FGFS riders are still only riding on 45-55c tires, even with the extra space the 26" wheel size affords them. So why go two wheel sizes down, when 650b would have been a sufficient reduction in diameter?
flag nwthumbs
Posted: Jun 13, 2017 at 8:24 Quote
Availability. 26" is still more widely common when it comes to burley strong rims as well as tires.
flag never-stop
Posted: Jun 26, 2017 at 6:28 Quote
650b rear, 26" front? Cool
flag RGonz
Posted: Jul 3, 2017 at 21:23 Quote
Road plus seems perfect for fgfs, enough tire for hard landings and compliance on fakies / 180s like 26 but still a 700c diameter. I don't trick on my fixed but I ride BMX and mtb. if my tires were like 40mm wide on on those bikes it would feel awkward af trying to jib around.
flag RGonz
Posted: Jul 3, 2017 at 21:27 Quote
26 is always gonna be cheaper tho, so yea, obviously it's gonna be the go-to for anybody looking to get into it. Buuuuut, for the experienced fgfs guy it seems like a no brainier to go road +.
flag nwthumbs
Posted: Jul 3, 2017 at 21:36 Quote
700x~45 is and has been here. there are plentiful 36h 29"/700c rims, there are not 36h 650b rims in plentiful supply.
flag RGonz
Posted: Jul 3, 2017 at 21:52 Quote
If road+ catches on it will be just as available as 27.5 mtb tires/rims. I think the benefits are there and it could move the sport forward, but I absolutely agree with you on the availability factor as of current.
flag nwthumbs
Posted: Jul 3, 2017 at 22:29 Quote
the issue is a lack of demand for the required parts outside of this tiny niche sub genre of riding. no one is even remotely close to interested in 36h 650b stuff.
flag bonfire
Posted: Jul 4, 2017 at 2:56 Quote
Precisely. Like what are we even talking about? A couple hundred riders who wil actually invest in this sub-niche?
flag alreadyupsidedown
Posted: Jul 4, 2017 at 5:44 Quote
There sure are plenty of 650b MTB rims floating around. And you can certainly get 36h rims if you order from Velocity, or another niche brand like plenty of fixed gear FS riders did. All it takes is some demand. I don't think availability is that much of a problem, I just don't think anyone bothered to think about it.

Anyways yeah, it doesn't matter. FGFS was a fad, and aside from a few holdouts, it's essentially dead. But it's still interesting to think about. Sure it's a pointless discussion, but why even bother being on forums then?
flag bikebike69
Posted: Nov 24, 2018 at 13:49 Quote
What frame is that 26?

 


Copyright © 2000 - 2024. Pinkbike.com. All rights reserved.
dv56 0.143603
Mobile Version of Website