New Rig (Rawland rSogn 650B)

[MileHighMark]

Still need to install fenders and a front rack.



http://www.gravelbike.com/?p=754

[Hydrated]

Looks like a nice ride!

What front rack are you going to use?

[MileHighMark]

Looks like a nice ride!

What front rack are you going to use?

Nitto M12.

[unterhausen]

the rear derailleur is pretty interesting, might have to get one of them

[Andrey]

Looks nice.
I have a question though.
What is the advantage of a 650b bike over 700c bike? I ride 58-59 size frames and I was thinking of modifying/replacing my long distance bike all together, but a 650b bike never entered my thoughts.

Another question about this built. How do 10 speed(or 11) Campy shifters work with a Shimano 9-speed cassette?

[MileHighMark]

Looks nice.
I have a question though.
What is the advantage of a 650b bike over 700c bike? I ride 58-59 size frames and I was thinking of modifying/replacing my long distance bike all together, but a 650b bike never entered my thoughts.

Another question about this built. How do 10 speed(or 11) Campy shifters work with a Shimano 9-speed cassette?

A 650B wheel with a large (cushy) tire is about the same OD as a 700x23C wheel/tire combo. Vintage Bicycle Quarterly has lots of info on 650B wheels/tires. The narrowest tires I run are 32mm, so I figured it made sense to give 650B a try.

Campy 10s shifters can be paired with 8s Shimano w/o any adapters.
Campy 11s shifters can be paired with 9s Shimano w/o any adapters.

On my bike I use the da Vinci-modified SRAM rear derailleur for compatibility between 10s Campy shifters and 9s Shimano.

[Andrey]

Campy 11s shifters can be paired with 9s Shimano w/o any adapters.

That is nice to know. How is the shifting quality with the compromise?

[Andrey]

Is the size of the tire (32 and above) and cushy ride the only advantages to use a 650b tire over 700c bike?

[MileHighMark]

That is nice to know. How is the shifting quality with the compromise?

I've not tried it, so I can't say. I do know of several folks, however, who have done the Campy 10s/Shimano 8s combo with excellent results.

[MileHighMark]

Is the size of the tire (32 and above) and cushy ride the only advantages to use a 650b tire over 700c bike?

All things being equal, a 650B wheel will be lighter and stronger than a 700C wheel.

[ThermionicScott]

Is the size of the tire (32 and above) and cushy ride the only advantages to use a 650b tire over 700c bike?

The smaller diameter of the wheel also helps with toe overlap and weight, compared with a 700C/29er of the same tire width. It can lower the bottom bracket and top tube slightly, but those shouldn't be one's chief reasons for doing the switch...

P.S. That bike looks sharp. Bet it's a blast on long gravel rides!

[MileHighMark]

A 650B wheel also seems to "spin up" quicker than a 700C wheel, in my limited experience.

[Road Fan]

Is the size of the tire (32 and above) and cushy ride the only advantages to use a 650b tire over 700c bike?

Andrey, I'm working on a 650b build, too, a Terraferma frame/fork. 650b should give a cushier ride, better rim protection, and better handling over grooves, slots, and bumps in the road. Overall it helps make a bike equally usable on smooth pavement, "real world" pavement, and dirt/gravel roads. You can add tire girth and air volume in a 700c format, but the wheel will become huge, affecting the layout of a frame. The fork length and chainstay length of a 650 bike are not much different from a narrow tire 700c. What is different is width and brake shoe positioning.

[thebulls]

Andrey, I'm working on a 650b build, too, a Terraferma frame/fork. 650b should give a cushier ride, better rim protection, and better handling over grooves, slots, and bumps in the road. Overall it helps make a bike equally usable on smooth pavement, "real world" pavement, and dirt/gravel roads. You can add tire girth and air volume in a 700c format, but the wheel will become huge, affecting the layout of a frame. The fork length and chainstay length of a 650 bike are not much different from a narrow tire 700c. What is different is width and brake shoe positioning.

I've been riding 650B on brevets for about a year, either 650Bx35 (Soma B-Lines or Pacenti Pari-Motos) or 650Bx42 (Grand Bois Hetre). These tires are all high enough quality to roll with about the same resistance as any other good quality tire (e.g. Grand Bois Cypres, Conti Grand Prix 4 seasons, Panaracer Stradius, ...). But they are much more plushy to ride on, so they help a lot with hand numbness and fatigue on long rides. And they grip the road extremely well, while being much more forgiving about the occasional pothole or whatever that you didn't notice. They do not change toe overlap or bottom bracket height relative to 700Cx23 because they have the same outside diameter. However, relative to really big 700C tires (35, 37 ...) they feel faster and handle better. The really big 700C tires I have tried make the bike handle like a truck. I doubt that I'll ever go back to 700 except for short rides like my daily commute.

Nick

[MileHighMark]

I'm really pleased at how well the bike/wheels smooth out rough and broken pavement. Smoooooth.

[thebulls]

I'm really pleased at how well the bike/wheels smooth out rough and broken pavement. Smoooooth.

Hi, Mark,

Do you know if you'd be able to run a triple on the Rawland?

Thanks,

Nick

[MileHighMark]

Hi, Mark,

Do you know if you'd be able to run a triple on the Rawland?

Thanks,

Nick

I suspect you could. Probably best to ask Rawland directly, though.

[cobrabyte]

Hi I am considering one of these frames. I would like to ask what size frame you have and your height/inseam

I usually ride a 60cm seat tube and 57-59 cm top tube with a 110mm stem

Thanks in advance

[MileHighMark]

Hi I am considering one of these frames. I would like to ask what size frame you have and your height/inseam

I usually ride a 60cm seat tube and 57-59 cm top tube with a 110mm stem

Thanks in advance

Mine is the M/L. Saddle height is approx 73cm from center of BB to top of saddle (measured on centerline of seat tube/post). Stem is 80mm.

[cobrabyte]

That helps a great deal, thank you