Originally Posted by
Bandera
How a heavy 650B vs a much lighter 700C wheelset performs....
Not sure why you would compare heavy 650b wheels to light 700c wheels. For a given rim and given tire, the 650b is always lighter. There's less of it. The 650b hoops I just laced up are 23mm wide INTERNAL and weigh 341g (verified). That's crazy light by just about anyone's standards.
Originally Posted by
Wildwood
650b is about Rando
It's just a BSD. This blanket statement is ignorant and incorrect.
Originally Posted by
Wildwood
I have not ridden 650b
Cool story.
Originally Posted by
Wildwood
have been told by many: 1. that 700c in frame sizes 60cm & above is the way to go. 2. 650b really makes more sense at 56cm and below
So what? I've been told by many people that bourbon is terrible and beer tastes gross. My experience doesn't reflect that. There is some merit to consideration of wheel size in relation to frame and rider size. But, the way you have framed these statements is not considering overall tire diameter and pneumatic trail. It's too simple.
Originally Posted by
Bandera
In looking at a 650B build as a test for a possible replacement winter/wet bike the current market is producing unnecessarily overbuilt equipment for my riding style and terrain.
Looking at "The Golden Age of Handbuilt Bicycles" the constructors of the 40' & 50's were building Lightweight machines for long distances at pace on the rough secondary roads of the era. A minimalist approach to design adopting the new tech of the era.
Now?
What I'm seeing in the 650B marketplace is admittedly retro-stylish in a nod to the classic French Rando bikes but lacking the application of technical advances incorporated by modern road machines, definitely not in the spirit of the constructors. Very pleasant machines to ride I'm sure but an 853 frameset in a suitable geometry w/ 1 1/8" threadless steerer, low spoke count wheels, and a complement of braze-on fittings would be a low bar to set for a modern-ish 650B machine.
In a niche market even that isn't too much to ask in 2016.
-Bandera
That's because you're looking in the wrong place. You don't go to Performance Bike looking for what you describe. You go to a custom builder. The bikes you reference were never off-the-shelf, but made-to-order. If you wanted a Singer or Herse in the 50s you had to pony up. Nothing has changed in that regard.