Anyone have an opinion on this? Good idea? Bad idea? How much of a change to handling might I expect? The new front wheel will cost about $400 when all is said and done, and I'd like to get some feedback before putting that kind of money into it. Should I have posted this in a different sub-forum?

FWIW, the HPlusSon Hydra is only available in 700C, so I was going to go with a HED Belgium Plus rim in 650B. I will use the same hub and disc rotor as my 700C wheel (Hope Pro 4 hub and Hope floating rotor) so the caliper shouldn't require adjustment when swapping wheels. The Soma Supple Vitesse tires are also 700C only, so I plan to use a Compass Babyshoe Pass on the 650B. The Supple Vitesse use tubes, but I'll go tubeless with the Babyshoe Pass so I don't have to carry two different size tubes with me.