Hello, new to the forum.
I'm an out-of-shape Army Vet looking to get some exercise. I'm in the market for two bikes. I've got it narrowed down to Cannondale Treadwell 2 for me and Adventure 1 for the wife. Option #2 would be Specialized Roll Elite for me, Roll Elite Low Entry for the wife. I emailed Specialized and got the specs for the Elite as their website says "specs coming soon".
Both bikes seem comparable. I have a Cannondale dealer near me and can possibly test ride both bikes. Specialized on the other hand, at least these models/colors are about 100 miles from me. I have been wanting a Cannondale since I was a teen. I'm 47 now. I know Specialized makes a good bike as well.
Bikes will be used mostly on pavement, some grassy trails. Neither bike derailleurs come with a clutch but I can always tackle that issue down the road if needed. My main concern, after reading reviews, is that the tires on the Cannondale Treadwell seem to be prone to flats, and possibly hard to come by.
Cannondale Treadwell 2 tire size is 650b x 47c.
Cannondale Adventure 1 tire size is 27.5 x 2.0"
Specialized Customer Support informed me the Roll Elite and Roll Elite Low Entry have 650b x 2.3".
First, can anyone recommend one bike over another?
Second, can I put just about any width tire on a 650b/27.5 rim?
Thanks in advance.