So in the meantime I rode my IGH 28er 92 miles in damn smoky air 2/3 of the way.

559 /26" were born on BALLOON tire cruisers, mostly for kids bikes from the 1920s to early 1960s. These were the years when American adults riding bikes were few and far between. It wasn't until about 1985 Jan Heine resurrected the size by adding knobs and inventing the 3x6 MTB. These 26er balloon tires were ONLY what was available on MTBs for 20 years, so Europe had to go along. I gather mountainous Latin America is still using them.

Otherwise there were only 2 sizes on MOST adult bikes until 1980>> 635/ 28 1/2 x1 1/2x 1 5/8 and 590 x 30 EA3, the perfect ladies size IMO.
My dad's 1950s SS Rudge had 28.5 until they vanished in stores around 1990, when 28"/ 622 was king.
My 1973 CCM 3 sp had 590 x 1 1/8.
Schwinn interjected their own quack sizes in the 1950s. Part of the reason they failed.
Then for the 1970s bike BOOM 10 speed years they ALL had 27" 630 rims, so did my 1973 Raleigh 5d. Mostly the width they sold was 1" to 1 1/4.
584 was invented basically for narrower balloon tires.
29er was likely invented for tall riders.

So anyway, NO self respecting tour bike ever had 26er balloon tires until SURLY muddied the waters. Then MTB copycats came along.
India, China and Africa SS bikes were all 635/ 28.5". Not sure when or if they switched to 622/ 28". 26er MTB was never much of a thing there.
NOW defaileur MTB bikes are all 650B.
Vietnam SS bikes are not 559. Very few MTBs were sold there either.
I refuse to call any size but 559 a 26"er, or ride the stupid things. LOL. They were ONLY loved by Americans. Look at any Dutch video, they DON'T exist.



Highly modded Forever bike at an American owned LBS building fixie bikes.

vvvvv 2009 in Chengdu, one of the last new Flying Pigeon type bikes. About $80.