So my wife comes back from a run a couple of months ago and told me there were two bikes out with the trash. Like I need more bikes! So I jump in the van and go collect them if for nothing else but nuts and bolts. At first, they were unremarkable. Ok, they still are. I looked them over, added air to tires and road them around the neighborhood. Worked fine. CRAZY I think. There are a matching his/her MountainTour line with the Man's called a Yukon and the Woman's a Grandmesa under the RaleighUSA label. They seem to have been stored inside because there is no surface rust. Cool factor for me? Two water bottle braze-ons! Turn off? Darn seat post is a 25.6mm! So I broke down and ordered a seatpost from Harris and decided for $20 I can see if it will work as my daily commuter.

Got my seat post and rode it around for the first time with some proper leg power. Not bad. Got ready to put on some 26" MTB slicks and just as I was about the to peel the tire off.....I saw 650B on the nice Araya ALU rims. Hummm. Tires says 26" but rims say 650B? Keep in mind I knew NOTHING about 650B except that what I was looking at did not make sense. Off to Sheldon's web site as I recalled an article all about the 'big lie' of tire sizing and obviously I had some learning ahead. VIOLA! Welcome to the obscure world of 650B or 584mm which is smaller than 700mm (622mm) but larger than 26" (559mm). Later I find people pay $1,300 to buy a Rivendell 650B designed frame!

Well, I ride it all over now and love it! I even rode with some recreational roadies for 60 miles on this 32lb beast. It's cool. But I do not look forward to buying new rubber at $40 a tyre!

For more info see this 650B