Because everyone's standards for fenderlines are insane these days. If the fenders don't hug the tires just perfectly all the way around, someone will notice it. ;)

Exactly! It's very important. Like, let's just say someone got a near-perfect Cinelli with matching fenders, and everyone's jealous. How do we put him in his place? By criticizing the fender line, of course. Then we all feel better. [MENTION=129154]KonAaron Snake[/MENTION] understands this.

I blame the French for the current fender line OCD (and the French wannabes). I subscribe to the British aesthetic:

https://c8.staticflickr.com/6/5832/2...ac3b61174d.jpg1935RaleighSports.png

Phew, that'll make a certain current project a lot easier...

Enjoying this thread. Have no experience with 650B conversions but considering for a near toss to the metal scrapper early 90's Stumpjumper.

Its become my most kludged build but in doing so, learning how versatile these frames are. Depending on a creative brake set-up, one can fit a wide range of wheel and tire combo's. I started out with a drop bar, raised stem and then tried some 700c wheelset. Bottom bracket height is a plus. Depending on a budget 650B wheelset + rubber, I'm ready to give it a go. Kicker is an extensive modification of cantilever brakes and using the stock mount studs. The canti's will have a full range of adjustment to work from 26" atb up to 700c. :)

I have no idea what you're talking about...

http://i936.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps3ff1340f.jpg

http://i936.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps9a693b6e.jpg

Superb fender line; is this your 650b project bike, ;)

That was thanks to rootboy, who manufactured a spacer for me.

:lol: @ 650b...

Ugh. I wish they didn't, but jacked up, twisted, contorted Bluemels (or modern plastic SKS or the like) really bother me. I have gotten over many things. Sloping top tubes don't bother me any more. I'd rather see threadless spacers than a fully extended Technomic. But, I cannot seem to shake this feeling when I see a bad fender line.

http://gifrific.com/wp-content/uploa...and-Dumber.gif

Racks that are way off level kinda do the same.

Sorry, Neal, but I'm not quite understanding. Is the British aesthetic to be able to see grass and gravel between tire and tyre, at the top of the wheel? Or is it more general, just a f***-all attitude toward fender line? Or is it disdain for the 650B wheel size?

I vote for all of the above.

I like the photo, by the way. And I think you may need to work on the "Englishness" of your fender lines too -- they look pretty dang good to me.

I'd like to see the 650b conversion on an old stumpy. I'm a big fan of them; my daily commuter is a 1988 stumpjumper comp.

Does a 650b make as much sense for MTBs as it does for road bikes? A 650b on a road bike lets you ride a much fatter tire than you otherwise could. But a 650b on a MTB won't have that same effect.

In my opinion, no. The advantage of a road bike over an MTB is that the frame is made from lighter tubing, thinner walls, thinner tubes, etc; it should be much more springy. 650b allows fatter tires and you can fit caliper brakes without changing the geometry, so you still have a bike that rides well on roads. If you went to 26" wheels (559) on a road bike, brakes would be an issue, so 650b is typically the smallest wheel size that works for that type of a conversion.

Converting an MTB that way just doesn't make sense; you already have room for fat tires, you already have good brakes with the existing size, and you can get good fast 26" tires; so the 650b size offers no advantage. You're still stuck with an overbuilt frame and geometry that's poorly suited to riding on roads.

I generally agree when it comes to conversions, but then you could just buy an off-the-shelf 27.5" wheel MTB, and you're good to go in 650B land. Whether that's an advantage over a 26" wheel, I have no idea.

I would think a 27.5" 135mm spaced, rim brake wheel is uncommon. Maybe not.

The other challenge with MTBs is cantilevers - it's very hard to swap in a bigger rim. There's a whole thread on drop bar MTBs, but the geometry is indeed different. There are also no "long reach" cantis. OTOH, if you have disc brakes, then you can do whatever you like. All that being said, if you go to 26"x50mm supple tires, you're still at the same overall diameter of the skinny 700c wheel - the fabled "enduro allroad" setup.

Don't know if it's a coincidence, but someone just atarted a thread on 650b-ed RB-1's over in the 650b Google group.

I think for MTB it was/is more about overall tire+wheel diameter. Smaller (26") being toward the nimble side of handling, 29er / 700 being great at rolling over obstacles at speed, but toward the cumbersome side of handling in slow stuff (assuming fat MTB tires). 27.5 / 650b fitting between those sizes as a Goldilocks entry. I think... I've only one MTB - 26" - so far, far from being able to speak on that with any real authority/credibility...

I've been looking around. They are very uncommon.

Sorry, I was being obtuse: I didn't mean that the OP could use 27.5" wheels on the Stumpy, I meant that there's no real reason to convert a 26" MTB to 650B/27.5" when you can buy those whole bikes stock. But that's not a very C&V response, I suppose.

Plus converting 26" to 27.5, if realistically possible, you'd most likely end up with less rubber/air volume at approximately the same outside diameter, a losing proposition.

...for MTB use at least.

+1. At least with converting a 700C bike you get more comfort and fenders out of the deal. Converting a 26" mountain bike not only involves the cost of swapping wheels, tires, and brakes, but you give up valuable tire space.

Compass makes awesome tires in 26"x1.25", 1.5", 1.8", and 2.3" (but more like 2.1") sizes, so I'm just not seeing any pros to a 650B conversion whatsoever. Heck, I've even had people ask if my Diamondback (wearing 26"x1.75" Paselas) was a 650B bike, so one could just get good tires and pretend. ;)

Have a few reasons for my thinking but highly value the opinions from the experts. The conversion might be a complete waste of time and budget.

The Stumpjumper is the second one I found for pittance. Both were 1992 / 93. Tange Prestige tubes, seem to have a versatile geometry for various configurations. Maybe just the timing but I've spotted another for cheap. Not really planning for that one but these bikes are cheap and good bikes.

Gave the first one away after some basic TLC, replaced minor parts, left it as an ATB / flatbar with susp. fork. Knew someone who really needed it- health reasons plus save him from nearly buying a Walmart bike. Sort of bummed to later learn the Future Shock fork eventually lost its seal. I forget exactly what the fellow did as a replacement, might have purchased a brand or like new suspension fork from his LBS.

Anyways, I should have kept that one for the frame and given him something else. Was very clean, unlike the current project. Though I'm making the most of it, thought more than once of tossing it. Love, hate ordeal. Major thrasher but now its evolving to something interesting, hoping for a diamond in the rough.

First round was a basic road drop bar conversion on the 26" wheels. Without discussing the details, the main change is an unknown brand fork (Spinner??) all chrome, steel, super wide cast crown, drilled for center mount brakes but also has canti-post. Has a BMX steerer tube and French threaded. Weirdo but for being brand new it was only $10, worth the challenge. The headset is a combination of brand / parts. Also had to machine the stem quill to fit the steerer.

With the 26" wheels its kind of a dog without manners. I didn't care for it on the road or the fast single track off-road trails. It gets the job done but I'm spoiled with other means and in comparing this thing just didn't deliver.

Then for grins I swapped tires from another mtn. bike road drop made for one of the granddaughters. Vintage, made in Germany Continental Avenue 26 x 1.75" gumwall all slick. Cool looking tire. OK for townie roadie but I have better vintage rides, even older stuff for that. Plus the slick Conti's are not for off-road.

Next, I trial fit a tubular wheelset with A. Dugast 700 x 32c cyclo-X fast race knobbies. Neat that they fit but no means a road worthy tire. Also I didn't ride it as I'd have to swap to a centerpull brake set-up. So very tempted with that wheel and ripping fast light rubber. Also want to retain the cantilevers with an option of a quick on/off fender.

The end goal is finding that balance - an ultra budget, weight of sub 27 lb., steel ride with large air volume rubber, capable of long day comfort road and trail. I still want to bop around in some really rougher technical trails such as those areas that look out of bounds for any road bike. I've been eying some fairly reasonable used 27.5" wheelsets with the thinking could swap hubs and lace. If it happens, would imagine a splurge will be in the tires.

That sounds great. I'm a big fan of vintage stumpy mtbs (I own a 1988 and a 1991). The tange prestige ones can be built up to be righteously light at well under 27 pounds. Still I think a 2 inch high end 26 end tire may get you where you want. Compass makes them; I like the the schwalbe supreme touring tires.

But yeah, a vintage mtb can be tinkered with in all kinds of ways. This sounds like an interesting project, :thumb:

No doubt there's trade-offs but some feel piggy on the road. Plus the extra weight of the carcass is not something I desire. Anyways, I might go that direction but then again the Stumpy is an experiment, even considering going tubeless.