Show Us Your 650B Conversions
#951
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Thanks for the replies...
BSD = Bead Seat Diameter...I've never paid much attention to this stuff, now I get it
According to Sheldon Brown
27" = 630mm BSD
700C = 622mm BSD
and you guys are saying that
650B = 584mm BSD
So this rim is smaller than 27" yet many use 650B in bikes designed for 27" wheels. So, the idea is to use larger tires for comfort with the tradeoff of needed longer reach brakes.
Am I getting this right?
BSD = Bead Seat Diameter...I've never paid much attention to this stuff, now I get it
According to Sheldon Brown
27" = 630mm BSD
700C = 622mm BSD
and you guys are saying that
650B = 584mm BSD
So this rim is smaller than 27" yet many use 650B in bikes designed for 27" wheels. So, the idea is to use larger tires for comfort with the tradeoff of needed longer reach brakes.
Am I getting this right?
The 650Bx38’s on my Marinoni, installed for about 1,000 miles so far this year, are noticeably more comfortable on Seattle’s crappy pavement and just a touch more “relaxed” feeling compared to the 700x32’s also used in this bike. Here’s the 650B setup without the fenders for best visual comparison:

And with 700x32’s:

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#952
ambulatory senior
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Thanks for the replies...
BSD = Bead Seat Diameter...I've never paid much attention to this stuff, now I get it
According to Sheldon Brown
27" = 630mm BSD
700C = 622mm BSD
and you guys are saying that
650B = 584mm BSD
So this rim is smaller than 27" yet many use 650B in bikes designed for 27" wheels. So, the idea is to use larger tires for comfort with the tradeoff of needing longer reach brakes.
Am I getting this right?
.
.
BSD = Bead Seat Diameter...I've never paid much attention to this stuff, now I get it
According to Sheldon Brown
27" = 630mm BSD
700C = 622mm BSD
and you guys are saying that
650B = 584mm BSD
So this rim is smaller than 27" yet many use 650B in bikes designed for 27" wheels. So, the idea is to use larger tires for comfort with the tradeoff of needing longer reach brakes.
Am I getting this right?
.
.
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#953
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#954
tantum vehi
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Here's my Trek, inspired by Rene Herse and the Frek 650 - added custom canti posts and some other convenience features. It's a neo retro build, with a 10 speed rear end, running a 36T cassette so it's got more low end, and it's indexed shifting.

Comfortable for miles and miles.

Comfortable for miles and miles.
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1970 Gitane TdF; 1973 Gitane TdF
1979 Trek 710; 1981 Trek 412; 1981 Trek 710
1983 Specialized Stumpjumper Sport; 1985 Specialized Allez SE; 1988 Specialized Sirrus; 1989 Specialized Rock Combo
1984 Ross Mt. Hood
1988 Centurion Ironman Expert
1991 Bridgestone RB-1
1992 Serotta Colorado TG
2015 Elephant NFE
1979 Trek 710; 1981 Trek 412; 1981 Trek 710
1983 Specialized Stumpjumper Sport; 1985 Specialized Allez SE; 1988 Specialized Sirrus; 1989 Specialized Rock Combo
1984 Ross Mt. Hood
1988 Centurion Ironman Expert
1991 Bridgestone RB-1
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#955
Newbie
#956
tantum vehi
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It's a gorgeous bike. GLWS.
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1970 Gitane TdF; 1973 Gitane TdF
1979 Trek 710; 1981 Trek 412; 1981 Trek 710
1983 Specialized Stumpjumper Sport; 1985 Specialized Allez SE; 1988 Specialized Sirrus; 1989 Specialized Rock Combo
1984 Ross Mt. Hood
1988 Centurion Ironman Expert
1991 Bridgestone RB-1
1992 Serotta Colorado TG
2015 Elephant NFE
1979 Trek 710; 1981 Trek 412; 1981 Trek 710
1983 Specialized Stumpjumper Sport; 1985 Specialized Allez SE; 1988 Specialized Sirrus; 1989 Specialized Rock Combo
1984 Ross Mt. Hood
1988 Centurion Ironman Expert
1991 Bridgestone RB-1
1992 Serotta Colorado TG
2015 Elephant NFE
#957
Newbie
Love the build and the color scheme. The all silver with the tan walls and the dark leather bits...unreal!
#958
Newbie
You weren't asking me, but I also have this fork and wanted to add to what @amedias said. Very nice fork, build quality seems great, looks excellent in person, rides nicely.
The only thing I really don't get is the bottom of the crown / steerer area. The steerer comes down quite a bit under the bottom of the crown which leaves very little room for a fender and decent sized tires. I'm currently running a 35c tire without fenders and there is about 4mm of gap between the bottom of the crown/steerer. I doubt I could run a 32c tires with a fender...or it would be super tight.
Still a great fork for the price (even though they raised it this year by ~$30)
The only thing I really don't get is the bottom of the crown / steerer area. The steerer comes down quite a bit under the bottom of the crown which leaves very little room for a fender and decent sized tires. I'm currently running a 35c tire without fenders and there is about 4mm of gap between the bottom of the crown/steerer. I doubt I could run a 32c tires with a fender...or it would be super tight.
Still a great fork for the price (even though they raised it this year by ~$30)
#959
Master Parts Rearranger
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I really appreciate going color-coded with the stem and seatpost on a vintage bike. That sort of aesthetic has been fairly exclusive to modern carbon bikes and apart from a dark/black anodized seatpost and stem on a black vintage bike (or some crazy custom painted custom or Italian bike), this has been absent the vintage bike scene. Not that rocking silver componentry is bad, since so much of it is beautiful, but sneaking in some modernity gives us the chance to evaluate things. The black headset is a good choice, IMO. And as always, a modern groupset, certainly in silver, looks great on this bike.
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#960
aka Tom Reingold
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@branko_76, as I think you know, the bead seat diameter (BSD) of a rim and tire does not have leeway. Your tire's BSD must match your rim's BSD.
Switching from 700c or 27" wheels to 650b can often get you wheels whose outside diameters (including the inflated tire) are very close to original. Sometimes the handling changes a bit, and sometimes it doesn't. In the case of my conversion, my outer diameter is slightly less, so my bike stands a little closer to the ground. But having wide tires at low pressure is a pleasure. It added a bit of weight, but I don't mind. I think I've figured out the handling weirdness. It tends to oversteer, i.e. it pulls the bike in the direction I'm turning a bit harder than I expect. And the solution is to figure out the ideal pressure for the front tire. I'm experimenting with that now.
Switching from 700c or 27" wheels to 650b can often get you wheels whose outside diameters (including the inflated tire) are very close to original. Sometimes the handling changes a bit, and sometimes it doesn't. In the case of my conversion, my outer diameter is slightly less, so my bike stands a little closer to the ground. But having wide tires at low pressure is a pleasure. It added a bit of weight, but I don't mind. I think I've figured out the handling weirdness. It tends to oversteer, i.e. it pulls the bike in the direction I'm turning a bit harder than I expect. And the solution is to figure out the ideal pressure for the front tire. I'm experimenting with that now.
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“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
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Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Last edited by noglider; 08-21-22 at 09:59 AM.
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#961
Senior Member
Sneaking in another image of the Fuji S12S, might inspire someone to convert one of these as it will take 42mm with fenders and enough room to spare. I might have it stripped down and have canti as well as rack mounts brazed in place but the bike is fine as is though a nice paint job and new decals would be welcome it is a pleasant daily rider.
I disabled the Campy ergo shifters and went with traditional down tube mounted Suntour Power Shift and looking into a pair of Origin8 brake levers.
I disabled the Campy ergo shifters and went with traditional down tube mounted Suntour Power Shift and looking into a pair of Origin8 brake levers.

Last edited by VintageRide; 08-24-22 at 04:07 PM.
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#962
Old Boy
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Sneaking in another image of the Fuji S12S, might inspire someone to convert one of these as it will take 42mm with fenders and enough room to spare. I might have it stripped down and have canti as well as rack mounts brazed in place but the bike is fine as is though a nice paint job and new decals would be welcome it is a pleasant daily rider.
I disabled the Campy ergo shifters and went with traditional down tube mounted Suntour Power Shift and looking into a pair of Origin8 brake levers.

I disabled the Campy ergo shifters and went with traditional down tube mounted Suntour Power Shift and looking into a pair of Origin8 brake levers.

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Roulez pour la joie, jamais pour la douleur.
USMC 1981-1991 Semper Fi!
Roulez pour la joie, jamais pour la douleur.
USMC 1981-1991 Semper Fi!
#964
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#965
Old Boy
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Sequoia 650b Dinner Cruise
Took Sequoia out on a dinner cruise last night - Taco Tuesday at the Mississippi Pub. I'm including both color and B&W images here, because they both turned out very nice.
Coming:


Going:


... and the tacos were excellent too.
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Coming:


Going:


... and the tacos were excellent too.
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__________________
Roulez pour la joie, jamais pour la douleur.
USMC 1981-1991 Semper Fi!
Roulez pour la joie, jamais pour la douleur.
USMC 1981-1991 Semper Fi!
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