Seriously thinking about buying the BB9 non-suspension model. I have a set of 29er Bontrager SS wheels that I want to put in so I can use wider tires. I also want to go SS. But how wide can I go? I'm looking at Michelin City 700x40c. The BB models come with Schwalbe Kojak tires 700x28c. The bike shops I went to don't have the BB9 in my size for me to check out. I was able to look at a BB1, but I couldn't visualize how big of a tire the rear will accept without rubbing against the seat stays or behind the bottom bracket.

Also, anyone know if the base BB with the 1 1/8 headset will accept any regular headset, such as the FSA Orbit MX? Pictures seem to show that the BB has an internal headset. Not sure exactly what that means.

I absolutely love that Bad Boy 9... It's just the best!

The guy I bought the bike from had some pretty wide tires on it and never rode the kojaks...

I swapped them back after one ride, The bike was a dog with the wider tires...





Tires not fit for a commute, at least not mine...

Half of your fork is missing.

Ya gotta admit, that lefty stuff just looks plain weird!

The left stuff seems like a gimmick. I don't get it. Other than it's less weight.

Pubrider, how wide were the Michelin tires? I actually plan to swap out the 700x28c Kojaks with Michelin City (w/ reflective sidewalls), but am undecided about size. I don't know if 700x40c is too wide that it will rubb agansit something. I'm also considering 700x38c. Now I may be leaning toward thinner since you mentioned that the Michelin tires were too wide for speed. I'm looking for some cusion too, but I don't want to buy too wide of a tire.

It is a gimmick. But the bike as a whole seems fine. I see people riding those in NYC.

The tires were 700x35 and they were knobby and square...


I like the lefty, Appeals to my my inner Engineer... Weight saving is minimal but I have to say fixing a flat is way faster when you don't have to pull the wheel off...


Some people think 29ers are gimmicky too..

Not sure why, but I Imagine the 700x40 is doable...

I like the lefty too, and if I had a veritable stable of bikes, this bike would be one of them!

Except it's the rear wheel that gets most flats Oh, and 29ers would perhaps be less gimmicky if they were simply called 700c, which they are. But there are tons of rad kids would rather die than be caught riding 700c so they had to be called something else, which in itself is a gimmick.