EDIT TO HIGHTLIGHT WHY I MADE THIS THREAD:
One advantage is the circumference of a 27.5x2.1" tire is about the same as 700c32c which means a much more comfortable, larger tire without sacraficing speed.
The spokes are shorter which means a stronger wheel.
With a similar circumference, the chainring size don't need to be changed to get the same pedaling effort.
Also, the same circumference means the frame geometry won't have to be changed to eliminate toe overlap. (The experience of turning a corner won't change.)
Wider tires means better traction which means better braking.
To summarize, same speed and steering as 700c while having more comfort, better braking and stronger wheels.

Devinci Cartier

Raleigh Redux

Masi Strada Vita Uno

Kona Dew

Louis Garneau M1

KHS Urban X

Brodie Robson

Silverback Scento Metro

Marin Nicasio RC

PLUS HYBRIDS (with 27.5x2.4" or larger tires)

Breezer Midtown

Brodie Torque

Surly Bridge Club

I could include the Specialized Roll, Marin Stinson, Felt Vera Cruz and Cannondale Treadwell although those have a laid back design for leisurely riding. And the Cannondale Bad Boy has a one-sided fork which I could care less about. Interesting too that the electric bike designed by motorcycle racer Erik Buell has 650b wheels (Fuell Fluid-1). Schwinn also has the unusual dual-suspension hybrid called the Solana and beach cruisers Costin and Hornet.



ANOTHER EDIT: I find the Breezer Midtown 1.5 very interesting. First, because of the Kenda Kwick 2.4" tires. Second, it has an aluminum frame & fork. (It also has Shimano hydraulic brakes and Shimano hubs. And it's under $1K.) I'm tempted to sell 2 bikes to buy one. The only thing I might change is the gearing to 42/32/22 and XLC PD-C07 or PD-C08 pedals.

AND ANOTHER EDIT: Forgot to add the UK models of the Raleigh Strada. (I wouldn't bother with the cheaper ones with the threaded headset but whatever.)

I own the Raleigh Redux 2, 2019, very happy with it. Would definitely recommend it, since it comes out to way less than the others despite competitive specs, under $600 with the corporate discount which is easy to find.

I looked at all these bikes myself, and chose the Redux based on the steeper head tube angle, and the price. I wanted a 1X, hydraulic disc, 26" or 650b rigid wide tired flat bar bike, and the Redux was it. (I also wanted tubeless and through axles, but that wasn't an option, but I'll do a tubeless conversion myself.)

I really think 1X 650b wide tired hybrids are the way to go, and have no downsides compared to a more conventional hybrid, for the city riding a hybrid typically does. For some reason all

Another bike is the Rondo Booz, looks super svelte but also costs more.

Also the Haro Beasley (from same corporation that owns Masi).

The Marin and the Masi have flat bars but are designed for drop bars so the top tubes are too short unless you want to sit upright all the time. Same for the Breezer Doppler, which you didn't include.

https://www.breezerbikes.com/bikes/a...pler-cafe-plus

My wife's Canyon Roadlite has 650b wheels. However it is only on the XS size.

There is the Priority 600 from Priority Bicycles. The Pinion gearbox makes that an interesting one.

Two more to add to the list:

Salsa Journeyman
It's offered in flat bar and drop bar versions, as well as 700c and 650b versions.

Jamis Sequel
It's a little more expensive than the average hybrid, but it's all Reynolds 520 chromoly and has a 1x10 drivetrain. And the desert storm color looks pretty cool.

Marin stopped rebadging their drop bar bike as a hybrid, and made a dedicated flat bar model, and it looks really nice. Best one it's price category of around $1k retail.

https://www.marinbikes.com/bikes/20-muirwoods-rc

(I still think the Redux 2 is the best value though)

I enjoy my Redux 2 but the paint is merely a suggestion. It gets scratched just by looking at it wrong. Switched bikes with a buddy who owns a Jamis Sequel while on a gravel ride and within a mile I knew this bike was on another level of quality. The Jamis Sequel seems bulletproof. It's ​more stable, rattle free, and absorbs surface imperfections better too. I absolutely love the Jamis Sequel!

The difference in feel between a basic aluminum frame and a quality steel frame almost can't be described in words, can it? Quality steel bikes are just on a different level in terms of how they ride. I have a number of aluminum bikes, but my older steel bikes are some of my favorites.

Nice to see another Sequel! This bike's a winner.

I've seen some recently that are pretty nice, the Norco Indie 2 (2" tires), Brodie Tesla (2.2" tires). The Norco seems real sweet because it has the same 46/30 gearing for the crankset as the Shimano GRX gravel group.

The Opus Big City has 650b x 45mm tires so I guess they didn't get the memo. If you have large tires like 2.1" in 650b, then it would give you the advantage of having the same circumference as a small tire on 700c. 45mm is small enough you'd lose speed overall...

This is true. Using the ISO nomenclature (650b = 584mm and 700c = 622mm) makes finding nominal diameter pretty easy:

33-584 = 650mm (the "pattern" 650b size)
45-584 = 674mm
47-584 = 678mm (often called "road plus" because it's the same as a traditional "700x28" tire)
54-584 = 692mm (many 2.1s are also labeled 54-584)

28-622 = 678mm
35-622 = 692mm (same overall diameter as a "27.5x2.1" or "650bx2.1")
39-622 = 700mm (the "pattern" 700c size)

Found a Haro Beasley for $200 on CL with disc brakes. Looks like it's a spare bike that hasn't been ridden. Is that worth getting as a Winter bike?

Two additions:
​​​​​​
Marin Muir woods RC - steel frame with IGH

Haro Beasley DLX - Alu frame, Desire, hydraulic disc brakes. sold out before it could ever go on sale online, due to dealers snapping them up.

https://harobikes.com/collections/ur...-27-5-dlx-2021

Honestly I'm surprised the big four brands have still largely not jumped on the bandwagon for their mainstream hybrids.

You're not the only one who's surprised. If I'm correct, Surly helped with the development of fat bikes since they're part of a huge distributor (QBP). So, since there is the Surly Bridge Club, I guess that may help out a bit over time. It looks to me like sometimes it's some niche players in the bike industry that end up having an impact.

On a side note, I know I was one of the people coming out with comments that road bikes had skinny tires. Then Trek and Specialized started coming out with various bikes to perhaps fill that gap in the market. Then it looks like a whole group of people started working with Shimano to start the whole gravel bike biz. Now, these kinds of bikes may be helped out by the new bike packing trend.

I think these markets were needed but for whatever reason, I guess it takes a specific ideas like "gravel" or "bike packing" to get people into it.

Yes, the "modern fat bike era" really started with the Pugsley in 2005 or so. I have a 2014 Pugsley and it's an interesting bike. Back in the day, they didn't have many hub options outside of the standard (at the time) 135mm hubs, so they used that on the Pugsley, front and rear. But how do you use a 135mm hub with a tire that's four inches wide? You offset it to the drive side for chain clearance. Yes the centerline of the hub does NOT align with the centerline of the tire. The tire is centered in the frame, but the seat stays and chain stays are offset to the drive side down hear the hub area. It's an interesting outside-the-box solution that has been obviated today with fat bike hub standards (which use a symmetrical wheel build, like most other bikes).

Many of Surly's bikes could be set up with any wheel size you desire, including "650b" / 27.5" / 584mm wheels. As long as they're disc brake wheels and you're using a disc brake frame, the rim diameter isn't of primary concern. There are secondary concerns, of course (like possible geometry changes, pedal strike clearance, etc.) if you go too far outside of the intended design envelope for the frame. The Bridge Club appears to be a super versatile bike -- perhaps one of the most versatile in the Surly lineup. There are some that are more road-oriented and some more trail-oriented, but the Bridge Club looks to be nearly as close to a do-it-all bike as you might hope to find. Surly correctly notes it can be run with a variety of wheel-and-tire sizes. I think the "650b" tire they recommend is a 2.4" tire (or 41mm if using "700c" / 622mm wheels).

Yeah, it is strange how in the gravel scene people are catching on to the upsides of wide tires and yet these same companies have pretty static hybrid lines. Honestly I think the hybrid lines are cash cows they just would rather ignore when it comes to expending much new design work. It's been the thoughtful smaller companies like Kona, Norco, Raleigh, Marin, Haro, Masi, Rondo pushing this format, like you said.

I'd go for a gravel bike except drop bars are just dumb for urban riding IMO (eg you always need instant brakes access so multiple hand positions is close to useless; even on the hoods I find braking and shifting from the same exact hand position a little screwy). Plus you'd have to replace the tires with slicks to get a fast ride.

I'm in the market for a Hybrid and the Jamis Sequel ticks off everything on my Wants/Needs List.
The only "thing" I would have to do is remove the spoke reflectors

Unfortunately, supply is obviously next to non-existent at the moment.......

The Raleigh Redux is back in stock after being out for 2 years or so, long before the pandemic.

Unfortunately, they ended their discount program. I got the Redux 2 for $500 or so plus tax, $540. Now it's $800 plus tax.

https://www.raleighusa.com/pavement/urban-commuter

You mean the same model with a higher price? I wonder how long that lasts if that's because of the pandemic because I read it's starting in the computer industry.

What is starting in the computer industry?

I suspect it's not coming back even post pandemic. Raleigh ownership changed hands and the discount probably pissed off its retail dealers. The "corporate" discount was probably a way to pretend it wasn't doing discounts on direct sales.

Honestly, it was the best direct sales program anywhere - the bikes were extremely well priced and you could have it delivered to a bike shop for assembly at no extra cost. If you buy a bike off the internet otherwise, no matter how easy it is to assemble, a shop will charge $100 or so to put it together. Often you're really paying the shop to check and tune everything, not really the actual assembly

Also the Redux 2 started at $750, they sold out and raised the price to $800.

The tan walls on the Jamis are to die for. That is one of the nicest looking bike I’ve seen in years.

All of the Norco Indie models have 650b tires. The tires are nicer on the Indie 1 than the cheaper models of Indie Schwalbe Big Ben 2.0"

I agree with you in regards to the Bridge Club, it’s definitely a bike with great utility. I went with 700c version. It comes with 41s, but will accept 47s. I love mine.

It seems like the "flat bar gravel" trend is picking up, and I expect it'll spill over into 650b hybrids with time. (There's really very little difference between flat bar gravel and hybrids, besides knobbier tires and maybe slacker head tube angles.)

Specialized, Trek, and Giant all have carbon fiber 700C hybrids, the S & T ones come in a 1x configuration too. The Trek one looks ideal except for the narrow tire clearance that won't allow 47c tires, and lacks rack mounts - Trek FX 4 Sport Carbon.

Fingers crossed for 2022 model year that someone does a proper high end light 1x 650b hybrid, with road geometry (71+ degree head tube angle) and ideally rack mounts.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cyc...nse-476342/amp

I finally found a hybrid 650b with V-brakes although it's all steel. I wouldn't mind an aluminum frame. I feel like buying one next year and changing to rapidfire shifters (it's an all Tourney bike). With fenders and racks that would make a cheap touring bike.