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650b coming sooner than we think?

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
For the record, I think the 650b push is 100% about selling new bikes to people that already own good bikes... The companies who are pushing 650b hard, are the ones who were late to the 29er party.
Absofukkinglutely! :D

I just say the same thing about 29ers too. ;)

Nice riding in that klunker vid by the way. You and lars and the fellers were killing it.
 

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thad

Monkey
Sep 28, 2004
388
21
ahahaha.

Lars is good at bikes, it really does not matter what bike it is.
Thanks for the props, but my only memorable clip was crashing into everyone..... video was pretty funny.
 

Vrock

Linkage Design Blog
Aug 13, 2005
276
59
Spain
First of all, CrabJoe StretchPants has to be the most badass handle I've ever seen in my life.

But to your question, if you read the second sentence of my post, you have your answer:
Whether right or wrong, we get many more inquiries about when/if we'll do a 650B bike than anything to do with 26ers.

As for options, I agree that if 26ers go away, all of our options will be narrowed. Unfortunately, my company is like many others in that we have a limited amount of resources and need to sell bikes that we think people will buy. Switching tooling over to make new frames and swingarms that can accommodate the larger wheel size and adjust the angles of the bike is a gigantic and expensive pain in the ass, but based on the feedback and requests we get from our customers, that is what people want.

If we're only making 27.5's in a couple years and someone else is making a bunch of 26ers that you love, vote with your wallet. I guarantee that if enough people reject 650B and demand 26ers, the 650B craze will disappear a lot faster than that it has arrived.

As for me, Long Live 26ers! (And 8-speed. And Grip Shift.)

JP
Everything would be much easier if it wasn't for Carbon fiber. Lots of companies are stuck with 26'' carbon molds, but in a couple of years, when it's time to change them you can go 27.5'' without too much problem.
 

iRider

Turbo Monkey
Apr 5, 2008
5,648
3,089
Everything would be much easier if it wasn't for Carbon fiber. Lots of companies are stuck with 26'' carbon molds, but in a couple of years, when it's time to change them you can go 27.5'' without too much problem.
Or you are smart like Intense and just offer new dropouts.
 

CBJ

year old fart
Mar 19, 2002
12,862
4,159
Copenhagen, Denmark
Not sure bike math is my strength but my novice thinking was that just doing new drop outs will not yield optimal geo?

Also not many people talk about size of wheels and how a persons height can influence the right wheel size choice. Plenty of wheel size options for kids and I do not understand why the same applies for adults? Most of the talk I see is small people talking about how 29r are perfect for them and there is no correlation between height and wheel size choice.
 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,853
9,557
AK
The concept of limiting yourself to ****ty components because only people who want to have an easier time and go faster use other ones is simply idiotic.
Thank you. So many people riding over rocks on 29er XC bikes in PHX that previously used/required agressive FR/AM bikes to tame the same terrain.

How about pinning some rough turn at speed because your wheel and bike won't be kicked around as much? Sounds like fun.
 

rosenamedpoop

Turbo Monkey
Feb 27, 2004
1,284
0
just Santa Cruz...
Thank you. So many people riding over rocks on 29er XC bikes in PHX that previously used/required agressive FR/AM bikes to tame the same terrain.

How about pinning some rough turn at speed because your wheel and bike won't be kicked around as much? Sounds like fun.
Until it folds in half? (says the guy who never ridden a big wheel because they're weird and probably smell funny)
 

EastCoaster

Monkey
Mar 30, 2002
403
0
Southeastern PA
Recently told to me bya small builder when I inquired about getting a custom 26" frame.

"Here's the thing: high-end 26" product will not be supported in the future past 2 or 3 years.


It's done except for DJ bikes, within 2 or 3 seasons all DH bikes will be 650b too.


650b is absolutely head and shoulders better in every way for what you want, trust me.

repeat: ordering a 26" bike in 2013 is a bad idea."

I'm still of the opinion of JohnP with 26", 8sp (well, I run 9sp) and Grip Shift forever.... But, might be backed into a corner and have to go tweener in a couple of years I guess.
 

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
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gemini2k

Turbo Monkey
Jul 31, 2005
3,526
117
San Francisco
Recently told to me bya small builder when I inquired about getting a custom 26" frame.

"Here's the thing: high-end 26" product will not be supported in the future past 2 or 3 years.
What, so they are just gonna stop making DH rims and tires in 26"? If so I'm seriously going to burn down something.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
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iRider

Turbo Monkey
Apr 5, 2008
5,648
3,089
Let them stop introducing new stuff in 26". All the fashion victims will be buying 27.5 bikes and nearly new 26" bikes will be in the classifieds for cheap. Can't wait! :weee: :D
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
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The dorco stRange comes in at 16.8", with big ol honkin tires. same with the sight (140mm).

The turner was a design choice, not constraint, from my understanding.
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,571
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What, so they are just gonna stop making DH rims and tires in 26"? If so I'm seriously going to burn down something.
i think we'd have an easy time finding enough people who still want 26" stuff to scrape up enough $$$ to call china or taiwan and have whatever we want made.
 
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'size

Turbo Monkey
May 30, 2007
2,000
338
AZ
this all sounds like manufacturers are trying to convince consumers that 26" is dead, hoping they will start buying 650b's thus 'proving' that it's what the consumer wants.
 

jonKranked

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Nov 10, 2005
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this all sounds like manufacturers are trying to convince consumers that 26" is dead, hoping they will start buying 650b's thus 'proving' that it's what the consumer wants.
and then in a few years they'll push 26" again as "retro" :rolleyes:
 
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kgm

Chimp
Nov 11, 2012
33
0
co
I don't have a problem with the wheel size, I'll ride whatever is around. I will beat a bunch of dorks most of the time until someone who's actually fast beats me.

I have a problem with the horribly inorganic method in which its going. Tide changes just seem so disingenuous.

Also bummer for dealers having to stock another entire gd wheel line. Blows for them in an already terribly diluted retail market. What is 650b was the magic wheel size but it killed all the bike shops? :O

Me wants 5" 27'r if they're going to do it...
 
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SuspectDevice

Turbo Monkey
Aug 23, 2002
4,157
359
Roanoke, VA
I don't have a problem with the wheel size, I'll ride whatever is around. I will beat a bunch of dorks most of the time until someone who's actually fast beats me.

I have a problem with the horribly inorganic method in which its going. Tide changes just seem so disingenuous.

Also bummer for dealers having to stock another entire gd wheel line. Blows for them in an already terribly diluted retail market. What is 650b was the magic wheel size but it killed all the bike shops? :O

Me wants 5" 27'r if they're going to do it...
High-End 26" bikes are already dead on the retail floor, and they have been for a few years in most markets.
Walk into your average shop and try to find a high end 26" bike or part. There aren't any.

That's not a conspiracy, it's just that nobody wants to buy 26" bikes any more.
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,571
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High-End 26" bikes are already dead on the retail floor, and they have been for a few years in most markets.
Walk into your average shop and try to find a high end 26" bike or part. There aren't any.

That's not a conspiracy, it's just that nobody wants to buy 26" bikes any more.
Guess I'm nobody. Then again, I rarely step foot inside a bike shop.
 

Dogboy

Turbo Monkey
Apr 12, 2004
3,208
581
Durham, NC
High-End 26" bikes are already dead on the retail floor, and they have been for a few years in most markets.
Walk into your average shop and try to find a high end 26" bike or part. There aren't any.

That's not a conspiracy, it's just that nobody wants to buy 26" bikes any more.
This is surely not true in NC, nor was it the case when I went to Colorado a few months ago. It may be the case in New England where everyone thinks they need 36" wheels and 18" high BB's, but you still see plenty of 26" bikes in the shops, being sold, and on the trails around here.
 

wiscodh

Monkey
Jun 21, 2007
833
121
303
since i moved from New England to the PNW, i hardly see any 29ers. Everyone seems stoked on "little" wheels. the shops i roll into stock more 26 crap than 29er by a large margin. 29ers seem like a NE, midwest, and xc racer thing.


Very few people rode the OR enduro series on a 29
 

mattmatt86

Turbo Monkey
Feb 9, 2005
5,347
10
Bleedmore, Murderland
since i moved from New England to the PNW, i hardly see any 29ers. Everyone seems stoked on "little" wheels. the shops i roll into stock more 26 crap than 29er by a large margin. 29ers seem like a NE, midwest, and xc racer thing.


Very few people rode the OR enduro series on a 29
Regions definitely have different trends but as a whole 29er sales are up something like 110% from '11 to '12. 26" inch bikes were also up but only about 10-15% if I remember correctly. There were also a couple quotes in one of the latest Bicycle Retailers where shop owners and a couple bike manufacturers said that 29er sales were the biggest reason for having a positive sales year. I think they're hoping to have the same results with the 650b movement over the next few years.

Nearly every industry is cyclical. Moments of stagnant retail sales often have to be shaken up by dramatic changes. In 10 years we'll all be bitching about how they're switching to 675C sized wheels or something...
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
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May 23, 2002
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I hear a lot of beginners going straight for 29ers. Not that fully understand the benefits and negatives of 29" wheels and want them anyways, but they "hear they're better" and that's what the shop has. People who start out on 29ers are unlikely to gravitate towards 26ers, I think, unless they get into the more hardcore realm of the sport.
 

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
High-End 26" bikes are already dead on the retail floor, and they have been for a few years in most markets.
Walk into your average shop and try to find a high end 26" bike or part. There aren't any.

That's not a conspiracy, it's just that nobody wants to buy 26" bikes any more.

There it is again.


'most markets' = the last 3 shops mickey walked into :rofl:


Those shops sell fixies too don't they? DON'T THEY!!????
 

Tomasis

Monkey
Feb 26, 2003
681
0
Scotland
Not even. Closer to 1" than 1.5".
ok now i understand less of hitting panic button of some people :D wheels with bigger 2,7" tires comparable to 650b with smaller tires. if we look at cars, they use thinner diameter of tires but increased rim sizes. It is not that I compare cars to bikes, but what if tire manufactures produce more strong sidewalls with better dampening effect on increased width of rim aka mavic 729.
 
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