650b is not a new wheel size, but it is new to many in the United States. 650b wheels were the most common size used on French touring, randonneuring, and porteur bikes from the 1930s to the 1950s, a time considered by many to be the “golden age” of utility cycling.
Smaller in diameter than typical “road bike” wheels, yet larger diameter than typical “mountain bike” wheels, 650b wheels offer an interesting choice for cyclists who are looking for a speedy, yet comfortable and practical bike for everyday city riding.
With the addition of long-reach brakes, many existing road bikes can be converted to the 650b wheel size, yielding a bike that rides with the nimble handling of a road bike but the added durability, practicality, and comfort of wider tires.
Whether you want to convert an existing bike to 650b or build a completely new ride around the size, we can help. At Trinity, we actually stock 650b wheels, components, and even a few bikes. Many shops will discourage a customer from using such an “obscure” wheel size, citing poor availability of tires and such, but not us. We’ve got tires and tubes for 650b bikes in stock, all the time. The “obscure” just became “practical.”
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