Wanted 650b rim brake wheelset for 26 inch conversion

[JoniMarin]

Hiya,

Looking for a 650b rim brake wheelset, 135 / 100mm spacing.
This is to build a bikepacking rig - thinking to try a 26 to 650b conversion.
Anyone have experience with that? I've seen a few youtubers doing it.

Not sure retro Marin frames have the clearance, based on the few I've got.
Anyone have any thoughts on suitable late 80s early 90s frames with sufficient clearance?

Thanks in advance!
Joni

 

[hamster]

What's the advantage you are hoping to get from it? It will roll a little faster over bumps, but after all the engine is what counts.

 

[JoniMarin]

Yeah - totally true. I guess I'm not aiming for any major performance advantage really. Maybe the minor advantage would be increased comfort on longer trips when loaded up (?). I don't want to buy a new bike and as I love early 90s steel mountain bikes I thought to start there and build a bike with an interesting spec for the challenge. So as much as I hate the word it's gonna be a restomod...

 

[bikeworkshop]

Clearance in the frame is about maximum tyre size rather than rim diameter
So you could run bigger tyres on a 26 compared to a 650 -
The larger wheel's increase in compliance is very little compared to greater tyre volume.
You're likely to get a negative effect on brake choice and performance though if you're using 26 bosses.

Doesn't mean it's not fun or cool though

 

[novocaine]

does open up a more modern and accessible tyre, which is the reason I keep thinking about it, but I think my frame choice has sufficient clearance to allow a fairly wide 650b tyre in the frame.

 

[wynne]

does open up a more modern and accessible tyre, which is the reason I keep thinking about it, but I think my frame choice has sufficient clearance to allow a fairly wide 650b tyre in the frame.

That's a very good reason to consider it.
I have a few 650b conversions and I love them. I also run 650b with big tyres on my 700c/29er bikes some of the year - livelier, more mud clearance, lower centre of gravity. I really like it as a wheel size.