700c v 650 wheels

[logdiva32]

Hey,
Yesterdays ride was only 12 miles and I felt like I exerted alot more energy on my smaller frame with 650cc wheels. Does this make any sense. I usually outride my co worker and I was sucking yesterday, granted we had a heavy headwind in which I was leading, but it was a tough 12 miles. Normally not really hard for me.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I had a medium headwind today on my ride and it made it much tougher than usual- I even had to go into one gear lower on my same old usual flat stretch.
Winds make it really hard to judge changes to your bike.

[stacie]

I researched and worried when I built my bike last fall. You can find arguments for and against the two wheel sizes. I opted to go with the 700's based on the recommendation of lbs owner. It's hard to know why the effort is so much less on my new bike. I can pedal at a much higher cadence and work much more efficiently. However, I made so many changes and this is a custom built frame that it is hard to know how much of that if any is due to wheel size. For me, I think it may have more to do with substantially upgraded and lighter wheels rather than their size. The difference is incredible.

[mimitabby]

the biggest reasons I went 700c instead of 650b is this:
there are only 3 rims made and about 8 tires made for the 650's.
That means a lot of shops are not going to have them. I'd rather
have something a little easier to get my hands on. It was bad enough
when i took my campy wheel in to a LBS to have it rebuilt...

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

the biggest reasons I went 700c instead of 650b is this:
there are only 3 rims made and about 8 tires made for the 650's.
That means a lot of shops are not going to have them. I'd rather
have something a little easier to get my hands on. It was bad enough
when i took my campy wheel in to a LBS to have it rebuilt...

But gee Mimi, once you get the 650b rims you are set with that. As to tires...well tires you just get on the internet with a click of a button- you don't have go traveling around looking for various 650B tires in bike shops. Most shops just carry top selling stuff anyway.

[Susan126]

I currently own a 650c bike but it's so hard to find tires for it. My next bike will be custom made, fitted head to toe just for me and I will probably go with the 700c size. Don't get me wrong, I love my bike, I can sprint like the ****ens with it and climbing . . . I leave my hubby and daughter in the dust (both ride 700c bikes). The only thing I do not like is my choice of tires are so limited. Where as my hubby and daughter have hundreds probably thousands of tires to choose from, I have a few. And with a custom fit I don't think tire size will matter as much. Hope this makes sense.

When you ask will I be getting my "new custom fit bike?" As soon as dear daughter and dear son graduate from college! My son is away at Eastern Washington and will graduate next June 2008 and my daughter gets her AS from GRCC and will be continuing on at Central and graduating winter 2009. Sigh so in a couple years. I am going to have my bike custom fitted by Rodriguez in Seattle. I am so excited and can't wait! You'll probably be sick of me the year I finally go in and have it made as I will be talking constantly about it! LOL

[mimitabby]

Ah, Susan, I saw you stroking those Rodriguez bikes. And Smiley is so fun to work with! He fitted us to our tandem, and it was worth every cent for the entertainment alone!

[Eden]

I am going to have my bike custom fitted by Rodriguez in Seattle. I am so excited and can't wait! You'll probably be sick of me the year I finally go in and have it made as I will be talking constantly about it! LOL

You'll have a fight on your hands getting them to make you a 700c wheel bike though.... they like to put 650's on bikes even for taller people. Not that it can't be done. My coach has a Rodriquez with 700's, but she had to tell them that she'd take her buisiness elsewhere if they wouldn't do it.

I have road bikes with both 700's and 650's. To tell the truth I don't find a huge difference between them, but there are differences and for me the 700 wheel bike is better. Contrary to what everyone wants to tell you about small bikes and fit, for my body the 700's on the 44cm frame are better for me. The steeper seatpost angle just works better for my body. On my 47cm with the 650's my saddle is pushed so far back it looks funny.... I'm more efficient on the 700c bike too so for me that is the one that sprints and climbs better, but the only time I'm going to really notice the differences is in competition.

[logdiva32]

maybe its just me, but, I was muchmore effecient on my new bike today with the 700c's. Yes, there was less wind, but I am sure I was more effecient maybe the bike is just better. My new bke is a novara carema pro with 105 everything. The old bike with 650c's is a 2003 trek 2200 WSD. Don't know, what's up, but I love my new bike.