700c v 650 wheels

[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!

[xeney]

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.

The 650b's are even more limited than the 650c's, though! You can't get those any smaller than 30mm, not in the U.S. I really wish that, instead of pushing these two wheel sizes separately, bike manufacturers would get together and push for the availability of a wider range of tire sizes in one or the other. Wouldn't that make so much more sense?

The LBS I frequent carries what people want. They carry 27" stuff even though that's an outdated wheel size that is not used on any current bike that I know of, because they have enough customers with older bikes to support them keeping some of those tires in stock. But even though they sell a lot of women's bikes, including some with 650c wheels, they don't even have tubes in stock for 650b tires. That would drive me insane, not being able to buy a tube locally.

[Susan126]

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!

Smiley, great name . . . I can't wait to be entertained by him!

Guilty mimi . . . I was drooling at the Bike Expo at the Rodriguez booth! I didn't realize people would be witness to this . . . Head hanging in shame.

[mimitabby]

Silly, I was sitting right next door to them!

[sbctwin]

I would much rather have 700c wheels, but alas, this height challenged biker (4'10") wanted a bike that would fit and couldn't afford custom. It is nice having a bike that fits, so I guess I can't complain, but I do feel, at times, that I don't cover the same ground that someone with 700c wheels cover if I ride side by side with them, without expending more energy...

[DeniseGoldberg]

I would much rather have 700c wheels, but alas, this height challenged biker (4'10") wanted a bike that would fit and couldn't afford custom. It is nice having a bike that fits, so I guess I can't complain, but I do feel, at times, that I don't cover the same ground that someone with 700c wheels cover if I ride side by side with them, without expending more energy...

But - you actually can have the same gearing as someone with 700c wheels. Gearing is dependent on 3 things - the size of your wheels, the number of teeth on the chainrings, and the number of teeth on the rear cluster. It's entirely possible that manufacturers are not changing the chain rings or cluster to give you the same gearing on a 650c wheel as you would have with a 700c wheel - but it should be possible to configure a bike that matches.

For example - I have a touring bike with 700c wheels and another touring bike with 406c (20") wheels. And the two bikes have identical gearing.

--- Denise

[sbctwin]

Thanks, Denise...I may have to count those teeth on my chainrings and find out exactly what I have. I need to be more knowledgeable about some of this stuff. There was a time, many years ago, that I actually knew a few things about my bike, but I let that knowledge go where most unused knowledge goes ...

[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.

[DebW]

I have a custom frame on order, and even though I've ridden 700s all my life, the builder decided I needed 650s on this bike to fit me properly without toe overlap and room for fenders. I'm getting two sets of wheels, 650c for fast riding and 26" for touring, so I can use the range of tire sizes that I'll need. There will be a minor adjustment in brake shoe height to swap wheels.

[KSH]

Well, I don't think 650's slows a person down.

I have a Cervelo with 650's (a tri bike). I can easily hold a 16 mph average into a strong headwind and on flats. The speed I believe is from the aero position.

Whereas, on my roadie, I would typically hold a 14 mph average into a headwind.

The other weekend I took the Cervelo out for a 20 mile ride and averaged 18.5 mph.

This past weekend I took the Specialized roadie out for a 60 mile ride- with hills- and averaged 14.5.

What am I saying? Basically I'm saying that I don't think the wheel size makes me slow or fast. The bike, the riding situation I am in, makes or breaks my speed. I have certainly done higher averages on my 650's than my 700's (roadie).

Otherwise, if you get 650's, always carry spare tubes, because it's unlikely anyone else will have that size.

[smilingcat]

650c wheels are not necessarily slower. Some think, you can get a faster acceleration on 650c than you would with 700. Personally, I prefer the 650c wheels. I felt more in control maybe it was the total bike thingy.

Drawback is the obvious limitation to availability of wheels. I wanted Accent wheels sometime ago but they were made only in 700c size. Tire selection and tube selection isn't too bad if you go on line.

My current Obera uses 700c wheels and it took maybe 30 minutes of riding to get used to the new wheel size (maybe it was the total bike again).

Go with what makes you more comfortable.

Now on a smaller frame, 650 vs 700 will make a difference in the geometry. You don't want too short of steer tube. 10 to 12cm is the absolute minimum you want to go. Anything less and I think your head set will wear out much quicker... And for this reason alone, you may want a 650c wheels. It allows you to have longer steer tube.

shawn

[dakay]

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.

My husband and I both have Rodriguez bikes that we got last year. Mine has 650's. My husband's has 700's and he's not that tall, 5'9". Maybe they just want to put 650's on bikes for women?

Kathy

[Eden]

My husband and I both have Rodriguez bikes that we got last year. Mine has 650's. My husband's has 700's and he's not that tall, 5'9". Maybe they just want to put 650's on bikes for women?

Kathy

Maybe? I know several people with Rodriquez bikes. All of them are taller than I am. One is at least about 5'6" which is more than tall enough for a 700c bike, but everyone except for my coach who insisted that they put 700's on has 650's. Maybe after a certain point in height they really can't push it so much anymore..., but there was a pretty tall woman who was coming to the Monday rides last year that still had 650's.

[maillotpois]

I like 700s because it's so easy to lend or borrow a tube when someone's in need. Turns out I am shorter than I thought (though still not as short as some), but I certainly don't "need" a smaller wheel.