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Re: Pick my gravel wheelset [GreatScott] [ In reply to ]
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700c, 650b is a joke.
Used Enve G23's or HED Emporia's if you think you need carbon.
If you are dead set on new, look at the Stan's Grail CB7 Team Edition.
https://www.notubes.com/grail-cb7-team-wheelset
Last edited by: kppolich: Feb 13, 21 20:36
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Re: Pick my gravel wheelset [kppolich] [ In reply to ]
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kppolich wrote:
700c, 650b is a joke.
Not if your gravel is chunky and you want wider rubber than your frame can fit in 700c, and/or if you're using full-coverage fenders and 700c wouldn't offer adequate safe clearance over the tire.
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Re: Pick my gravel wheelset [GreatScott] [ In reply to ]
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I recently got a Shimano grx 650b wheelset from backcountry.com for just under $500. My local lbs didnt have any suppliers who could ship them 650b wheelsets any time soon. After my lbs added a grx cogset and some 48mm tubeless knobby tires the total cost was less than $750. I have taken a couple of rides on them and love the feel and performance.
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Re: Pick my gravel wheelset [jng] [ In reply to ]
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What model number was the cassette?

What brand and model were the tires?
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Re: Pick my gravel wheelset [jimatbeyond] [ In reply to ]
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https://www.backcountry.com/...0-650b-disc-wheelset

Shimano Ultegra CS-HG800 Cassette

WTB serdero tubeless tires
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Re: Pick my gravel wheelset [jng] [ In reply to ]
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Re: Pick my gravel wheelset [HTupolev] [ In reply to ]
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No offense, but you just defined the most niche setup of all time. 650b will go the same way as 27.5 did for MTB, away.
OP - get a nice set of wider 700c wheels and ride them. Gravel isn't chunky forever and there are better lines than others for every road. IMO it is not worth spending $1200+ on a 650b wheel set that is super niche.
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Re: Pick my gravel wheelset [GreatScott] [ In reply to ]
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What frame(s) are these going on?
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Re: Pick my gravel wheelset [kppolich] [ In reply to ]
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kppolich wrote:
No offense, but you just defined the most niche setup of all time.

Speaking as a PNW gravel rider, I have multiple friends on modern gravel bikes with that exact setup. All of them seemed happy with the addition of the 650b wheels to their stable.

I think full-coverage fenders are in the minority, but they are not rare, and definitely have their uses here.

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650b will go the same way as 27.5 did for MTB, away.

The seeds for the modern 650b gravel trend were planted in the 1990s in the Grant Petersen corner of the market, and it has gradually grown outward since. There just doesn't seem to be a rapid market extension beyond the long-term underlying demand in the way that there was with the explosive 27.5" MTB boom, so I'd be surprised if it suffers from a sudden bust followed by a rapid loss of reasonable tire options. In which case, even if something is "niche", there's nothing terribly problematic about that. Worst-case scenario, you just replace the 650b wheel with a 700c when you eat a rim dent in the summer of 2036 or whatever.

Rapid loss of options is the exception, not the norm. 650b had been dead for decades when it began to be looked at again in the 1990s, and it had never been a common size in the US, yet Americans were still somewhat able to source replacement tires at that time.
Or look at the 27" size. It's been dead for three decades, and back in the day, it was mostly used for cheap heavy gumwall road tires. You can still buy replacement cheap heavy gumwalls in 27" today, but you can also find knobby tires, tough touring tires, and even some reasonably supple (albeit not high-end) road tires like the non-PT Pasela. There was even a new 27" rim introduced to the market in 2019, the Velo-Orange Enterprise. Which is pretty silly when you consider that 27" bicycles can usually be swapped to 700c wheels without trouble: it only moves the brake track down by 4mm.

kppolich wrote:
What frame(s) are these going on?

According to the OP, a Diverge.
Last edited by: HTupolev: Feb 14, 21 19:22
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Re: Pick my gravel wheelset [cdw] [ In reply to ]
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Will restart this thread with my question being, I want to build my own gravel wheels. Does anyone have experience (good or bad) with the HED Belgium G rim? I'm building up a new Allied Able frame. This is the last bike that I will ever buy wink, wink (at least that is what I told my wife).

What other rims would the experienced gravel riders recommend I look at? I don't what the full wheelset, just rims as I want to build the entire bike. I'm struggling to find wheel companies that will sell just the rims like HED. At least the company's sites I'm looking at don't seem to offer just the hoops. TIA.
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Re: Pick my gravel wheelset [scooter23] [ In reply to ]
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I'm not really sure why I tried WTB rims in the beginning, but they have been solid, easily built and no maintenance tubeless rims for me since the first pair I built up. The best thing about them is their easy tubeless set up. They really seat well with almost any tire I tried and don't unseat when deflated. Anyway, WTB rims can easily be purchased separately and I've built up the frequency, KOM light and Asym rims into wheels. I've dinged one KOM light because they are pretty soft but I straightened it and continue to use it, but I would probably just go with the Asym or KOM tough. The difference in weight is minimal and they are stronger. Why people pay five or ten times as much for carbon rims is beyond me.
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Re: Pick my gravel wheelset [scooter23] [ In reply to ]
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Kinlin TL-23 Disc rims.
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Re: Pick my gravel wheelset [kppolich] [ In reply to ]
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kppolich wrote:
No offense, but you just defined the most niche setup of all time. 650b will go the same way as 27.5 did for MTB, away.
OP - get a nice set of wider 700c wheels and ride them. Gravel isn't chunky forever and there are better lines than others for every road. IMO it is not worth spending $1200+ on a 650b wheel set that is super niche.

Disagree 100%. 650b is awesome for a gravel bike. I ride a bunch of Colorado single track on mine and they're way more nimble and forgiving than 700c.

If you're simply talking dirt/gravel roads then sure, roll some 700c rims with beefier tires and you'll be fine. Having an option for both has let me get rid of the road bike entirely
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Re: Pick my gravel wheelset [scooter23] [ In reply to ]
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scooter23 wrote:
Will restart this thread with my question being, I want to build my own gravel wheels. Does anyone have experience (good or bad) with the HED Belgium G rim? I'm building up a new Allied Able frame. This is the last bike that I will ever buy wink, wink (at least that is what I told my wife).

What other rims would the experienced gravel riders recommend I look at? I don't what the full wheelset, just rims as I want to build the entire bike. I'm struggling to find wheel companies that will sell just the rims like HED. At least the company's sites I'm looking at don't seem to offer just the hoops. TIA.
https://www.bikehubstore.com/category-s/200.htm
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Re: Pick my gravel wheelset [COBRI] [ In reply to ]
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COBRI wrote:
MKirk wrote:
$2,500 for ANY wheelset is way beyond anything I would/could pay. I just can't see the benefits you are getting for +$1,000 over so may other options.....but that's just me.

Hunt gets excellent reviews.
$1,089 for their carbon 650b option
https://us.huntbikewheels.com/collections/650b-gravel-wheels/products/650b-adventurecarbon-disc


Personally I'm a fan of Reynolds wheels. I just went with their ATRX 700 wheels on my new gravel build. They have a 650b versions as well @ $1,550
https://hayesbicycle.com/collections/gravel/products/atr-x-650b


I was going to get the Hunt gravel wheels for my new build, but the shop also sold Reynolds so I went that route to keep it simple.


I went with these Reynolds as well for my gravel build- great value and lifetime warranty


My bike build was being held up due to delayed availability/delivery on these Reynolds ATRX 700 wheels. I opted to make the switch to the new Zipp 303S........which I think are ~$1,300 so I actually ended up saving a few bucks. 30 years of cycling and this will be the first set of Zipps I have ever owned :)
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Re: Pick my gravel wheelset [GreatScott] [ In reply to ]
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I just had a Ventum GS1 built up with ENVE G23's, and they are fantastic so far. Roll up to speed very quickly.

Colorado Triathlon Company, CO2UT 2021, Crooked Gravel 2022, Steamboat Gravel 2022
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