RowToTri wrote:
In what conditions will I really appreciate those 650b wheels? Both bikes come with 700c wheels. I am not eager to buy another wheelset!
I wondered the same thing and saw that the Shimano GRX wheels are extremely reasonably priced, so I mounted up some WTB Venture 47c.
1. It's different... but the same. The rolling feels similar to a 700c wheel of the same tread, so not much difference there. However, they are noticeable smoother due to the extra casing volume. I've liked this on the chattery dirt roads and hard-packed trails we tend to have.
2. It's hard / impossible to fit a 700c wheel with this volume into most frames. Additionally, 700 x 47 (and bigger) tires tend to feel cumbersome and in my opinion handle better on flat-bar mountain bikes.
3. Leaving my fenders set to clear 700c wheels, but mounting the 650's gives additional clearance for riding in our muddy / slushy conditions that typically jam up fenders.
4.
Back in the fall when I road Fall River rd, I moved the front axle to the forward, less offset, position in preparation for the descent down trail ridge. Without question the bike rails road corners better in this position with 700c wheels. I had left it there for my general gravel riding with 700c's. When I mounted the 650's the handling didn't jive with the 650's: There just wasn't enough trail (for me). Moving the axle back made the bike handle much more calmly and really changed the character of the bike.
What I thought was a bit of a "parlor trick" feature, is actually turning out to be game-changing for the various uses bikes like this will see.
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