I've got a Softride Classic TT with 650c wheels. My other bikes are 56cm with 700c wheels. The difference in the wheel size is entirely undetectable to me. I have tried many times to "feel" the [quicker acceleration / increased lateral stiffness / snappier cornering] 650c wheels are rumored to have. Tire pressure, frame design, and frame geometry seem to make infinitely more difference to me.

The one place I really do notice the difference is in tire selection. There simply isn't much middle range with 650c tires. I can find terrific high end tires, and ultracheap low end tires, but almost nothing in the middle. I usually ride $10.00 Kenda Koncepts. The only other options seem to be $40.00+.

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-Mark Rebuck, http://www.markrebuck.com/

Up until this year, Softride has had their large (and I think extra large too) frames available with 650 wheels. I have a large, and have it setup at about a 58cm. The handling is a little skittish in the front compared to my road bike, coupled with the fact that aerobars give you a little less leverage. But since I usually don't do hard cornering decents on it, I like the 650s just fine. If I was buying a bike, I probably would have gotten a 700cc, but I got a smokin' deal in the 650cc and so I made it work. Everything else about the size works great.

Probably canned by the marketing department, they look like wheelbarrows.

Yeah, I know they look a little funny, but I want to know how they perform for people around 6'0". I would say tri saddles look like death to a persons groin considering their sticking up, but all I've heard is good things.

I have a Litespeed Blade 55 with 650's and a P3 54 with 650's. My reason was the cost of new wheels. I already had Zipp 303's and Zipp 404's and didn't want to spend a couple of grand on new wheels. I have been riding 650's since 1996 so it is what feels normal to me. I ride around 4000 miles a year.

Aloha,

Larry

i'm 6' and ride a 56cm cervelo p2 that's a 650. my road bikes is 700c. the p2 handles incredible. never had a speed wobble (even at 76k/h down the big descent at lake placid on hed 3's). no issues at all with that bike. i suspect set-up and position on the bike will have more to do with the handling than the wheel size.

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"I'm happy when life's good,
and when it's bad I cry.
I've got values but I don't know how or why."
- The Who

I ride a 56 frame with 650 wheels. Never had any problems with handling and I love the bike. I've been on 650 wheels since the mid 90s when it was the lastest and greatest thing to do so when I got a new frame I stayed with the same wheel size since I didn't want to have to replace my race wheels too. I find that I climb better with the smaller wheels but you end up pedalling sooner at the bottom of a hill.

I've been riding 650 wheels on a 57cm frame since 1993. Never had any handling issues with it (even in Nice). I find the bike is more agile than a 700 wheeled one. Easier to climb with and accelerate.

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Wilfried Heinle

Artificial Intelligence can never beat natural stupidity.

The 650 does seem to be falling out of fashion even with mid size bikes. Always thought 650 on a large bike frame reminded me of a circus bike. They do look a bit goofy. Ride wise however, I could never tell a difference between 650 and 700.

What some people are forgetting here that the shorter wheel is more than likely stronger than the taller one. 650c wheels have the same sidewall cross-section as their 700c counterparts, as well as shorter spokes. If someone were over 6' tall and weighed over 250 lbs., I would almost recommend 650c wheels over 700c for those factors.