When I was first getting into long course tri’s I made the investment(without knowing very much, my background was swimming and running) and got a used kestrel airfoil. Thought the bike looked cool, got fitted on it and have done a few HIM’s and a few 70-100 mile rides.
I knew, but didn’t understand, that it had 650c wheels and found a zipp 650 disc for the bike.
When I bought the bike two years ago I could find tires relatively easy but now they are barely mentioned in nashbar and performance cycle and a lot of what I read about is 700 is faster, they only make 650’s for shorter people and I’m questioning if I should sell and look to a 700 wheel/frame.
Of course it’s an excuse to upgrade but is the potential benefit for me, being taller and getting into some longer events, worth selling and looking at a 700 frame/wheel set?
Is your signature line the original Nintendo game Contra’s 30 lives cheat? If so, I think you are missing the " select, start" at the end.
Thats for two players! Start would be just one. That was a question on trival pursuit awhile back and I didn’t know if I should feel smart, old, or weird.
Neither 700 nor 650 wheels are inherently faster than the other. This has been debated to death on this forum.
Convenience is an entirely different question. Wheel manufacturers don’t always make their newer wheels in 650. Zipp does not, nor could I find any new Hed designs in 650 (I only searched for about 10 minutes). Tire selection is not as good either and you can’t get latex tubes for clinchers in 650.
You present frame is not the most aero either.
Soooo, yeah, for a tall guy you can buy a lot of stuff that might make you a little bit faster. I used 650 at your height for a few years and in the end, went to a different bike for fit issues. I was glad to be ride of 650c.
If your bike fits and you have race wheels with good tires/tubes (from a crr standpoint) then 650 is not a big deal. At some point though, you will probably WANT a new bike and in that case I would go to 700.
Chad