26" to 700c/650b conversion, pros and cons?

[bikeworkshop]

What about fitting smaller wheels than a bike was designed for?
All this "going large" is helping an offroad bike cover distance, at the expense of ruffty-tuffty and grip.
Sounds like a mature rider upgrade!

We've just had a bike dropped in for some work, it's not like these bikes in any way at all!

matt Black 27five frameset,
with 26 tripleclamps and fat bike 26 wheels,
4" tyres with a rizla paper's width to the frame, and coloured bits all over the place, including flouro spoke straws.

Massive respect to the dude
Teenager in a tracksuit - i said we will make it work properly.

...I can almost hear the bemused mutterings of my colleagues already.

 

[pete_mcc]

I went the more sedate route with mine, making a canal path bike with thinner 27.5” wheels and a Rohloff hub. Gets used for rides with the other half, trips to Centre Parcs, Sustrans rides, Downs Link rides and the like. Given the bike a new lease on life.

 

[Tayside]

I am firmly in the 'adapt or die' camp
It's always good to give some builds a longer test than twice around the car park ;-)

 

[originsoundd]

I went the more sedate route with mine, making a canal path bike with thinner 27.5” wheels and a Rohloff hub. Gets used for rides with the other half, trips to Centre Parcs, Sustrans rides, Downs Link rides and the like. Given the bike a new lease on life.

Sick!!

 

[originsoundd]

Early 90’s Fat Chance Yo Eddy with disc brakes and 650 wheels and 47mm tyres. Best handling retro bike I’ve owned. It actually feels like it was designed to be this way.

Very cool. I really want to build something like this but I don't know if its worth the cost. My budget is around 1k.

 

[bikeworkshop]

Very cool. I really want to build something like this but I don't know if its worth the cost. My budget is around 1k.

Easy, just stay away from the high ticket collectables like yo eddy, get something like a tange infinity frame from khs or marin etc, braze on disc mounts, use shimano mt200s, retro kit, your only real cost might be 27five disc wheels and tyres and the fork

 

[slimjoe]

Very cool. I really want to build something like this but I don't know if its worth the cost. My budget is around 1k.

To be fair the YO frame was needing a new seat tube! Usual Fat Chance frame issue. Seemed like the perfect solution was to retro mod it. The YO frame also has loads of tyre clearance so it made fitting 650 wheels an easy choice. All of these things formulated the end result. It’s just like riding a flat bar gravel machine but with loads more cool 90’s factor

 

[highlandsflyer]

All this "going large" is helping an offroad bike cover distance, at the expense of ruffty-tuffty and grip.
Sounds like a mature rider upgrade!

I definitely find a 29er shod with super floaty 2.2 Rubber Queens rolls wonderfully, and lets me remain in the saddle much more over moderately rough ground and kerbs too. So yes, ideal for the less 'active' rider, and bridging the gap somewhat to a road specific bike, (with the right rubber).