Are 650B Wheels and Tyres available in Australia?

[hartleymartin]

I recently finished turning an old 10-speed into a single-speed "roadster" type bicycle with North Road handlebars, but I have come across a problem with the bottom bracket and top tube being too high. The bottom bracket is very high off the ground. I would have to be bent well over 45 degrees before pedal or foot-strike would be a problem. It also feels a bit unstable. The bike was originally fitted with 27" x 1-1/4" wheels and tyres (630x32). I fitted 700C x 35mm tyres (622mm rims) I am considering going to a smaller rim size such as 650B (584mm rims) which will lower everything slightly and hopefully make the bicycle feel more stable.

Is anything in the way of 650B available in Australia?

[Espresso_]

Plenty designed for disc brakes of course, but I assume you're looking for a rim brake solution?

They'd be harder to find, but Velocity make 650b rim-brake rims (synergy and dydad). Also stans ZTR are meant to be rim brake compatible in practice but maybe aren't designed as such.

E

[Duck!]

There's not a lot that isn't fat MTB-oriented at the moment, because it's a wheel size that had been lost in the past for a long time until its recent resurrection by the off-road tribes.

There are some road tyres around to suit, but brand names escape me at present. They're not common, but they are around. Rim brake compatible wheels may be harder to find.

The problem is going to be brake reach. Your frame is designed to have the brake mounts to suit its original 27" (630mm) rims. Fitting wheels with a 23mm smaller radius is going to seriously affect brake reach. Your only workable brake solution will be hub brakes, single-speed coaster or internal-geared hub with coaster or roller brake, and a roller brake in the front.

[ldrcycles]

Grand Bois seem to be the go to tyre for non mtb 650B.

[singlespeedscott]

Grand Bios and Compass are the ducks nuts for 650b road tyres. Soma and Pacenti also makes some. The worldwide web is your friend.

As for brakes just get yourself a set of old MAFAC racers and you should be right. Dia compe/Weinmann 750 should also work. Don't buy long reach side pulls because their flex prone rubbish. Centre pulls set up properly, using Koolstop Salmon brake pads, are awesome brakes.

I must say that it's strange that your old sports tourer has a high bottom bracket. Everyone that I have come across are the complete opposite. Long chainstays for 27" tyres and mudguards basically force the frame manufacturer to build the frame with a low bottom bracket to allow descent crotch clearance on the top tube. Have you a picture of the bike? What size, centre to top seat tube is the frame? What is your saddle height.

[paulg1]

Try uglyrms on ebay from the US (I just ordered some). And commutercycles in Melb for tyres and wheels.
Tektro long reach brakes (559 or 556)
That is all you need.

http://commutercycles.com.au/accessories/grand-bois/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/PAIR-650B-WH ... 43d979730e" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[paulg1]

I forgot to say- that because you are going from 27 to 650, even the Tektro's might not be long enough. It will depend on your frame.
There are even longer reach that will have no problem. I just bought some from the Sydney Classic bike show, a few weeks ago.

http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/brake-calipers.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Thoglette]

Is anything in the way of 650B available in Australia?

Cheeky Transport had some.
Chain Reaction, Pushys, Cell and Moruya have some - mostly MTB (aka 27.5 for some insane reason) but some smooth tyres

Moruya report

Tyre 650B (26 x 1 1/2 x 1 5/8)
A tyre size that we originally thought to be defunct in Australia (used briefly during the '70s by Apollo and Raleigh) but it turns out we can still get them az they've always been used on horse trotting buggies. And now they're the latest and greatest, having been re-named 27.5"...
ETRTO: 44-584

[singlespeedscott]

Moruya report

Tyre 650B (26 x 1 1/2 x 1 5/8)
A tyre size that we originally thought to be defunct in Australia (used briefly during the '70s by Apollo and Raleigh) but it turns out we can still get them az they've always been used on horse trotting buggies. And now they're the latest and greatest, having been re-named 27.5"...
ETRTO: 44-584

Obviously these blokes have not heard of randonneur bikes