Opinions on two different makes of bikes

Carry a couple of spares and a patch kit. Don't you do that anyway?
Or use a 26" tube with a Presta valve. It will work just fine.

On Sep 23, 10:00 am, wrote:
That is pretty strange. What do you do when you're on tour and need a
650B tube in Bumphuque, Kansas?

Smokey- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

On Sep 23, 4:31 pm, Lynne Fitz wrote:
Carry a couple of spares and a patch kit. Don't you do that anyway?
Or use a 26" tube with a Presta valve. It will work just fine.

On Sep 23, 10:00 am, wrote:



That is pretty strange. What do you do when you're on tour and need a
650B tube in Bumphuque, Kansas?

Smokey- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Yes, I carry a spare tube and patch kit. I wasn't thinking about
alternate sizes when I mentioned the tube, you are both right about
that. However, tires can have sidewall blowouts or get cut so badly
that they must be replaced. I don't carry a spare tire, although I
know some long distance tourists do. It would still seem more
practical to base smaller sized bikes around 26" wheels and the large
ones on 700s. I am on Grant's mailing list and get his catalogs, but
haven't bought too many items (saddlebag and handlebar). He really
pushes the retro items, nothing wrong with that, but also seems to
resent any newer advances made since clipless pedals and indexed
shifting appeared. That would seem to limit his market, as do the 650
wheels.

Smokey

On Sep 23, 4:31 pm, Lynne Fitz wrote:
Carry a couple of spares and a patch kit. Don't you do that anyway?
Or use a 26" tube with a Presta valve. It will work just fine.

And if you need a new tire? Or, worse, a wheel or rim? Just hole up at
the Motel 6 until that "special order" from QBP rolls in? And pay
through the nose for good measure?

IMO, wheels/rims/tires with very limited availability (650B being a
prime example) are a *spectacularly* bad idea on any bicycle sold as a
"touring bike".



On Sep 23, 10:00 am, wrote:

That is pretty strange. What do you do when you're on tour and need a
650B tube in Bumphuque, Kansas?

Smokey- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

On Sep 23, 5:14 pm, Ozark Bicycle
wrote:
On Sep 23, 4:31 pm, Lynne Fitz wrote:

Carry a couple of spares and a patch kit. Don't you do that anyway?
Or use a 26" tube with a Presta valve. It will work just fine.

And if you need a new tire? Or, worse, a wheel or rim? Just hole up at
the Motel 6 until that "special order" from QBP rolls in? And pay
through the nose for good measure?


But if you're on 26" wheels and run over a dropped muffler in Fife
Alabama, some dude in a truck will offer you a wheel offa his *mart
bike he never uses--and it'll get you far enough to get a proper
replacement.

I just can't fathom why somebody would design a bike around this size
other than to be contrary. To think I once sorta wanted to get a 700c
rambouillet. Never will I have that thought again--and they've even
discontinued them in order to pimp the Homer Simpson.

I carry a spare tire. Even when I'm riding my 700c bike on long rides
out in the middle of nowhere, I carry a spare tire. Be Prepared and
all that...

I should point out that 650B tires don't get near the number of flats
that the high-pressure 700c tires do. I'm still on my original tires
at 1900 miles, and have had only 1 flat. This includes several
brevets, and riding in Utah, Michigan, Oregon, and Central Europe.

On Sep 23, 2:49 pm, wrote:
On Sep 23, 4:31 pm, Lynne Fitz wrote:

Carry a couple of spares and a patch kit. Don't you do that anyway?
Or use a 26" tube with a Presta valve. It will work just fine.

On Sep 23, 10:00 am, wrote:

That is pretty strange. What do you do when you're on tour and need a
650B tube in Bumphuque, Kansas?
...snip...
that they must be replaced. I don't carry a spare tire, although I
know some long distance tourists do. It would still seem more
practical to base smaller sized bikes around 26" wheels and the large
ones on 700s. I am on Grant's mailing list and get his catalogs, but
haven't bought too many items (saddlebag and handlebar). He really
pushes the retro items, nothing wrong with that, but also seems to
resent any newer advances made since clipless pedals and indexed
shifting appeared. That would seem to limit his market, as do the 650
wheels.

Smokey

On Sep 23, 7:12 pm, Lynne Fitz wrote:
I carry a spare tire. Even when I'm riding my 700c bike on long rides
out in the middle of nowhere, I carry a spare tire. Be Prepared and
all that...

I should point out that 650B tires don't get near the number of flats
that the high-pressure 700c tires do.


Are you suggesting that 650B tires are somehow magically more puncture
resistant than 700C tires? Or are saying that you get fewer pinch
flats using fat(ter) 650Bs than when using skinny "high-pressure 700c
tires"?


I'm still on my original tires
at 1900 miles, and have had only 1 flat.


I got a flat in August. Prior to that, I went 26+ months and 10,000+
miles without a flat. So, using your logic, 700Cs "don't get nearly
the number of flats" that (your) 650Bs do.

On Sep 23, 5:33 pm, landotter wrote:
On Sep 23, 5:14 pm, Ozark Bicycle

wrote:
On Sep 23, 4:31 pm, Lynne Fitz wrote:

Carry a couple of spares and a patch kit. Don't you do that anyway?
Or use a 26" tube with a Presta valve. It will work just fine.

And if you need a new tire? Or, worse, a wheel or rim? Just hole up at
the Motel 6 until that "special order" from QBP rolls in? And pay
through the nose for good measure?

But if you're on 26" wheels and run over a dropped muffler in Fife
Alabama, some dude in a truck will offer you a wheel offa his *mart
bike he never uses--and it'll get you far enough to get a proper
replacement.

I just can't fathom why somebody would design a bike around this size
other than to be contrary.

1) Niche marketing

2) An attempt to create a company 'identity' ("Rivendell, the 650B
Guys")

3) A way to sell yet another, otherwise very similar, bike, to the
same small customer base.

Sad thing is, The Grant used to inveigh against hard-to-get, non-
standard parts, and now he is promoting a hard-to-get, non-standard
wheel/tire size.


To think I once sorta wanted to get a 700c
rambouillet. Never will I have that thought again--and they've even
discontinued them in order to pimp the Homer Simpson.

Well, at least Homely is a 700C bike.......

On Sep 23, 9:15 pm, Ozark Bicycle
wrote:
On Sep 23, 7:12 pm, Lynne Fitz wrote:

I carry a spare tire. Even when I'm riding my 700c bike on long rides
out in the middle of nowhere, I carry a spare tire. Be Prepared and
all that...

I should point out that 650B tires don't get near the number of flats
that the high-pressure 700c tires do.

Are you suggesting that 650B tires are somehow magically more puncture
resistant than 700C tires? Or are saying that you get fewer pinch
flats using fat(ter) 650Bs than when using skinny "high-pressure 700c
tires"?

I'm still on my original tires
at 1900 miles, and have had only 1 flat.

I got a flat in August. Prior to that, I went 26+ months and 10,000+
miles without a flat. So, using your logic, 700Cs "don't get nearly
the number of flats" that (your) 650Bs do.

Dude, you just don't get it, man. Arbitrary wheel sizes are the new
saggy britches or stove pipe jeans depending on your style.

Dirty secret: I would have been thrilled if Grant had put out a 27"
bike--that would have been retrotastic and a bit silly just for
silliness's sake--but you'd still have an easier time sorting out
tires.

On Sep 23, 9:22 pm, Ozark Bicycle
wrote:
On Sep 23, 5:33 pm, landotter wrote:



On Sep 23, 5:14 pm, Ozark Bicycle

wrote:
On Sep 23, 4:31 pm, Lynne Fitz wrote:

Carry a couple of spares and a patch kit. Don't you do that anyway?
Or use a 26" tube with a Presta valve. It will work just fine.

And if you need a new tire? Or, worse, a wheel or rim? Just hole up at
the Motel 6 until that "special order" from QBP rolls in? And pay
through the nose for good measure?

But if you're on 26" wheels and run over a dropped muffler in Fife
Alabama, some dude in a truck will offer you a wheel offa his *mart
bike he never uses--and it'll get you far enough to get a proper
replacement.

I just can't fathom why somebody would design a bike around this size
other than to be contrary.

1) Niche marketing

2) An attempt to create a company 'identity' ("Rivendell, the 650B
Guys")

3) A way to sell yet another, otherwise very similar, bike, to the
same small customer base.

Sad thing is, The Grant used to inveigh against hard-to-get, non-
standard parts, and now he is promoting a hard-to-get, non-standard
wheel/tire size.

That's the bizarre deal. He used to promote **** in the sense that,
"hey, we'll send you a cassette, and it'll be pretty darn nice" and
used boring but good parts like Sugino XDs and Tektro Oryx cantis.
Cheapish but great parts.


To think I once sorta wanted to get a 700c
rambouillet. Never will I have that thought again--and they've even
discontinued them in order to pimp the Homer Simpson.

Well, at least Homely is a 700C bike.......

It is, then. My bad. I thought it was another 650B abomination.

I do generally like the same aesthetic is what's funny--I'm thinking
of building up a Japanese style brevety thing as my next bike--but I
just abhor bull****. Acquaintances of mine that run the local natural
foods store asked why I don't shop there anymore, and I replied
simply, "You sell homeopathic 'medicine', a lie that was exposed a
hundred years ago." Apply to bikes, rinse, repeat.

I don't get pinch flats at all. The joys of being a smaller person.
Another reason I like 650B wheels. The flats I get are from glass or
thorns.

I have had 700c tires explode on me - casing failure. (They weren't
Contis :-) )

That said, I'm happy with my bike(s) and the choices I made. Your
mileage may vary.

On Sep 23, 7:15 pm, Ozark Bicycle
wrote:
On Sep 23, 7:12 pm, Lynne Fitz wrote:

I carry a spare tire. Even when I'm riding my 700c bike on long rides
out in the middle of nowhere, I carry a spare tire. Be Prepared and
all that...

I should point out that 650B tires don't get near the number of flats
that the high-pressure 700c tires do.

Are you suggesting that 650B tires are somehow magically more puncture
resistant than 700C tires? Or are saying that you get fewer pinch
flats using fat(ter) 650Bs than when using skinny "high-pressure 700c
tires"?

I'm still on my original tires
at 1900 miles, and have had only 1 flat.

I got a flat in August. Prior to that, I went 26+ months and 10,000+
miles without a flat. So, using your logic, 700Cs "don't get nearly
the number of flats" that (your) 650Bs do.