650 cm wheels

Jee Doy said:

I have been keeping an eye out for a bike for my daughter. At the bike shop
there's a 48 cm bike with 650 cm wheels. She's about 5'-3" so it might work
for her. The only issue I have is the wheel size. Should this be a major
concern? Or is it going to be a standard wheel size for bikes smaller than 50
cm?

insist on suitable gearing: I would suggest something like 10T front, 52
at the back. Are the garagedoors high enough?
--
---
Marten Gerritsen

INFOapestaartjeM-GINEERINGpuntNL
www.m-gineering.nl

650c wheels are NOT new and have been popular with triathlon bikes and
bikes for smaller riders. Plenty of wheel companies, tires, tubes,
etc.

Steve H
http://www.buytrigear.com

650c wheels are NOT new and have been popular with triathlon bikes and
bikes for smaller riders. Plenty of wheel companies, tires, tubes,
etc.

Steve H
http://www.buytrigear.com

m-gineering said:

Jee Doy said:

I have been keeping an eye out for a bike for my daughter. At the bike shop
there's a 48 cm bike with 650 cm wheels. She's about 5'-3" so it might work
for her. The only issue I have is the wheel size. Should this be a major
concern? Or is it going to be a standard wheel size for bikes smaller than 50
cm?

insist on suitable gearing: I would suggest something like 10T front, 52
at the back. Are the garagedoors high enough?

Okay, it took me a second.

With a 50 cm frame, I guess you'd look around the front tire to see where you're
going.

Ron

Jee Doy said:

I have been keeping an eye out for a bike for my daughter. At the bike shop
there's a 48 cm bike with 650 cm wheels. She's about 5'-3" so it might work
for her. The only issue I have is the wheel size. Should this be a major
concern? Or is it going to be a standard wheel size for bikes smaller than 50
cm?

It is fairly common, but 49 cm frames are also available with the more
common 700c wheel size. I think 700c is a better choice because the
tyre selection is a lot better. 650c is mostly used in triathlon and the
tyre selection, as far as I know, is limited to light-weight racing
tyres, which is not necessarily what you want for training or commuting.

If you look at professional cyclists, even in men's ranks there are
riders of that height and they ride bikes with standard 700c wheels,
and obviously without any fit issues.

-as

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I have been keeping an eye out for a bike for my daughter. At the bike
shop
there's a 48 cm bike with 650 cm wheels. She's about 5'-3" so it might
work
for her. The only issue I have is the wheel size. Should this be a
major
concern? Or is it going to be a standard wheel size for bikes smaller
than 50
cm?

It is fairly common, but 49 cm frames are also available with the more
common 700c wheel size. I think 700c is a better choice because the
tyre selection is a lot better. 650c is mostly used in triathlon and the
tyre selection, as far as I know, is limited to light-weight racing
tyres, which is not necessarily what you want for training or commuting.

If you look at professional cyclists, even in men's ranks there are
riders of that height and they ride bikes with standard 700c wheels,
and obviously without any fit issues.

I don't think what racers use really applies here, as they generally set up
their bikes with longer top tube/stem combinations than the average rider,
and thus aren't running into the issue that requires 650c wheels in the
first place (the need to keep top tubes short).

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

"Antti Salonen" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Jee Doy said:

I have been keeping an eye out for a bike for my daughter. At the bike
shop
there's a 48 cm bike with 650 cm wheels. She's about 5'-3" so it might
work
for her. The only issue I have is the wheel size. Should this be a
major
concern? Or is it going to be a standard wheel size for bikes smaller
than 50
cm?

It is fairly common, but 49 cm frames are also available with the more
common 700c wheel size. I think 700c is a better choice because the
tyre selection is a lot better. 650c is mostly used in triathlon and the
tyre selection, as far as I know, is limited to light-weight racing
tyres, which is not necessarily what you want for training or commuting.

If you look at professional cyclists, even in men's ranks there are
riders of that height and they ride bikes with standard 700c wheels,
and obviously without any fit issues.

-as

Jee Doy said:

I have been keeping an eye out for a bike for my daughter. At the bike shop
there's a 48 cm bike with 650 cm wheels. She's about 5'-3" so it might work
for her. The only issue I have is the wheel size. Should this be a major
concern? Or is it going to be a standard wheel size for bikes smaller than 50
cm?

This bicycle has wheels that are less than half the diameter of the one
with 650-cm wheels:
<http://www.recordholders.org/images/didi1.jpg>,
<http://www.recordholders.org/images/didi2.jpg>.

I suspect that the bicycle in question at the shop really has ISO 571-mm
wheels.

--
Tom Sherman - Near Rock Island

Hello.

With respect to your question.. It is hard to answer your question without
knowing what kind of riding your daughter has planning.

Yes.. 650c wheels on 48cm are common and are great for persons 5'3" -- but be
prepared to pay a premium for 650c tires (unless you are lucky enough to catch
it on sale).

Consider yourself lucky if you can get them at $15.00 each on closeout, but
typically they run $27.00+ depending on quality.

If your daughter has stopped growing and will be 5'3" - 5'6", and is not set on
racing, I would recommend a quality 13.5" -14.5" mountain bike and get a second
set of wheels (preferrably with same rim width).

There are many choices for high pressure fast street (26x 1.25) specific tires
at reasonable prices ($10.00 - $22.00)

Funny thing.. my favorite all around bike is a Nashbar steel frame with XT
equipment, and XTR wheels...and it is plenty fast and more enjoyable to ride
long distances tthan the three 650c specific bikes I have in my garage.

Owner of 650c: Holland custom, Litespeed Tuschany, and Argon Time Trial
specific.

Much obliged.
Nick
Sparks, NV
carless since January 2000
member of the 5 digit club (10,000+ bicycle miles) each year since.

Hello.

With respect to your question.. It is hard to answer your question without
knowing what kind of riding your daughter has planning.

Yes.. 650c wheels on 48cm are common and are great for persons 5'3" -- but be
prepared to pay a premium for 650c tires (unless you are lucky enough to catch
it on sale).

Consider yourself lucky if you can get them at $15.00 each on closeout, but
typically they run $27.00+ depending on quality.

If your daughter has stopped growing and will be 5'3" - 5'6", and is not set on
racing, I would recommend a quality 13.5" -14.5" mountain bike and get a second
set of wheels (preferrably with same rim width).

There are many choices for high pressure fast street (26x 1.25) specific tires
at reasonable prices ($10.00 - $22.00)

Funny thing.. my favorite all around bike is a Nashbar steel frame with XT
equipment, and XTR wheels...and it is plenty fast and more enjoyable to ride
long distances tthan the three 650c specific bikes I have in my garage.

Owner of 650c: Holland custom, Litespeed Tuschany, and Argon Time Trial
specific.

Much obliged.
Nick
Sparks, NV
carless since January 2000
member of the 5 digit club (10,000+ bicycle miles) each year since.

"Jee Doy" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I have been keeping an eye out for a bike for my daughter. At the bike

shop

Quoted message said:

there's a 48 cm bike with 650 cm wheels. She's about 5'-3" so it might

work

Quoted message said:

for her. The only issue I have is the wheel size. Should this be a major
concern? Or is it going to be a standard wheel size for bikes smaller

than 50

Quoted message said:

cm?

My 5'3" wife has a 650 wheeled 47cm Serotta. She loves the way it rides.
Tire choice is somewhat limited. If your daughter wants a go fast road bike
she will be happy. 650 tires are mostly high end and available as 20s and
23s. If she wants to cruise and tour you can get 26in wheeled touring bikes
in small sizes with lots of tire choices. My wife (again) uses the Ritchey
Tom Slick 26x1" tires for general riding on her touring bike with great
success. FYI, our first attempt at a small wheeled bike was a Terry with a
24" front and 700 rear. Great idea but the handling never felt
"normal/comfortable". We sold it, then she sold it, and then it sold again.
Bill Brannon

Tom Sherman said:

This bicycle has wheels that are less than half the diameter of the
one with 650-cm wheels:
<http://www.recordholders.org/images/didi1.jpg>,
<http://www.recordholders.org/images/didi2.jpg>.

Yes. This minimizes that energy-wasting up and down motion of the
floppy, squishy legs.

RonSonic said:

On Fri, 07 Jan 2005 15:07:24 +0100, m-gineering

Quoted message said:

Jee Doy said:

I have been keeping an eye out for a bike for my daughter. At the bike shop
there's a 48 cm bike with 650 cm wheels. She's about 5'-3" so it might work
for her. The only issue I have is the wheel size. Should this be a major
concern? Or is it going to be a standard wheel size for bikes smaller than 50
cm?

insist on suitable gearing: I would suggest something like 10T front, 52
at the back. Are the garagedoors high enough?

Okay, it took me a second.

With a 50 cm frame, I guess you'd look around the front tire to see where you're
going.

Ron

I doubt Didi has anything more than a 60cm frame (assuming you measure from the BB with the crankset) yet doesn't need suffer with a devil of a time looking around the front tire:

www.recordholders.org/en/records/didi.html

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden]
says...

Quoted message said:

I have been keeping an eye out for a bike for my daughter. At the bike shop
there's a 48 cm bike with 650 cm wheels. She's about 5'-3" so it might work
for her. The only issue I have is the wheel size. Should this be a major
concern? Or is it going to be a standard wheel size for bikes smaller than 50
cm?

Shouldn't be a concern. 650c wheels are very common in the triathlete market.
--------------
Alex

Antti Salonen said:

Jee Doy said:

I have been keeping an eye out for a bike for my daughter. At the bike shop
there's a 48 cm bike with 650 cm wheels. She's about 5'-3" so it might work
for her. The only issue I have is the wheel size. Should this be a major
concern? Or is it going to be a standard wheel size for bikes smaller than 50
cm?

It is fairly common, but 49 cm frames are also available with the more
common 700c wheel size. I think 700c is a better choice because the
tyre selection is a lot better. 650c is mostly used in triathlon and the
tyre selection, as far as I know, is limited to light-weight racing
tyres, which is not necessarily what you want for training or commuting.

If you look at professional cyclists, even in men's ranks there are
riders of that height and they ride bikes with standard 700c wheels,
and obviously without any fit issues.

-as

Hi alot of bents come with 650C rims and it is not a major concern. Just
FYI.
Bill M

"bill marsh" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi alot of bents come with 650C rims and it is not a major concern. Just

Agree, and for those you not "racing", Sheldon Brown sells a very nice 28mm
wide tire in this size (28-571 aka 650x28):

http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/tires/571.html

(Jee Doy) said:

I have been keeping an eye out for a bike for my daughter. At the bike shop
there's a 48 cm bike with 650 cm wheels.

I think you meant 650C, which is approximately 650mm, not 650cm.
(There's an inconvenient factor of 10 difference.)

Quoted message said:

She's about 5'-3" so it might work
for her.

In most cases, 650C wheels would probably be acceptable for a rider of
that height.

Quoted message said:

The only issue I have is the wheel size. Should this be a major
concern? Or is it going to be a standard wheel size for bikes smaller than 50
cm?

Not necessarily standard, but certainly common.

--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
Some gardening required to reply via email.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

The disadvantage of 700c wheels on a small frame bike is that your foot
can hit the wheel when turning and pedaling. That could get ugly. If it
were my daughter, I'd think safety first. 650c wheels and tires look to
be around for a long while. You can thank the triathletes for that.

Jee Doy said:

I have been keeping an eye out for a bike for my daughter. At the

bike shop

Quoted message said:

there's a 48 cm bike with 650 cm wheels. She's about 5'-3" so it

might work

Quoted message said:

for her. The only issue I have is the wheel size. Should this be a

major

Quoted message said:

concern? Or is it going to be a standard wheel size for bikes

smaller than 50

Quoted message said:

cm?

MtbRoadie said:

The disadvantage of 700c wheels on a small frame bike is that your foot
can hit the wheel when turning and pedaling. That could get ugly. If it
were my daughter, I'd think safety first. 650c wheels and tires look to
be around for a long while. You can thank the triathletes for that.

I rode my present bike forever before noticing that there was an overlap. I
found it while standing on one foot at a street light waiting for it to change*.
Forever, I've used it to hold the front tire with a toe while I stand and drink
water, tug on my shorts, etc. It never occured to me that this was a problem
until I read this forum.

The thing is, I ride a 60 with a 58 TT and have an overlap. This isnt' just an
issue for small frames.

Ron

* It's entirely possible I noticed the overlap before then, but not finding it
to have any practical effect on my cycling filed it away with things like
counter-steer, which however important do not require any conscious thought or
notice in practice.

quote='RonSonic'On 8 Jan 2005 06:01:48 -0800 said:

The disadvantage of 700c wheels on a small frame bike is that your foot
can hit the wheel when turning and pedaling. That could get ugly. If it
were my daughter, I'd think safety first. 650c wheels and tires look to
be around for a long while. You can thank the triathletes for that.

I rode my present bike forever before noticing that there was an overlap. I
found it while standing on one foot at a street light waiting for it to change*.
Forever, I've used it to hold the front tire with a toe while I stand and drink
water, tug on my shorts, etc. It never occured to me that this was a problem
until I read this forum.

The thing is, I ride a 60 with a 58 TT and have an overlap. This isnt' just an
issue for small frames.

Ron

* It's entirely possible I noticed the overlap before then, but not finding it
to have any practical effect on my cycling filed it away with things like
counter-steer, which however important do not require any conscious thought or
notice in practice.[/QUOTE]

My 23" road bike with 175 mm cranks regularly sees the front wheel 27" striking my foot.
My 21" road bike with 170 mm cranks has no problem with the 27" wheel.