650B tires and rims?

I think the Rigida Aries is available in 584mm, from Gilles Berthoud in France,
gillesberthoud.frgillesberthoud.frOpen ↗ and other places in France cyclos-cyclos-Open ↗
cyclotes.org/650/index.html (click on Agenda Technique). Appears to be just 36 & 48 hole.

They're probably also available from Japan, though I don't know of a specific source.

I'm excited about the 650B Rivendell. I'd be pretty surprised if Rivendell wasn't lining up the
production (or at least procurement) of 650B rims for this bike. I'm all for keping the 584mm size
around, despite Sheldon's credible criticism that 559mm rims and tires are so widely available and
differentiated that it's probably not worth the trouble.

I wouldn't mind paying a little more for rims and tires. I would love to have a 650B randonneur.

-Bruce-

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

Quoted message said:

It appears Rivendell will be coming out with a new bike, the Saluki, that will require 650B tires
and rims. Does anybody make tires and rims in this size? If so, who? Looking at Sheldon Brown's
website, there doesn't seem to be alot of choices in tires:
sheldonbrown.com584.htmlOpen ↗

Thanks. Brewster

[email hidden] (bfd) wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

It appears Rivendell will be coming out with a new bike, the Saluki, that will require 650B tires
and rims. Does anybody make tires and rims in this size? If so, who? Looking at Sheldon Brown's
website, there doesn't seem to be alot of choices in tires:
sheldonbrown.com584.htmlOpen ↗

Thanks. Brewster

Pyramid makes one for $8.99 Wolber used to make a 650x35B called the super randoneur that took 100
psi I had these on my raliegh portage in 1990 they were very nice but I dont know if they still
exist. hutchison made a 650x38B that was also good. I think most of the tire makers make one but you
will have to import them from England or Canada and pay an import duty. If you are hard on tires I
dont know of any 650B with a kevlar belt.

<< It appears Rivendell will be coming out with a new bike, the Saluki, that will require 650B tires
and rims. Does anybody make tires and rims in this size? If so, who? >>

Ridgida and Michelin in France, Panasonic in Japan and others such as Schwalbe.Bob Freeman at Elliot
Bay Cycles in Seattle brings in the Japanese tires.There is a French club-Confrerie des 650B-
dedicated to these bikes. And don't you think Rivendell will sell them as well? Kinda follish to
make a frame for a nonexisrant tire size. Phil Brown

[email hidden] (bfd) wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

It appears Rivendell will be coming out with a new bike, the Saluki, that will require 650B tires
and rims. Does anybody make tires and rims in this size? If so, who? Looking at Sheldon Brown's
website, there doesn't seem to be alot of choices in tires:
sheldonbrown.com584.htmlOpen ↗

Thanks. Brewster

Putting the cart a bit before the horse, are we not? RR31 just came out and Grant says that the
decision on the Saluki has not been made. In other words, it *MAY* have 650B, then again it
might be 559's.

- rick

"Rick Warner" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

[email hidden] (bfd) wrote in message

news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

It appears Rivendell will be coming out with a new bike, the Saluki, that will require 650B
tires and rims. Does anybody make tires and rims in this size? If so, who? Looking at Sheldon
Brown's website, there doesn't seem to be alot of choices in tires:
sheldonbrown.com584.htmlOpen ↗

Thanks. Brewster

Putting the cart a bit before the horse, are we not? RR31 just came out and Grant says that the
decision on the Saluki has not been made. In other words, it *MAY* have 650B, then again it might
be 559's.

Interestingly, on the *new* Riv forum, it was posted that the new Salucki will have 650B wheels and
canti brakes. It could be worst, he could have spec it with centerpull brakes (oh yeah, those are
gonna make a comeback!).......then again, GP says he's also coming out with a men and women "mixte"
style bike. If it cost anywhere near a custom Riv, good luck selling that.....

bfd said:

Quoted message said:

Putting the cart a bit before the horse, are we not? RR31 just came out and Grant says that the
decision on the Saluki has not been made. In other words, it *MAY* have 650B, then again it might
be 559's.

Interestingly, on the *new* Riv forum, it was posted that the new Salucki will have 650B wheels and
canti brakes. It could be worst, he could have spec it with centerpull brakes (oh yeah, those are
gonna make a comeback!).......then again, GP says he's also coming out with a men and women "mixte"
style bike. If it cost anywhere near a custom Riv, good luck selling that.....

Well, not going to the forum - topica is a ... errr .... problematic at best/

Anyway, the RR and the Riv website both say the question of the wheels is undecided. They also say
the brakes are undecided, but the RR says it will likely be the cantis as their Dia Compe canti
project is coming to the point of bearing fruit.

The mixte style bikes are a necessary evil for Riv. GP gets beat up constantly by shorter folks
about the lack of frames they can ride. He has been threatening to provide a solution, and now says
they will be in town in the summer.

- rick

Rick Warner <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

On Fri, 20 Feb 2004 00:53:37 GMT, "bfd" <[email hidden]> wrote:

Well, not going to the forum - topica is a ... errr .... problematic at best/

Agree, I seem to be having problems with receiving messages on this forum and may soon
unsubscribe...

Quoted message said:

Anyway, the RR and the Riv website both say the question of the wheels is undecided. They also say
the brakes are undecided, but the RR says it will likely be the cantis as their Dia Compe canti
project is coming to the point of bearing fruit.

OK, still waiting for RR31, when did it come out?

Quoted message said:

The mixte style bikes are a necessary evil for Riv. GP gets beat up constantly by shorter folks
about the lack of frames they can ride. He has been threatening to provide a solution, and now
says they will be in town in the summer.

Interesting, I thought GP addressed the fitting issue for shorter folks by using either 650C (571mm)
"tri bike" or 26" (559mm) "mt bike" wheels and designing a *normal* frame around those smaller
wheelsets.

Good Luck to Riv in selling a mixte frameset. Its interesting he's specing both a women and men
version. I always thought *mixte* was a frame designed for women. I wonder how many of these frames
Riv expects to sell? I don't see alot of demand for them, especially at the prices Rivendell
charges. Then again, GP has a strong following (what 6-7K members, maybe more?), so their may be
enough demand.

[email hidden] (bfd) wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Rick Warner <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

OK, still waiting for RR31, when did it come out?

Got mine at the beginning of the week (Tuesday).

Quoted message said:

Interesting, I thought GP addressed the fitting issue for shorter folks by using either 650C
(571mm) "tri bike" or 26" (559mm) "mt bike" wheels and designing a *normal* frame around those
smaller wheelsets.

A bit of semantics. The mixte is a stock frame, so I'll not include the customs. The Atlantis in
smaller sizes does have 559 wheels, but then the smallest size is something like 50cm. I saw GP
half-heartedly try to convince a 5'4" guy that he could fit on one, but standover clearance was
probably measured in single-digit mm; the guy would have been singing soprano the first time he
hopped down fast. A lot of folks that are too small for the 50cm frames have been asking GP to
make a bike that will fit them. Without going compact frame and sloping top tube it is hard with
559's, or 650x wheels.

Quoted message said:

Good Luck to Riv in selling a mixte frameset. Its interesting he's specing both a women and men
version. I always thought *mixte* was a frame designed for women. I wonder how many of these
frames Riv expects to sell? I don't see alot of demand for them, especially at the prices
Rivendell charges. Then again, GP has a strong following (what 6-7K members, maybe more?), so
their may be enough demand.

Traditionally, mixte and other step through frames were for women (easier to get on while wearing a
dress/skirt). But there is nothing that says a guy cannot ride one. Other than color not sure what
the differences there will be between the two.

As for demand, it can be good or bad. Romulus demand picked up, but the bike may have been a money
loser. Problem right now for Riv and their frames is that the Yen is very strong, so there is a lot
of currency exchange costs in their frames. So the $1350 Romulus became the $1550 Romulus and now is
the $2100 Rambouillet; or if you prefer to stay with apple to apple comparison, the $995 Rambouillet
frame is now $1300 Rambouillet frame.

I think the number in RR31 is something near 6700 numbers; he is shooting for 7700, IIRC, by the end
of the year.

- rick