700 vs 650cc wheels
- Thread starter splitstep
- Start date
The main thing that needs to be evaluated IMHO is in what type of riding you are mainly interested. Most of the people who I know who ride 650's are mainly concentrated on TT or Triathlon training for relatively short courses. I personally have not seen physical size be an issue with wheel size much as it is with crank length, proper fit and gearing. Most of the people that I know who prefer a more casual or hybrid type riding have stepped down to 26" rims.
Yeah. Its easy. If your doing a race, or even a ride for that matter. Let's say you decided to do the local state charity 100 miler. A lot of these big events have neutral wheel support. Of course, the expect you to carry your own spare tubes, patch kit, etc., but you'd be surprised by the number of people that do these rides and don't. So, let's say you get a flat. Chances are the wheel support van or truck is going to be carrying only 700c wheels. So, if you got a 650c wheel, you're race is over.
There are plenty of height challenged people who ride, or should ride frames with 650 wheels. Proper fit goes with 650 wheels if there is a need to get a short toptube with big compromises in geometey.At 5'6" the poster may not be one of them usless he has really short inseam, and then a compact frame could work. I don't see so many hybrids with 26" wheels.
As someone who truly IS height challenged - at a hair less than 5' - I have ridden both size wheels. At your height, you should easily find a frame that fits your size AND accomodates 700c wheels. There is a lot of extra work required riding the 650c wheels for any distance and especially if you are riding with others on 700c wheels. The distance you get for the same gear on a 650c is less which requires you to do one of two things - switch to the next gear up (which may be more than you normally push) or pick up your cadence higher than your riding partners to keep up. I have ridden 700s for the last 2 years on a compact geometry frame doing 4000-5000 miles/year. For Christmas, my husband got me a Trek 5200 WSD, which, in a 47 frame only comes with 650c wheels. It has been like being a new rider left in the dust for the past 3 months. I am only now getting to where I have developed enough additional power to keep up with my riding partners on 700s without feeling dead at the end of the ride. Given the option, I would always choose 700s.
Ah, i knew there was a reason i preferred 700's instead of 650's even though I should probably be on 650's. That's a pretty sweet bike, Trek 5200 WSD, 47. That would be MY bike, if I could afford it.
Well, 700 with some fit issues is probably still better than no bike at all. Or that was my rationale in getting my bike.
heyo!
fit is definitely super super important!!! i have fit issues because i have an oddly proportioned body. don't settle for less if you can help it!
i settled for less to fit my budget (it's not like a better fitting bike isn't out there--it just doesn't fit my budget AND my body).
good luck!
5'6" is probably not too short to go with a 700C road bike. But if you're talking triathlon bike, I'd recommend 650C. A triathlon bike has a shorter head tube to allow a lower handlebar position. But since there's a practical limit to how short a head tube can be (90-100mm), a 700C-wheeled triathlon bike may not allow a low enough handlebar position for someone who rides a frame smaller than about 55cm.
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