Bridgestone MB-1 conversion 650B

[mitch....@gmail.com]

Here is my 1993 MB-1 with 650B Babyshoe Pass Extralight tires. 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/95075318@N00/14315765472/in/set-72157634959300983/

I did the conversion because I needed to see what all the Hetre love was about. Especially because as I order a bike I need to decide whether to get a bike designed for the wide 650B or for my usual 700C 26-28mm tires. I don't want to make the mistake of getting another 700C bike and regretting not being able to ride Babyshoe Pass ELs. But I don't want to follow a trend, get the wide tires, and see it pass, leaving me with a bike I don't ride. I've always been comfortable (or so I think) on 26mm 700C tires and riding these fat ones as road tires is really a departure for me. 

I was happy to convert the MB-1 because I enjoy riding it but don't use it for single track anymore, and I have never enjoyed riding off-road tires on pavement. I tried some smooth 26x1.5" tires on it first, but don't like the ride of this bike with small circumference 26" tires. Just before the conversion I rode it a lot on pavement and dirt on Furious Freds 2.25" so I could compare the Babyshoe Pass Els with mtb tires that are light and supple. Since the conversion I've done a little back-to-back riding between this and a road bike with GB 28mm tires just to see the difference.

It's a good candidate for conversion because it has a 72 degree head tube and doesn't ride like a typical mountain bike. It's drawbacks for conversion include the usual mtb features: higher bb, low top tube, high trail. But it fits and rides well and does fine with a load in the front bag. 

The conversion was simple because all I did was build wheels and install brakes with half inch upward adjustment. The Tektro CR720 have just enough.

The wheels are NOS SunTour-WTB GreaseGuard hubs with Compass rims and 36 Sapim double butted spokes, 3 cross. SunTour cassette and Babyshoe Pass EL tires--42mm, but they measure not quite that wide on these rims so far. 

I also added a VO passhunter rack and VO 26" aluminum fenders, which mounted up with no bending, crimping or tension. The rear fender is too short in back, partly because I extended it below the BB. This bike has always had a drop bar and road levers because that's how I always preferred to ride single-track back when I did a lot of that.

After riding it on dirt and pavement for a couple weeks I couldn't deny the tires feel as fast on pavement as my other bikes with GB tires 25-28mm. It needed road gears and so I put on this 51 tooth large ring. Then I needed a different rear derailleur to handle the capacity so the Cyclone II was replaced by this SunTour mutant.  51-28 x 14-30.  

--Mitch 

[Steve Chan]

   Sweet!

   How does the ride with the BSP tires compare to the Furious Freds? I've been amazed at the Furious Freds for a 2" wide, knobby-ish tire. Can't really do direct A/B comparisons against my Pari Motos, but I didn't find them to roll all that differently.

   Steve

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[Tony DeFilippo]

Nice work! How is the handling with the high bb and all...? It's great that the tektro's took care of the brake issue so cleanly.

[Kieran Joyes]

Wow, 51-28! Nice!

How does that shift?

KJ