1986 Trek 400 converted to 650B
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Nicholas Bull
Aug 6, 2012, 11:43:38 PM8/6/12
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When my wife rode her bike home from work today, it was a 700C, 7-speed (SIS) bike with 126mm wheels. Now it's a 650B, 9-speed (SIS) bike with 130mm wheels.
She had complained that the tires feel too narrow -- 700Cx25 was the biggest I could fit on her little bike with fenders. I'd been thinking I should check to see if 650B's fit on there, so when she complained about a fender rub, I figured that while I was fixing the fender, I'd pull the brake and check how a 650B fits (the tire wouldn't fit inside the small brake). The rear wheel fit fine, even without spreading the rear triangle, with either Pari-Moto's or Soma B-Line's. So then I pulled the front brake and tried the front, which also fit fine. One thing led to another, the wheels went in, then some SKS45 fenders that were sitting around, the Tektro 559's that I was using before converting my Gunnar to 650B fit perfectly on her Trek. She gets the wheels that had the Soma B-Line's -- the Pari Moto's stay on my main randonneuring bike. Voila, new and much more functional bike.
On the downside, my secondary randonneuring bike no longer has a rear wheel, so I'll have to buy parts and build one. On the upside, in order to give her the rear Trek 559 that was on my main rando bike, I had to bite the bullet and install the Mafac RAID rear that I bought a year ago (the front RAID has been on since the turn of the year).
Nick
She had complained that the tires feel too narrow -- 700Cx25 was the biggest I could fit on her little bike with fenders. I'd been thinking I should check to see if 650B's fit on there, so when she complained about a fender rub, I figured that while I was fixing the fender, I'd pull the brake and check how a 650B fits (the tire wouldn't fit inside the small brake). The rear wheel fit fine, even without spreading the rear triangle, with either Pari-Moto's or Soma B-Line's. So then I pulled the front brake and tried the front, which also fit fine. One thing led to another, the wheels went in, then some SKS45 fenders that were sitting around, the Tektro 559's that I was using before converting my Gunnar to 650B fit perfectly on her Trek. She gets the wheels that had the Soma B-Line's -- the Pari Moto's stay on my main randonneuring bike. Voila, new and much more functional bike.
On the downside, my secondary randonneuring bike no longer has a rear wheel, so I'll have to buy parts and build one. On the upside, in order to give her the rear Trek 559 that was on my main rando bike, I had to bite the bullet and install the Mafac RAID rear that I bought a year ago (the front RAID has been on since the turn of the year).
Nick
Jamel95
Aug 9, 2012, 10:51:38 AM8/9/12
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Doing something nice for someone (extra points for spouse) and having to buy new parts makes for a perfect equation. We all should try for it to keep balance in the world.
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