All The Six Fifty Bees Thread! (650b, 27.5 etc.).

610g, not toooo bad.

Clement on the ball too... Strada USH on the way by the looks...

http://cyclingtips.com/2016/03/what-is-road-plus-650b-taipei-cycle-show/

@edscoble does your elephant feel lively, maybe even a bit wobbly at the front end? It's a strange feeling cos the bike still tracks beautifully going downhill and on the flat and I have not had any shimmy (so far) but I feel like it is a constant threat... It's most obvious at around 15-20mph.

Thinking it might be the low pressure in the Thunder Burts. Have a pair of SWH arriving in a few days, wonder if they will make a difference...

Shimmy is actually quite common with frames that have those trail, it happen when you ride no handed.

needle bearing headset eliminated it.

I got mine with the Ritchey headset installed... reluctant to get another one. Going to try playing around a bit and see if I can get things to settle down a bit. Worst case I'll try a needle bearing.

I should point out that the elephant is the most fun I've had on a bike for a while. I am not at all put off my the lively handling and it si seriously fun to hop over the curb, get off the road and thrash it through he woods. Love it!

I've not experienced any shimmy, but the handling is certainly lively if I don't have a front load. I've not ridden my other bikes since getting the Elephant so it will be interesting to see how I adjust to them.

TBH, mine does shimmy, and so does my Oak 650b, but it's not a problem and I'm still running on the old cartridge bearing headset (Ritchey headset is fine, actually best value headset ever).

It's only a problem if you're constantly riding no-handed.

I think it's because the handling is markedly different from all the other bikes I have ridden that makes it stand out. It's easy to feel like something is 'wrong' because it is not familiar but having ridden the bike for a few weeks now the 'liveliness' feels 'right.' I went out on Saturday morning on my Donhou with standard trail and although lighter, stiffer and faster it actually felt a little dull in comparison... New Switch Back Hills arrive today so looking forward to getting those on...

As for my beloved Donhou... I think it needs an orange to Black fade to make it more interesting again...

Switch Back Hill initial review here: https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/150619/?offset=3000#comment12900666

Best think is that the shimmy/liveliness has all but disappeared compared with the thunder burts.. Amazing!

An orange/black fade will certainly improve every aspect of a bike.

Awesome! it take a while to get used to a new tyres, but once you bedded it in, it'll start to removed all kind of road vibration.

Work better with lightweight MTB butyl inner too.

Think I'm going to try tubeless... can't be arsed with latex and pumping up all the time - especially with my unbelievably crap lyzene track pump...

(cue someone telling me tubeless will lose air faster than latex).

End result is a more nimble but less versatile cross-check? I like it

Lightweight butyl, not latex.

@TheShipwright @mindzioras
These are back in stock, not wide,not light, 36 holes.
Good on the budget side.
http://www.xxcycle.com/rim-ambrosio-keba-650b-silver-confreriale,,en.php

So I went and got the 48mm Switchback Hill like @Gandalf to replace the Grand Bois Hetre 42mm, as I'm fed up of waiting to wear it out since 2014 to get the Compass.

Was expecting a small difference as it's only 6mm wider, but fuck me, it's a massive fucking difference.

Already within second of riding away, the severe lack of vibration is noticable, even at 40psi which is pretty high (same pressure I use on the 42mm), it's already smoother and still doesn't sap energy, it's a bizarre feeling to have a big slick tyres without the weight penalty, butterly smooth.

100% sold, not going back to Hetres anytime soon, unless Compass released a 56mm 650b tyres (I got clearance for 62mm without mudguard).

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Really that impressive? You done any light off roading/paths on the hetres? What are they like? Also, what's the weight? Really need some new tyres and Whilst their Rat Trap Pass are really tempting (tubeless too) the cost is kinda scaring me.

@edscoble how wide do they measure on the rim?

I did light off roading with the Hetres and they're very stable as it is (with front panniers), touring, commuting, club ride etc.

First impression of the Switchback Hill is great, it just felt amazing on tarmac but have yet to try them on towpaths, I got the normal one rather than the ultralight one (the ultralight Compass going on my Oak), so it's 478g, about 50g heavier than the Hetres.

The cost is very high, but if you're serious, I'd says go for it, otherwise get those cheaper tyres like the Gravel King in 1.75 (650b 44mm).

@Midi cheers for that link, I missed it due to it going to my junk folder.

Just as wide as they claim to be, when tyres is that big, the wide rims make little difference unless it's stupidly wide like 28mm internal.

That how it look now, rims look very skinny with the massive gumwall.

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I don't mind spending the money if they're that good. I just want a lighter tyre (I'm running 880g halo ones at the moment) that's reliable at lower PSI.
Running 26" by the way, so wondering if the 36g is worth it between the normal and ultralight rat trap pass
Where did you buy from btw?

Velo Vitality, normally I buy direct from America, but like to support a local shop that sell the Compass/Grand Bois stuff.

The biggest difference is the casing, the rubber is exactly the same between the normal and ultralight, so it'll last as long as the normal but the ultralight have a thinner casing, which result in a more supple ride at the same pressure.

I use the Compass Loup Loup Pass (38mm) in Ultralight, and it's brilliant in audaxes where you'd want the most comfort and speed, but on my tourer, being a tourer and commuter, a thicker sidewall make sense.

Swish. normal ones it is then. At nearly half the weight of current tyres, I'm sure my puny mind will ooze out of my arse in joy.