700c vs 650c??
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UFTriGator posted 1 year ago.
People say to ride 650s because they are easier to accelerate (less rotational inertia) and more aerodynamic (smaller profile). The thing is, you don't accelerate much in triathlons anyway, so that point is moot. They might provide some aero advantage (never seen test results, but it makes sense), but you'll have an easier time finding good aero wheels in 700c anyway. A lot of people rode 650s a while back (so I've heard), but I hardly ever see them at races now unless they're on a 48cm frame. Most importantly, you should ride what feels comfortable (i.e., 700) because that will make or break your race more than anything else equipment-wise.
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Anton posted 1 year ago.
The only 650's ya see anymore are on small bikes or older bikes.
They really are out of fashion now.
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MICHIRUNMAN posted 1 year ago.
I switched to 700c and will never go back. 700c wheels are faster, smoother, and much easier to find tires and tubes for.
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wesmeyer11 posted 1 year ago.
Agreed...700 CC all the way. Much easier to find aero wheels for, race support is likely to be more available for 700 CC as well, i.e. need a spare rim at an IM race, or a tube...they will certainly be equipped with 700 CC but maybe not 650.
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Ironmom posted 1 year ago.
I ride on 650s, because that's what was on the tri bike I most wanted (Quintana Roo Picanti) in my size. I actually like them over my old 700's, and when I ride a 700 road bike, the wheels just feel so big. I guess it's what I'm used to. OTOH, it is a lot easier to find aero wheels, spare tires, etc. for 700s as they are far more common.
It is also not true that smaller wheels are harder to get up to speed (which some folks will tell you). I actually even tested a Bike Friday triathlon bike (20" wheels) and found that my speed over a time trial was very similar to my regular bike.
For me it came down to what bike I wanted, what frame size worked best, and then what wheel size was on that bike. I don't think I'd start with wheel size and work the other direction because I wouldn't have ended up with the awesome bike I have, which fits me perfectly. I think frame size, bike fit, and bike preference trump wheel size as a deciding factor.
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Triguy98 posted 1 year ago.
Ironmom;60544 wrote:
I think frame size, bike fit, and bike preference trump wheel size as a deciding factor.
Dead on. If you ride a 52 or smaller, you should prolly be riding 650s. Its all about geometry and fit. Funny that most IM records from the old days still stand, and that they were set with 650s.
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glbrum posted 1 year ago.
wesmeyer11;60538 wrote:
Agreed...700 CC all the way. Much easier to find aero wheels for, race support is likely to be more available for 700 CC as well, i.e. need a spare rim at an IM race, or a tube...they will certainly be equipped with 700 CC but maybe not 650.
Just for your the record, it's 700 C not "cc".
CC's has a lot more to do with measuring medical solutions than it does with heels and tires.
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watrbg2 posted 1 year ago.
Triguy98;60545 wrote:
Dead on. If you ride a 52 or smaller, you should prolly be riding 650s. Its all about geometry and fit. Funny that most IM records from the old days still stand, and that they were set with 650s.
I agree, it is all about geometry and fit. I was just reading a couple of articles at slowtwitch.com about tri bike geometry and sizing, wheel size and how they effect different sized triathletes. Some good info to check out before you purchase a bike. But the most important thing is to have someone who knows what they are doing to set up your bike to fit you.
At my size, I'm right on the line between 650s and 700s and because of the different geometries between a road bike and a tri bike, I ride 700s on my road bike and 650s on my tri bike (both frames are 50s).
I haven't had any problems finding parts for my 650s. In fact, I got a really good deal on my Zip 404s since 650s are not as popular as they once were.
You should ride what fits you best, not what is the most popular.
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Star posted 1 year ago.
I bought a new Orbea in July...a 48...kids' size :o and the only option was 700's. I had 650's on my Litespeed before, and although the 700's took some getting used to, it makes sense to me that bigger tires cover more ground...
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Homebrewermike posted 1 year ago.
I watched eBay for about a month for a set of used Zipp 404s. I noticed that the 650 cc sold for much less than the 700cc. At our local bike swap earlier in the month people were basically giving away 650s. I saw an older Zipp 404 front for $200 and nobody was biting. On the other had if you race 650s make sure you carry enough spare tires. Chances are that there will be very few people in the race who will be able to help you out. I ride 700s. At 6'2 and 200 lb I'd look silly on 650s.
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Triguy98 posted 1 year ago.
Star;60572 wrote:
although the 700's took some getting used to, it makes sense to me that bigger tires cover more ground...
But with 650s' you can put a larger chain ring on the front, and spin the wheels more than you would with the gearing on 700s, equaling out any distance traveled advantage that the 700s have.
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Nobody posted 1 year ago.
Bigger tires cover more ground, but the same (well, a little more) effort is required to accelerate and decelerate them. Gearing is key and 95% of everything out there is set up for 700c. Go on a long training ride and blow out the only extra tube you've got and, well, you'd better have a cell phone and a good friend!
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Nobody posted 1 year ago.
By chance I happened to run into this bit of data tonight:
Some smaller frame size triathlon bikes use 26" or 650c wheels because of the 78 degree seat angle. The distance between the rear tire and the seat tube of the frame would not be great enough for a 700c wheel to fit. Most frame sizes above 52 or 53 centimeters use 700c wheels with triathlon geometry. Earlier versions of triathlon bikes made more widespread use of smaller wheels.
The same article contended that there is no aero advantage using 650 over 700c wheels.
Greatness is only achieved by those who perpetually raise the expectations of themselves to the point where it ruins their life.
So I've posted a few times saying I was going to either tweak my road bike or dive in. I have decided to buy a tri-bike and will either get fit and buy retail or go ebay. I've bought many bikes, but never a TT or tri bike.
There are some pretty good deals out there on ebay, but not sure of the value of 650 vs 700c wheels? I feel like I want 700c because that's what I've ridden for so long, but could be sold on 650c?