650B vs 700c For Gravel

No "Country Views" today- I had a little graduation celebration to attend to.

 Normally I would have a big ride report today, but I had a busy weekend setting up for, attending, and tearing down for my son's graduation celebration for his final High School year. In between doing all those things I did get around to swapping back the Standard Rando v2 to 700c wheels and tires and getting a couple of shorter rides in on it. I wanted to get a feel for the bigger diameter wheel again before giving my assessment on the 650B vs 700c wheel debate for gravel bicycles. 

Also, and obviously if you hang around here for very long, I have been riding other 700c wheeled bicycles on gravel right alongside the Twin Six Standard Rando v2 with 650B wheels for months. So, this post will also draw from all those experiences, plus my past thoughts and experiences with both wheel sizes going back for several years now. So, without further adieu, here are my thoughts on the wheel sizes and why I would choose one over the other. 

So, some of this opinion has been formed over a decade of messing about on 27.5"/650B MTB wheels and tires. I have ridden several bikes with that wheel size on mountains, gravel, single track, and on the road. Of course, at one point a lot of people thought that 650B/27.5, (they are essentially the same thing, so don't get confused), was going to knock 29"er wheels and tires out and take over the MTB world, but as we all know, 27.5"ers have, to a great extent, been relegated to being the size better suited to shorter statured riders off-road. But, as we now know, 29"ers actually gained ground on 27.5"ers over the years, and it is now the established wheel size for many styles of MTB bikes. 

I mention this because as others have formed their own opinions over the years, and market forces naturally selected out which bikes have big wheels and which do not, the findings I have regarding the 650B vs 700c debate for gravel follow roughly the same thoughts as many others have come around to over the years. That said, I have had strongly held opinions about each wheel size for over decade and a half of riding, reading about, and writing about these wheels. So, that's where I am coming from here. 

650B for Gravel: 

The most recent review I wrote for RidingGravel.com was for a set of 650B tires, so I rode those wheels and tires for the better part of three months most recently. I have ridden 650B gravel wheels and tires before that, most often for all those WTB tires that came out, and last year for some IRC tires, so it isn't like I haven't been on 650B for a long time before this. I feel like I have a pretty good handle on what is going on here. 

In my opinion this wheel size does a couple things for you. One- It gives you more cushion, if you choose the right tires. It is close to what you might get out of a heavier, larger wheel with wide tires. That is- if you are comparing similar quality wheels. A heavy, entry level 650B wheel set will just plain suck compared to a decent set of 700c wheels and tires, and vice versa. If all the 700c wheels were heavy and all you could get were nice 650B wheels, then the choice is obvious. Nice wheels (light, strong, stiff laterally) trump all including diameter, to a degree, and especially for this discussion. More on that in relation to my specific situation in a bit....

But the point is, big air volume = better comfort, theoretically. The truth is, 650B kind of gets you there, but there is something missing, which I will bring up in a bit. 

Secondly, those wider tires can aid in getting over rougher, looser gravel and dirt with more stability. You get maybe a bit better flotation too, so a bit better in mud, loose sand, etc. A wider footprint, if you will, and that is something that, if we are talking running 700 X 43 or 650B X 47-50? In the same bike? That's where it makes a difference. But keep in mind, this debate is mostly about the bikes that claim to fit either wheel size, but have clearance limitations, like my Standard Rando here. 

But the big bummer with these wheels, in my opinion, is that they just do not carry momentum like a larger diameter wheel. And maybe you are not at all in 'tune' with that. Then you will not understand my criticism here. But, as a single speeder first, I crave momentum and use it often. 650B looses that momentum faster than a bigger wheel, like 700c X 45mm, let's say. I can feel this every time I ride 650B. These wheels also do not have that roll over effect, the way a big wheel does, so they seem to feel rougher, and things have more of a 'zing' to the hands when you hit them with 650B wheels. So, remember that air volume thing? Some of that gets lost in the trade-off to a smaller diameter wheel. 

700c for Gravel:

So, if you have a bike that takes both wheel sizes, you likely have the option for wider, 650B X 47/48mm tires or something like 700c X 43-45mm. Which do you choose? Well, I already have told you a few things about why I would choose 700c, but what are the downsides? Well, in this specific situation, 700c looses that 'big-volume' tire thing. So, it doesn't float as well, it is not as stable on looser soils and gravel, and you cannot tease out as much comfort with air pressure settings like you can with 650B. That said, in the case of this Standard Rando v2, I am much happier with the bike in 700c mode. 

These wheels just roll over stuff better and they stay rolling with more ease. Oh, yeah....one other thing. This has specifically to do with single speed bikes, but a smaller wheel diameter lowers the gear versus everything else being the same but the wheel size getting slightly larger, as it does with 700c. So, now with the 700c wheels, I have a slightly 'taller' gear, but I'll adapt to that quickly. I could approximate similar gearing range by varying the rear cog by one tooth, but I have the same cogs for both wheel sets. 

And speaking of that, I promised I would get back to the wheels. I wanted to point out that in my comparison here, the 650B wheels you see are the same model as the 700c ones. They are both Irwin Cycles Aon Carbon 35's. The only difference is the diameter. So, this is an apples to apples comparison in this case. 

So, while some of the benefits of 650B are worthwhile to pursue, for general purpose gravel riding I choose 700c. I choose the 650B option when flotation and traction are imperative, as in Wintry conditions, or on really soft, early Spring roads, as a for instance. But most of the time I'm going to run 700c and it works better, in my opinion, than 650b for all-around stuff. Again- this only applies to bicycles like my T-6 Standard Rando which cannot clear big 700c rubber. I mean, I have  put 650B on a Fargo, but for most riding I'd do, a 29"er tire would work better on a bike that can clear a 29"er tire. 

Which brings me to bikes like my Black Mountain Cycles MCD, or an Otso Warakin, or several others of that ilk that can clear up to a 29" X 2.0 tire. In some cases even bigger. Here the need to swap in 650B wheels and tires is even less, in my opinion. Maybe if you are 5'4", that's a different story, but for me at 6'1"? I'm never going to want to swap 650B wheels and tires into the MCD, not when I can run a 700c X 47mm tire like the Teravail Rutlands.

So, to my way of thinking 650B is a good option if it makes sense for a specific bike/situation. But again- for most riding and for many bicycles? I am opting for 700c. That's my take on things.

650B vs 700c For Gravel

No "Country Views" today- I had a little graduation celebration to attend to.

 Normally I would have a big ride report today, but I had a busy weekend setting up for, attending, and tearing down for my son's graduation celebration for his final High School year. In between doing all those things I did get around to swapping back the Standard Rando v2 to 700c wheels and tires and getting a couple of shorter rides in on it. I wanted to get a feel for the bigger diameter wheel again before giving my assessment on the 650B vs 700c wheel debate for gravel bicycles. 

Also, and obviously if you hang around here for very long, I have been riding other 700c wheeled bicycles on gravel right alongside the Twin Six Standard Rando v2 with 650B wheels for months. So, this post will also draw from all those experiences, plus my past thoughts and experiences with both wheel sizes going back for several years now. So, without further adieu, here are my thoughts on the wheel sizes and why I would choose one over the other. 

So, some of this opinion has been formed over a decade of messing about on 27.5"/650B MTB wheels and tires. I have ridden several bikes with that wheel size on mountains, gravel, single track, and on the road. Of course, at one point a lot of people thought that 650B/27.5, (they are essentially the same thing, so don't get confused), was going to knock 29"er wheels and tires out and take over the MTB world, but as we all know, 27.5"ers have, to a great extent, been relegated to being the size better suited to shorter statured riders off-road. But, as we now know, 29"ers actually gained ground on 27.5"ers over the years, and it is now the established wheel size for many styles of MTB bikes. 

I mention this because as others have formed their own opinions over the years, and market forces naturally selected out which bikes have big wheels and which do not, the findings I have regarding the 650B vs 700c debate for gravel follow roughly the same thoughts as many others have come around to over the years. That said, I have had strongly held opinions about each wheel size for over decade and a half of riding, reading about, and writing about these wheels. So, that's where I am coming from here. 

650B for Gravel: 

The most recent review I wrote for RidingGravel.com was for a set of 650B tires, so I rode those wheels and tires for the better part of three months most recently. I have ridden 650B gravel wheels and tires before that, most often for all those WTB tires that came out, and last year for some IRC tires, so it isn't like I haven't been on 650B for a long time before this. I feel like I have a pretty good handle on what is going on here. 

In my opinion this wheel size does a couple things for you. One- It gives you more cushion, if you choose the right tires. It is close to what you might get out of a heavier, larger wheel with wide tires. That is- if you are comparing similar quality wheels. A heavy, entry level 650B wheel set will just plain suck compared to a decent set of 700c wheels and tires, and vice versa. If all the 700c wheels were heavy and all you could get were nice 650B wheels, then the choice is obvious. Nice wheels (light, strong, stiff laterally) trump all including diameter, to a degree, and especially for this discussion. More on that in relation to my specific situation in a bit....

But the point is, big air volume = better comfort, theoretically. The truth is, 650B kind of gets you there, but there is something missing, which I will bring up in a bit. 

Secondly, those wider tires can aid in getting over rougher, looser gravel and dirt with more stability. You get maybe a bit better flotation too, so a bit better in mud, loose sand, etc. A wider footprint, if you will, and that is something that, if we are talking running 700 X 43 or 650B X 47-50? In the same bike? That's where it makes a difference. But keep in mind, this debate is mostly about the bikes that claim to fit either wheel size, but have clearance limitations, like my Standard Rando here. 

But the big bummer with these wheels, in my opinion, is that they just do not carry momentum like a larger diameter wheel. And maybe you are not at all in 'tune' with that. Then you will not understand my criticism here. But, as a single speeder first, I crave momentum and use it often. 650B looses that momentum faster than a bigger wheel, like 700c X 45mm, let's say. I can feel this every time I ride 650B. These wheels also do not have that roll over effect, the way a big wheel does, so they seem to feel rougher, and things have more of a 'zing' to the hands when you hit them with 650B wheels. So, remember that air volume thing? Some of that gets lost in the trade-off to a smaller diameter wheel. 

700c for Gravel:

So, if you have a bike that takes both wheel sizes, you likely have the option for wider, 650B X 47/48mm tires or something like 700c X 43-45mm. Which do you choose? Well, I already have told you a few things about why I would choose 700c, but what are the downsides? Well, in this specific situation, 700c looses that 'big-volume' tire thing. So, it doesn't float as well, it is not as stable on looser soils and gravel, and you cannot tease out as much comfort with air pressure settings like you can with 650B. That said, in the case of this Standard Rando v2, I am much happier with the bike in 700c mode. 

These wheels just roll over stuff better and they stay rolling with more ease. Oh, yeah....one other thing. This has specifically to do with single speed bikes, but a smaller wheel diameter lowers the gear versus everything else being the same but the wheel size getting slightly larger, as it does with 700c. So, now with the 700c wheels, I have a slightly 'taller' gear, but I'll adapt to that quickly. I could approximate similar gearing range by varying the rear cog by one tooth, but I have the same cogs for both wheel sets. 

And speaking of that, I promised I would get back to the wheels. I wanted to point out that in my comparison here, the 650B wheels you see are the same model as the 700c ones. They are both Irwin Cycles Aon Carbon 35's. The only difference is the diameter. So, this is an apples to apples comparison in this case. 

So, while some of the benefits of 650B are worthwhile to pursue, for general purpose gravel riding I choose 700c. I choose the 650B option when flotation and traction are imperative, as in Wintry conditions, or on really soft, early Spring roads, as a for instance. But most of the time I'm going to run 700c and it works better, in my opinion, than 650b for all-around stuff. Again- this only applies to bicycles like my T-6 Standard Rando which cannot clear big 700c rubber. I mean, I have  put 650B on a Fargo, but for most riding I'd do, a 29"er tire would work better on a bike that can clear a 29"er tire. 

Which brings me to bikes like my Black Mountain Cycles MCD, or an Otso Warakin, or several others of that ilk that can clear up to a 29" X 2.0 tire. In some cases even bigger. Here the need to swap in 650B wheels and tires is even less, in my opinion. Maybe if you are 5'4", that's a different story, but for me at 6'1"? I'm never going to want to swap 650B wheels and tires into the MCD, not when I can run a 700c X 47mm tire like the Teravail Rutlands.

So, to my way of thinking 650B is a good option if it makes sense for a specific bike/situation. But again- for most riding and for many bicycles? I am opting for 700c. That's my take on things.

Deep Dive; Down The Rabbit Hole Of Tire Nomenclature

In the late 19th Century, it was all about diameter.

Okay! Today you had better be prepared to get your "nerd' on, because we're taking a deep dive into why tires have the designations that they do. Some of what I am going to share is knowledge I picked up along my journey as a bicycle mechanic. But I am going to credit a few folks right up front here. Thank you to Wes Williams, Clayton Wangbichler of WTB, and the inimitable Sheldon Brown (RIP) and his website.

I'm going to breeze through a LOT of technicalities here and focus only on a few salient points, so please bear this in mind. 

Wheels. That was what it all was about back in the late 19th Century. Wheels determined how fast or slow you could go, and this was figured out based upon a formula which required the measurement of the overall diameter of said wheel. Keep in mind that "tires' were nothing more than a steel strip over wood, or maybe a wired on rubber tube later on.  Pneumatic tires came around right around the turn of the century, but this wouldn't get sorted out until the 20th Century as tires you and I might recognize today. The point is, tires added little, if anything, to overall diameter.

Along with this tire/wheel thing, we had other factors which eventually lead to the "Safety Bike". Now wheels were not driven "directly", but by means of a crankset, chain, rear cog, and the rear wheel. This complicated things for the early wheelman, as it made figuring out your wheel development, or how far your wheel traveled with one revolution, much more of a chore. However; rear wheel diameter was still important to know so one could figure this out. Pnuematic tires also complicated things because they added to the overall wheel diameter. Now throw in bigger, or smaller volume of tires. Generally speaking, wider tires are going to add more diameter to a fixed diameter of wheel/rim. This radically changed gear development, so something had to be done to tame this cacophony of innovation and confusing tire/wheel sizes. This didn't happen for several years, thanks to two World Wars, innovations in automobiles and airplanes, and the ups and downs of economies. But eventually, it happened.

We pretty much have the French to thank for our predicament today. They helped develop a system of codification for wheels. Because the bicycle wheel was a worldwide phenomenon, we ended up with a mixed bag of Imperial and Metric measures for wheels. This really makes things hard, but we will stick to the metric side of things here.

The French made some wheels standardized around the 650mm diameter, but keep in mind, that's overall diameter. They way it was supposed to work was that if you had a skinny, low volume tire, you'd need a larger diameter rim to make the tire/rim combination equal 650mm. This was designated as 650A. Medium sized tires, with larger volume, required a smaller diameter rim, and thus the 650B designation. The largest volume tires went on even smaller rims, and these were designated 650C.

650B really doesn't tell us what size tires we are looking at anymore like it used to.

Copy and paste for 700 sized wheels. They were supposed to be 700mm overall diameter and rims varied in diameter depending upon tire volume. You now know that the "c" in 700c meant- originally- that a pretty good sized tire was supposed to be on there. But none of this applies in 2020. Obviously. That "c" in 700c is pretty much meaningless. You know this because a 29"er tire and a 700 X 44mm tire can both go on the same rim, but both result in vastly different diameters.

And of course, figuring out wheel/gear development is an arcane practice which few engage in anymore anyway. We keep saying "700c" because we need to call it something and traditions die hard. But now you know a little bit of that story. Now I want to address another letter "c".

That being the "c" people sometimes drop behind the millimeter measurement of a tire's width. Example: 700 X 44c. What is that? If we are measuring in millimeters, is the "c" for centimeters? Obviously that cannot be the case, although a 44cm wide tire would be rad on snow! No, here's what the deal is, as I have come to find out. Thanks to WTB's Clayton Wangbichler for the following.

Rims weren't always how we know them today. There were hookless rims, (Schwinn was famous for these), and there were a type of hooked bead rim called "crochet style". The "c" behind the tire designation for width would often have an upper case "C" to designate that the tire was designed for the crochet style rim bead. So, "44C" would be an example of how many companies would have designated such a thing. Eventually this important designation became meaningless as all rims became more or less standardized, and the "C" became "c", because.........tradition and marketing. It doesn't tell us anything.

In fact, Clayton from WTB told me that WTB has dropped the "c" on 700 and the "c" or "mm" from the width too. (Note the image above) So, there ya go. I've always wondered what the heck the 'c" was for on the width measurement, and now I know it doesn't really mean anything. It's just a mannerism, a vestige of days gone by. Not that you or anyone else should follow suit with WTB and stop using that, but, as Clayton told me, "We've all offended", and I think what he means is that we all were just doing what we had been seeing and not really asking "why?'. I think, given the history, it maybe will bring about a clearer way for talking about tires in the future. Not that we've gotten away from some other confusing bits. Like mixing metric and Imperial measurements!

For a bit of a visual presentation on the "A", "B", "C" French thing, here is a link to a GCN video which does a great job of explaining it.  https://youtu.be/xlyuWSrbGyk?t=786

Once again, a big thanks to all of you folks for reading.

Deep Dive; Down The Rabbit Hole Of Tire Nomenclature

In the late 19th Century, it was all about diameter.

Okay! Today you had better be prepared to get your "nerd' on, because we're taking a deep dive into why tires have the designations that they do. Some of what I am going to share is knowledge I picked up along my journey as a bicycle mechanic. But I am going to credit a few folks right up front here. Thank you to Wes Williams, Clayton Wangbichler of WTB, and the inimitable Sheldon Brown (RIP) and his website.

I'm going to breeze through a LOT of technicalities here and focus only on a few salient points, so please bear this in mind. 

Wheels. That was what it all was about back in the late 19th Century. Wheels determined how fast or slow you could go, and this was figured out based upon a formula which required the measurement of the overall diameter of said wheel. Keep in mind that "tires' were nothing more than a steel strip over wood, or maybe a wired on rubber tube later on.  Pneumatic tires came around right around the turn of the century, but this wouldn't get sorted out until the 20th Century as tires you and I might recognize today. The point is, tires added little, if anything, to overall diameter.

Along with this tire/wheel thing, we had other factors which eventually lead to the "Safety Bike". Now wheels were not driven "directly", but by means of a crankset, chain, rear cog, and the rear wheel. This complicated things for the early wheelman, as it made figuring out your wheel development, or how far your wheel traveled with one revolution, much more of a chore. However; rear wheel diameter was still important to know so one could figure this out. Pnuematic tires also complicated things because they added to the overall wheel diameter. Now throw in bigger, or smaller volume of tires. Generally speaking, wider tires are going to add more diameter to a fixed diameter of wheel/rim. This radically changed gear development, so something had to be done to tame this cacophony of innovation and confusing tire/wheel sizes. This didn't happen for several years, thanks to two World Wars, innovations in automobiles and airplanes, and the ups and downs of economies. But eventually, it happened.

We pretty much have the French to thank for our predicament today. They helped develop a system of codification for wheels. Because the bicycle wheel was a worldwide phenomenon, we ended up with a mixed bag of Imperial and Metric measures for wheels. This really makes things hard, but we will stick to the metric side of things here.

The French made some wheels standardized around the 650mm diameter, but keep in mind, that's overall diameter. They way it was supposed to work was that if you had a skinny, low volume tire, you'd need a larger diameter rim to make the tire/rim combination equal 650mm. This was designated as 650A. Medium sized tires, with larger volume, required a smaller diameter rim, and thus the 650B designation. The largest volume tires went on even smaller rims, and these were designated 650C.

650B really doesn't tell us what size tires we are looking at anymore like it used to.

Copy and paste for 700 sized wheels. They were supposed to be 700mm overall diameter and rims varied in diameter depending upon tire volume. You now know that the "c" in 700c meant- originally- that a pretty good sized tire was supposed to be on there. But none of this applies in 2020. Obviously. That "c" in 700c is pretty much meaningless. You know this because a 29"er tire and a 700 X 44mm tire can both go on the same rim, but both result in vastly different diameters.

And of course, figuring out wheel/gear development is an arcane practice which few engage in anymore anyway. We keep saying "700c" because we need to call it something and traditions die hard. But now you know a little bit of that story. Now I want to address another letter "c".

That being the "c" people sometimes drop behind the millimeter measurement of a tire's width. Example: 700 X 44c. What is that? If we are measuring in millimeters, is the "c" for centimeters? Obviously that cannot be the case, although a 44cm wide tire would be rad on snow! No, here's what the deal is, as I have come to find out. Thanks to WTB's Clayton Wangbichler for the following.

Rims weren't always how we know them today. There were hookless rims, (Schwinn was famous for these), and there were a type of hooked bead rim called "crochet style". The "c" behind the tire designation for width would often have an upper case "C" to designate that the tire was designed for the crochet style rim bead. So, "44C" would be an example of how many companies would have designated such a thing. Eventually this important designation became meaningless as all rims became more or less standardized, and the "C" became "c", because.........tradition and marketing. It doesn't tell us anything.

In fact, Clayton from WTB told me that WTB has dropped the "c" on 700 and the "c" or "mm" from the width too. (Note the image above) So, there ya go. I've always wondered what the heck the 'c" was for on the width measurement, and now I know it doesn't really mean anything. It's just a mannerism, a vestige of days gone by. Not that you or anyone else should follow suit with WTB and stop using that, but, as Clayton told me, "We've all offended", and I think what he means is that we all were just doing what we had been seeing and not really asking "why?'. I think, given the history, it maybe will bring about a clearer way for talking about tires in the future. Not that we've gotten away from some other confusing bits. Like mixing metric and Imperial measurements!

For a bit of a visual presentation on the "A", "B", "C" French thing, here is a link to a GCN video which does a great job of explaining it.  https://youtu.be/xlyuWSrbGyk?t=786

Once again, a big thanks to all of you folks for reading.

700c vs 650B For Gravel Travel

700c Wheel on the Tamland

With all the new gravel bikes coming down the pike these days, I've noticed that several of them have a certain feature. That is that they are capable of being set up with 650B or 700c wheels and tires. This post will seek to convey my take on the attributes of each wheel size and why I think one or the other is good, or why one or the other may not be so much.

Let me say right up front that neither is terrible, bad, or a wheel size that you shouldn't try. Each has their merits. That said, I have a favorite and I won't be shy about telling you about it. Now, on with the show......

I suppose I should give my background for these opinions. First of all, I have 650B experience going back over a decade. I have ridden mountain bikes, road bikes, and gravel bikes set up with 650B wheels and tires of various tread patterns and on various bicycles. Of course, I have a LOT of 700c experience going back, waaaaay back, and along with this I have ridden a lot of on road and off road 26" wheel and tire combinations. All of this is being drawn upon to formulate these opinions. Basically, I have had enough time on all of these wheels that I feel that my opinion is not lacking in experience based observations.

Despite the latest "Ride The Supple Life", or whatever the slogan is, marketing, and despite the efforts of marketing wonks, the simple truth is that 650B is basically going to end up being your "mtb-ish" wheel for gravel bikes going forward. This is for good reason. Taking into account the limitations of "gravel bikes", the 650B option allows riders to put the biggest footprint on the trail possible. Add in aggressive tread and you have, what I call, "mini-mtb" wheels. They are about 1.8" wide, and essentially turn a gravel going bike into a late 80's XC mtb bike with drop bars. This is cool, fun, and useful, if you want that sort of deal. Obviously, it is a flavor not everyone will desire, or even understand.

The Tamland with 650B tires and wheels

Smoother, more "gravel" oriented treads, are certainly out there for 650B. Basically, the only time I'm opting fr the 650B gravel type tires is when things are really loose, wetter, or when the course is going to present a lot of looser dirt and gravel. Basically anytime I want more flotation. I might also opt for 650B if there are a lot of quick accelerations or short sight lines between turns- basically single track. This would be because these wheels and tires accelerate a bit easier than 700c, generally speaking, that is. Obviously a 700c X 35 tire might actually accelerate easier than a 650B X 50mm wheel and tire just due to weight differences. But all else being the same, I would say 650B accelerates a bit easier. Especially so at 47+mm widths.

The other way I would use 650B and smoother tires is for loaded touring on roads. The wheels would be stronger, the tires fitted could be wider, more comfort might be eeked out, and again, looser gravel and dirt would't present an issue. Not that you couldn't do a wider 700c tire, but keep in mind, some of these "dual wheel size" gravel rigs are limited to 42mm-45mm tires. That may not be big enough for some. There could be an argument made that says it doesn't matter with the wheel strength thing too, but I'm giving the nod here to smaller wheels.

In fact, you could make a really stout case for 26" wheels and loaded touring. Especially "world touring", but I won't get into all the why and why nots about that. Just know that 26" isn't dead in that area of cycling. Almost all my loaded touring experiences were on 26" wheels.

650B gravel rigs are very reminiscent of this 80's era Ibis. Image courtesy of VintageMTBworkshop.com

My predilections run toward 700c for gravel travel because of the way a 700c wheel tackles the loose gravel, dirt roads, and rolling hills I encounter most often. 650B is okay, but 700c is definitely better in ride quality and in terms of performance. This is my experience talking, but you may have a different take on it. My 700c set ups carry momentum just a bit better too. It just is a better tool for the job I am doing.

As far as ride quality goes, a thing many 650B enthusiasts like to hang their hat on, I'm not pickin' up what they are layin' down. 700c is every bit as smooth if you have quality tires and wheels as 650B is. All things relatively equal, that is. Of course, a 700c X 28 at 100psi is not going to feel as smooth and pillowy as a 650B X 47mm tire. However, I have a 700c X 42 set of tires on some wheels here I'd put up against anything 650B for smoothness. So, "supple life" can be had in bigger diameters.

So, which wheels should you get? My advice would be that if you are going to ride wide open gravel roads, maybe some pavement, and if you'd never consider loaded touring, single track drop bar bike action, and would never ride in adverse, softer conditions, stick with 700c. Otherwise, get both sizes. My ideal set up is going to be a 650B tire with some tooth to it for single track/dirt/looser stuff and 700c the rest of the time. Almost every inch of in-town trail here could be easily tackled, when it is dry, with a drop bar mtb bike. Slapping on some "mini-mtb" 650B wheels and tires would be great for doing that activity here. I might do smoother tread 650B in Spring around here when things are softer and 700c tires tend to push into the softer road ways. But that kind of condition is only about two weeks out of the year, so........maybe not so much. I will say that 650B X 47mm was a boon when it was like that last Spring around here. So, it is a viable option when things are wetter and/or looser and deep.

But yeah, I'm primarily going to opt for 700c most of the time for gravel travel.

700c vs 650B For Gravel Travel

700c Wheel on the Tamland

With all the new gravel bikes coming down the pike these days, I've noticed that several of them have a certain feature. That is that they are capable of being set up with 650B or 700c wheels and tires. This post will seek to convey my take on the attributes of each wheel size and why I think one or the other is good, or why one or the other may not be so much.

Let me say right up front that neither is terrible, bad, or a wheel size that you shouldn't try. Each has their merits. That said, I have a favorite and I won't be shy about telling you about it. Now, on with the show......

I suppose I should give my background for these opinions. First of all, I have 650B experience going back over a decade. I have ridden mountain bikes, road bikes, and gravel bikes set up with 650B wheels and tires of various tread patterns and on various bicycles. Of course, I have a LOT of 700c experience going back, waaaaay back, and along with this I have ridden a lot of on road and off road 26" wheel and tire combinations. All of this is being drawn upon to formulate these opinions. Basically, I have had enough time on all of these wheels that I feel that my opinion is not lacking in experience based observations.

Despite the latest "Ride The Supple Life", or whatever the slogan is, marketing, and despite the efforts of marketing wonks, the simple truth is that 650B is basically going to end up being your "mtb-ish" wheel for gravel bikes going forward. This is for good reason. Taking into account the limitations of "gravel bikes", the 650B option allows riders to put the biggest footprint on the trail possible. Add in aggressive tread and you have, what I call, "mini-mtb" wheels. They are about 1.8" wide, and essentially turn a gravel going bike into a late 80's XC mtb bike with drop bars. This is cool, fun, and useful, if you want that sort of deal. Obviously, it is a flavor not everyone will desire, or even understand.

The Tamland with 650B tires and wheels

Smoother, more "gravel" oriented treads, are certainly out there for 650B. Basically, the only time I'm opting fr the 650B gravel type tires is when things are really loose, wetter, or when the course is going to present a lot of looser dirt and gravel. Basically anytime I want more flotation. I might also opt for 650B if there are a lot of quick accelerations or short sight lines between turns- basically single track. This would be because these wheels and tires accelerate a bit easier than 700c, generally speaking, that is. Obviously a 700c X 35 tire might actually accelerate easier than a 650B X 50mm wheel and tire just due to weight differences. But all else being the same, I would say 650B accelerates a bit easier. Especially so at 47+mm widths.

The other way I would use 650B and smoother tires is for loaded touring on roads. The wheels would be stronger, the tires fitted could be wider, more comfort might be eeked out, and again, looser gravel and dirt would't present an issue. Not that you couldn't do a wider 700c tire, but keep in mind, some of these "dual wheel size" gravel rigs are limited to 42mm-45mm tires. That may not be big enough for some. There could be an argument made that says it doesn't matter with the wheel strength thing too, but I'm giving the nod here to smaller wheels.

In fact, you could make a really stout case for 26" wheels and loaded touring. Especially "world touring", but I won't get into all the why and why nots about that. Just know that 26" isn't dead in that area of cycling. Almost all my loaded touring experiences were on 26" wheels.

650B gravel rigs are very reminiscent of this 80's era Ibis. Image courtesy of VintageMTBworkshop.com

My predilections run toward 700c for gravel travel because of the way a 700c wheel tackles the loose gravel, dirt roads, and rolling hills I encounter most often. 650B is okay, but 700c is definitely better in ride quality and in terms of performance. This is my experience talking, but you may have a different take on it. My 700c set ups carry momentum just a bit better too. It just is a better tool for the job I am doing.

As far as ride quality goes, a thing many 650B enthusiasts like to hang their hat on, I'm not pickin' up what they are layin' down. 700c is every bit as smooth if you have quality tires and wheels as 650B is. All things relatively equal, that is. Of course, a 700c X 28 at 100psi is not going to feel as smooth and pillowy as a 650B X 47mm tire. However, I have a 700c X 42 set of tires on some wheels here I'd put up against anything 650B for smoothness. So, "supple life" can be had in bigger diameters.

So, which wheels should you get? My advice would be that if you are going to ride wide open gravel roads, maybe some pavement, and if you'd never consider loaded touring, single track drop bar bike action, and would never ride in adverse, softer conditions, stick with 700c. Otherwise, get both sizes. My ideal set up is going to be a 650B tire with some tooth to it for single track/dirt/looser stuff and 700c the rest of the time. Almost every inch of in-town trail here could be easily tackled, when it is dry, with a drop bar mtb bike. Slapping on some "mini-mtb" 650B wheels and tires would be great for doing that activity here. I might do smoother tread 650B in Spring around here when things are softer and 700c tires tend to push into the softer road ways. But that kind of condition is only about two weeks out of the year, so........maybe not so much. I will say that 650B X 47mm was a boon when it was like that last Spring around here. So, it is a viable option when things are wetter and/or looser and deep.

But yeah, I'm primarily going to opt for 700c most of the time for gravel travel.