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Will it go? For example, would transferring a 26" build to a 2015 Chameleon frame mean geometry would be ok and you'd have more tyre clearance for bigger rubber?
How much would it drop your bottom bracket (and therefore your pedals)? Work that out before you go any further.
I've wondered this. Something to do with getting a brand new set of 26" Enve wheels for free.
IIRC it's slightly less than 1" change in diameter, given the same size tyres and width of rim.
So it'll be slightly less than 1/2" bottom bracket drop......... I'd just do it.
Oh, and clearance width wise would be virtually unchanged in the vast majority of cases. So you'd not suddenly be able to put 26x2.5" tyres in a frame designed for 27.5x2.3. You'd only gain a mm or two. (some frames you may even lose slightly. But again, only a couple of mm)
As for the forks, it's all done to A-C length, as long as the 26" fork sits within the range of a comparable 27.5 fork, you'll be fine.
I've got 26" wheels in my BFe275. Je n'ai pas died yet! The 130mm 650B forks (Auron) in it are actually shorter A-C than the 130mm 26" forks (Vengeance) I have.
So, to conclude, the world won't end, you won't die and the sun will still rise tomorrow if you put 26" wheels in a 650B frame.
edit- and there's ****ing hods of mud clearance in the back.
edited again- and it'll just take 26x2.8 WTB Rangers.
edited again- Flare with 26" wheels was fine, Rocket with 26" was fine, Soul 26 with 26+ was, you guessed it, fine...
A lot of chainstays are indented where the tyre is supposed to sit - wrong wheelsize might mean your tyre sits near a wider part of the stay so you might have less clearance
Chances are th lower BB will be a good thing.
I'm sort of wondering whether to go Liteville on my 26'er Rocket and put a 650b fork/wheel at the front...
It's currently running 150mm 26er wheels, and without doing any sums I'm wondering if 140mm 650b wheels would result in very little geometry changes.
I built a transition scout up for my son using 26inch wheels and fork. Running 10mm more on the fork to compensate for the a2c difference
If only GW was here!
TBH I'd say if it works, it's because the BB was too high. But that's often the case anyway
I use 26” wheels in a Santa Cruz heckler 650b frame
Pros - it’s fine
Cons - to make it fine I had to move to 170mm cranks to give a bit more ground clearance
I think a chameleon would be fine
I recall Cotic said on a Rocket it would drop BB by 14mm .... let me check ... so found this
http://www.cotic.co.uk/news/2016/26aintquitedead
It is worth noting they used 26 wheels with 275 forks
use 26” wheels in a Santa Cruz heckler 650b frame
Pros – it’s fine
Cons – to make it fine I had to move to 170mm cranks to give a bit more ground clearance
Exactly my experience but with a Transition Bandit 27.5.
I've got 26" wheels in a bird Aeris. Forks are 26" but at 160mm they are the same axle to crown as 650b pikes at 150mm so geometry is within design tolerances. BB's a bit low but it's fine until I can get the cash to build up some 650b wheels. Whilst the forks will fit the 650b wheels, the offset will be a bit off...but not so much for me to buy new forks!
Bottom line: you'll be fine!
Using the smaller offset forks is all the rage the now anyway
155mm cranks so shouldn't have any issue with pedal strikes and there is an one-up bash guard on there as well.
