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So its new fork time and I'm pretty much set on some new pikes, is there any reason not to get the 650b forks for my heckler? I've looked into it and it seems the a2c is 10mm longer and the offset is 2mm more so not massively different, at the moment I can only really see the plus points of more mud clearance and future proofing myself as I'm hoping to get a few years out of them. If I'm missing something please let me know.
Maybe missing 27.5 wheels?
Seriously though, plenty of threads in various forums talking about the same thing.
Yes the radius of a 650b is just over 1cm bigger than a 26 wheel so not that much difference. I am sure they could make a tyre that would be 650b size on a 26 rim. Sure a 650b fork would work fine with a 26 wheel.
Ive thought about it myself, measuring my wheels with rubber queens on they are just over 27". As we all know the differences between the wheel sizes aren't massive.
Only physical issue I can see is that the Pike arches out to its widest point at the widest point of the tyre... So a smaller wheel and corresponding smaller tyre will end up being in a part of the fork with less clearance. Doesn't look disastrous though
I think the offsets are different but nobody understands all that stuff anyway 😉
I was thinking the same thing today. I also fancy some new Pikes but run a 26 HT. I was thinking maybe go with a 650b front wheel while I'm at it.
Hello all
I'm running 650b Pikes with 26 inch wheels on my Spitfire with absolutely no problems. There's just a good amount of clearance. As said above, the axle to crown is 10mm more so I went for 150mm travel rather than 160 just to keep things in check. I may change this at some point as the rear drop positions can be played with on the Spitty.
I may also get some 650b wheels at some point.... maybe
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Nice one, plenty of space for a muckynutz.
Thanks for the replies, I will try my wheel in a set first to make sure there is plenty of room around the arch, but being as I have a hans dampf its not far off 27.5" anyway.
...being as I have a hans dampf its not far off 27.5" anyway.
A 27.5 Magic Mary measures about 28.5" (27.5 Trail King measures about 28") - it would all be a lot less confusing if we talked about 22", 23" and 24.5" rims like they actually are...
The 2mm extra offset on a 27.5 fork is quite like steepening the head angle by 0.3 deg whilst the extra A-C length slackens it by 0.5 deg so close enough to cancelling each other out (that's comparing it to the same 26 fork, both running 26 wheels).
Sticking a 27.5 wheel in there adds quite a lot more trail (raises the front slackening the angles by just over 0.5 deg and the bigger wheel radius adds more trail), akin to slackening the 26 by just over a degree.