Has anyone tried 650B on a 26" Inbred?

When you say 'gravel(ish)' does that mean that you'll be using narrower tyres?  If so, it's likely to work.

Bike tyres are generally 100% profile, so the diameter of a wheel = ETRO of rim in mm + (2 x Tyre size in mm)

eg: 26" wheel with 2.4" tyre = 559 + (2 x 61) = 681mm

650B wheel with 47mm tyre = 584 + (2 x 47) = 678mm

According to this list, so long as its 2005+ then yes -  http://650bpalace.blogspot.com/2011/10/650b-from-26-convertable-list.html

I've done it on a Cove Stiffee and Kona Blast with decent width Ritchey Z Max and WTB Vigilante tyres.

I once ran 29" wheels with 40mm* tyres in a 26" Ragley Blue pig with a rigid 29er fork. Worked great for urban crusing and commuting to work.

*I tried it with a 1.95" tyre in the back and it just fit.

Maybe go mullet and stick a 29er up front.

I used to run 700c wheels with 35mm cyclo cross tyres. Will only work with disc brakes of course.

This was them in my Ti Inbred but I used the same wheels in a steel Inbred and a Carrera MTB frame too over the years...

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Same wheels in the Carrera...

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I put some 700 road wheels in an inbred for commuting. It was awful.

Never found it a problem - I've done thousands of miles on various 700c mutant MTB set-ups! 🙂

I use to run mine with 27.5 x 2.2 no problem at all, Continental X-Kings I think it was with a cheap rigid steel fork just for cruising about on.

https://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/on-one-inbred-with-700c-wheels-can-it-be-done/

One from a few ago.

It's a bit easier if you have the sliding dropout one, which allows for fatter tyres. I've done it, but there are/where some on this forum who have.

Many thanks all - looks very positive! And yes, I'll be using narrower tyres - something like the 47mm you suggest @PhilO. I don't know what year the frame is; I bought it second hand from here several years ago so it may well be older than 2005...

@Andy_Sweet - what was so bad about it?

@the-muffin-man - very reassuring to see basically the same frame! I don't suppose you recall what the forks were do you? I have the 26"/100mm corrected Exotic forks on my Tinbred so will measure that up to see whether I should buy the same again or get the 650B/29er version.

@inbred853 - thanks for the link. I'd done searches for '26 650B' and '26 27.5' but not '26 700' 🙂

@lorax - would have tried it myself, but the drive side chainstay snapped and I moved onto a 29er.

450mm axle to crown rings a bell lengthwise. My last rigids were 29er Hylix carbon ones.

@lorax just felt weird. High BB maybe? It was a while back but I remember i hated it from the moment i put it together…

Thanks all. I'll see if I can cobble something together using parts borrowed from other bikes before I commit...

I can only tell you about the Ti version, but Mrs LJ is currently clocking up the miles on her parts bin commuter with 650b x 47's. Plenty of clearance for gravelly tyres, I tried a 2.1 Racing Ralph on the back and it just fitted with 20 psi and a fag paper to spare. The fork is an Identiti 29er and she rides with a 50mm stem and a stack of spacers to get enough height on the front. Goes well enough.

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Yep, used to run 650B x 2.25s with no issues for a few years. A 26" Fox fork will work, or any 650B fork.

I've recently done the same with my old P7 to use as a gravel/commuter/pub bike (which actually gets ridden far more than my 'proper' bikes), but still running 26" wheels. I put the 26" Exotic carbon fork on and that will easily take a 650b front wheel. Theres bags of room.

You've got me thinking now....

Anyone tried a 650b wheel in a P7 frame?  It looks tight.

I just tried out 28x1.5 / 40-622 on  700c wheels and it looks a bit tight...

As far as I can tell from this Cycling UK page 27.5×2.0 / 50-584 650B tyres would give me 702-684=18mm more clearance, which sounds fine to me.

As far as I can tell from this Cycling UK page 27.5×2.0 / 50-584 650B tyres would give me 702-684=18mm more clearance, which sounds fine to me.

Remember, that's 18mm on (or rather, off) the diameter, so 9mm more clearance.  Probably still fine, but don't expect acres of space - you might want a bit more if using mudguards, for instance.

Do you currently have 26" wheels for this bike?
If so, and considering this bike will only be for occasional use, is it really an issue that 26" tyres are hard to come by in Norway?
How long do you expect the tyres to last? I've got tyres on my 'occasional use' Inbred that must be 3 years old & have at least another 3 years of tread on them, I reckon.
Is the bike in the UK and going to be taken to Norway? If so, just take it with a spare set of tyres & you've probably got a decade of riding before you need to worry about worn out tyres?

Sure if you WANT to try 27.5 wheels on it, then go for it. But, I can't help but feel it's not that big an issue to just stick with 26.

Many thanks @PhilO - I was being dim so this is very helpful!

Excellent point @stumpy01. I do have some 26" wheels but they're old so I wouldn't mind replacing them. The question was mostly motivated by the decision on the forks, and given that I now know that 650B will easily fit in the 26" Exotic forks I could always just go with the old 26" wheels for now, and switch to 650B if I ever need to replace them. But part of me would also like to try something different 😃