This post has moved to Bolt Circle Diameter – the bicycle wizards where is now interactive as it always should have been
Data from the inimitable Sheldon Brown’s own Bolt Circle Diameter Cribsheet.
Ring for the Porteur (Part 1)
This post has moved to Ring for the Porteur (Part 1) – the bicycle wizards
Porters. You may know the word as a category of dark beer, as a railroad sleeping car attendant or as someone hired to schlep baggage. Let’s French-iphy that a wee bit and apply the definition to bicycles. Frenchiphying it is the easy part: just a “u” after the “e”. Porteur. There. Très bien!
But what does this have to do with bikes? Well, take a gander at this peloton:
![1947pdj.5[1]](https://supplelifeblog.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/1947pdj-51.jpg)
It’s a fur piece different than, say, this peloton, jah?
![decea4fc445807a6e131108ecd5c6ee7[1]](https://supplelifeblog.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/decea4fc445807a6e131108ecd5c6ee71.jpg)
You’ll notice that the bikes feature distinctly different handlebars (swept back bars in the B&W photo, drop bars in the color photo) and heavily laden front platform racks in the B&W photo. These bars are referred to as porteur bars and these racks as porteur racks.
Let’s say you want to be like these stouthearted giants and schlep–I mean really schelp–loads and loads of stuff up front where you can see it, touch it, taste it, smell it, then the porteur rack is the way to go.
Coming soon:
This post will be updated with a table of porteur racks including platform size, pannier-ability, material, price, weight and attachment point. Oh boy!
Part 2 (which proves to be more challenging given my limited headspace) will cover commonly available handlebar options.
Photo credit:
1) The super sweet porteur race picture hails across the Internet at, from my reading, the definitive classic porteur almanac, Blackbird, where site author and historian, Joel Metz has assembled a treat for the porteur obsessed reader to pore over. Specifically, this photo comes from a page dedicated to the 1947 Critérium des Porteurs de Journaux.
2) Our second photo is from the 1987 Paris-Roubaix race that I found hosted on Pinterest. Clearly, there’s a better source, but I thought it was a nice shot of the “Hell of the North” back when cycling pros still rode steel frames with quill stems. Specifically, the caption read, “Rudy Dhaenens leads Sean Kelly in the 1987 Paris-Roubaix” but our photographer and original source for this gem is unknown to me.
The State of 650B Rim Brake Compatible Rims
This post has moved to The State of 650B Rim Brake Compatible Rims – the bicycle wizards
What are the rim brake compatible (non-disc) 650B rims these days? Below is a table of options. Most are made by Velocity (including the below offerings from Pacenti and Soma). I hope this is useful for all of the dozens (literally dozens) of readers!
| Make | Model | Inner Width | Outer Width | Depth | Weight | Tubeless Compatible | ERD | Availability | Drilling(s) | Price | Notes |
| Alex | DM18 | 18.4mm | 24.4mm | 520g | 569.2mm | silver/black | |||||
| Alex | X2200 | 19.0mm | 24.4mm | 485g | 557.1mm | black | |||||
| Ambrosio | Keba AKA ‘Confrerie’ | 590g | 550mm | limited | 36 | 4,600 yen | double eyeleted, polished | ||||
| Araya | TX-310F | 17mm | 23.2mm | 14.7mm | 520g | 36 | 33.33 € | double walled, eyeleted | |||
| Grand Bois | 650B rim | 17mm | 23mm | 466g | 568mm | 32, 36 | $ 98.00 | silver | |||
| HED | Belgium Plus | 23mm | 25mm | 24mm | 462g | Y | 28, 32 | $ 150.00 | |||
| Pacenti | Brevet | 19mm | 23mm | 15.0mm | 430g | Y | 574mm | 28, 32, 36 | $ 98.00 | silver | |
| Pacenti | PL23 | 18mm | 23mm | 15.5mm | 454g | Y | 573mm | OOP | 28, 32, 36 | $ 90.00 | black, silver |
| Pacenti | SL23 | 20.3mm | 24.5mm | 26mm | 420g | Y | 550mm | OOP | 28, 32, 36 | $ 104.00 | black, silver |
| Ryde | ZAC 421 | 21mm | 28mm | 22mm | 605g | 567mm | Ryde | 32, 26 | black, silver | ||
| Soma | El Nino 24 Rain Rim | 19.9mm | 24.4mm | 16.1mm | 540g | 565.8mm | Soma/Merry Sales | 32, 26 | $ 89.99 | eyeleted, grey hard anodized | |
| Soma | Weymouth | 19mm | 24.4mm | 16.1mm | 540g | 565.8mm | 32, 36 | $ 59.99 | polished | ||
| Sun | CR18 | 18mm | 22.5mm | 15mm | 505g | 574mm | limited | 32 | $ 33.00 | silver | |
| SunXCD | Randonneur | 17mm | 22mm | 19.2mm | coming soon | 32, 36 | silver | ||||
| Velo Orange | Diagonale | 25mm | 550g | 570mm | 32, 36 | $ 69.00 | double walled, polished Al with steel eyelets | ||||
| Velocity | A23 | 18mm | 23mm | 19.5mm | 425g | Y | 562mm stated / 568mm measured | 32, 36 | $ 90.99 | black, silver, polished | |
| Velocity | A23 O/C | 18mm | 23mm | 19.5mm | 435g | Y | 560mm stated / 568mm measured | 32, 36 | $ 96.99 | black, silver, polished | |
| Velocity | Atlas | 19.8mm | 25.4mm | 18mm | 590g | 569mm | 32, 36 | $ 87.99 | silver, polished | ||
| Velocity | Cliffhanger | 25mm | 30mm | 20mm | 625g | 558mm | 32, 36, 40 | $ 90.99 | black, polished, reflective | ||
| Velocity | Dyad | 18.6mm | 24mm | 22mm | 495g | 560mm | 32, 36 | $ 78.99 | black, silver | ||
| Velocity | Synergy | 23mm | 18mm | 490g | 567mm | OOP | 28, 32, 36 | $ 64.95 | |||
| Velocity | Synergy O/C | 23mm | 18mm | 490g | 567mm | OOP | 28, 32, 36 | $ 64.95 | |||
| Velocity | Twin Hollow | 22mm | 14mm | 480g | 576mm | limited | 36 | $ 41.99 | silver | ||
| Weinmann | ZAC-19 | 564mm | unknown |
Measurements above are given in millimeters and grams. Pricing may vary, prices given above are base prices from the Interwebs. Some of the polished Velocity rims are $30 more. Specs subject to change. I try to get this right, but am held harmless in the event of error. Should an error occur, please notify me.
If I’ve missed anything or if you can fill in the gaps above, please leave a comment and I’ll incorporate it into the table.
I will be updating the table to include Tubeless Compatibility
650B Conversion Tire Clearance Repository
This post has moved to 650B Conversion Tire Clearance Repository – the bicycle wizards
What bike(s) have you converted to 650B? What tires fit?
| Make | Model | Year (or era)/ serial number/ distinguishing feature(s)/ color | Frame Size | Largest 650B tire that fit (stock) | Try anything that didn’t fit? | Brakes used to convert | Other comments | Contributor |
| Centurion | Turbo | 1983 | 58cm | Col de la Vie 38mm | fenders | Tektro R559 | Rory! | |
| Katakura | Silk | Full chrome, ca. 1984 | 61cm CTC | 38mm with fenders | none | Tektro R559 | Easiest conversion I’ve ever done…this bike fit the tires/wheels almost as though it were designed to do so. Fork was medium trail though. | Azorch |
| Nishiki | Comp II | 1986 | 56cm | 42mm | Tektro R559 | Bruce | ||
| Torelli | from Cinelli Corsa factory | 1983-4 | 57cm | 38mm | Too tight to safely run 42s | Tektro R559 | Bruce | |
| Trek | 420 | 1989 | 58cm | 42mm | fenders | Tektro R559 (maxed out in back) | Here is a slightly older one that fits Hetres & fenders: http://brazenbicycles.com/Trek-650b-Town-and-Country
Also this looks like a 1986 400: http://brazenbicycles.com/Trek-400-650b-Sport-Touring |
Rory |
Have you converted a bike? Comment below with the following and I will update the table:
- Make
- Model
- Year (or era)/serial number/distinguishing feature(s)/color
- Frame size
- Largest 650B tire that fit
- Any 650B tire(s) that you tried that didn’t fit
- Brakes used in conversion
- Other comments
Tire Size and Air Volume
This post has moved to Tire Size and Air Volume – the bicycle wizards
| Wheel | Tire | Volume | Increase over 700x23C | Example Tires |
| 700C | 23mm | 3.5 L | 0% | The old standard |
| 700C | 19mm | 2.4 L | -33% | Oh, dear! |
| 700C | 21mm | 2.9 L | -17% | Eek! |
| 700C | 26mm | 4.5 L | 29% | Grand Bois Cerf Blue (222g, 184g), Compass Cayuse Pass (248g) |
| 700C | 27mm | 4.9 L | 39% | Challenge Parigi-Roubaix (285g) |
| 700C | 28mm | 5.3 L | 50% | Compass Chinook Pass (229g) |
| 700C | 30mm | 6.1 L | 74% | Challenge Strada Bianca (355g) |
| 700C | 32mm | 6.9 L | 99% | Compass Stampede Pass (291g, 254g) |
| 700C | 33.333mm | 7.6 L | 117% | Jack Brown (435g, 295g) |
| 700C | 35mm | 8.4 L | 140% | Compass Bon Jon Pass (355g, 303g) |
| 700C | 38mm | 10 L | 185% | Compass Barlow Pass (390g, 359g), Soma C Line (400g) |
| 700C | 42mm | 12.3 L | 252% | Soma Supple Vitesse (380g, 340g) |
| 700C | 44mm | 13.6 L | 289% | Compass Snoqualmie Pass (378g, 329g) |
| 700C | 50mm | 17.8 L | 411% | Schwalbe Marathon (1.0T) |
| 700C | 55mm | 21.9 L | 527% | Schwalbe Marathon (1.125T) |
| 650B | 32mm | 6.6 L | 88% | Hutchinson Confriere (320g), Grand Bois Cypress (285g, 261g) |
| 650B | 38mm | 9.4 L | 170% | Compass Loup Loup Pass (354g, 333g), Panaracer Pari Moto (340g, 300g) |
| 650B | 42mm | 11.6 L | 233% | Compass Baby Shoe Pass (390g, 362g), Grand Bois Hetre (412g) |
| 650B | 48mm | 15.5 L | 343% | Compass Switchback Pass (478g, 413g) |
| 26″ | 32mm | 6.3 L | 81% | Compass Elk Pass (178g) |
| 26″ | 38mm | 9.1 L | 159% | Compass McClure Pass (366g) |
| 26″ | 44mm | 12.4 L | 254% | Compass Naches Pass (350g, 300g), Compass Slumgullion Pass (447g) |
| 26″ | 50mm | 16.3 L | 366% | Schwalbe Big Ben (1.5T) |
| 26″ | 54mm | 19.2 L | 450% | Compass Rat Trap Pass (454g, 418g) |
| 26″ | 55mm | 20.0 L | 473% | Schwalbe Big Ben (2.0T) |
Air volume was calculated in MS Excel with the following formula (this example is for 650B/584ISO with 38mm tires):
=2*PI()^2*(584/2+38)*38^2
This will give results in cubic millimeters. Volumes above have been convert to liters (dividing by 1 million), rounded to the nearest tenth.
Some variances may be introduced from rounding, unit conversions, and other factors.
This is all white coat, clean room, armchair nerdery stuff only. Real life measurements of tires can vary based on many factors including miles, rims, tubes, production batch, etc.
Tire weights are manufacturer published weights, except for Schwalbe which were 100% fabricated for my own amusement.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torus
http://www.metric-conversions.org/volume/cubic-millimeters-to-liters.htm
