I always stockpile parts I like. 650B is no exception. I used to hoard my favorite 26" rims and tires, too. Grant said somewhere a while back: "if you find something you like, buy a lifetime supply because it will soon be discontinued or "improved"
Ryan On May 12, 2010, at 7:24 AM, Jim Thill - Hiawatha Cyclery <thill....@gmail.com> wrote: > If I was engaging in FUD, I would suggest stockpiling far more than a > couple pairs of tires. I don't think there's any reason not to get a > 650B bike. I like 650B and am committed to selling 650B bikes. I'm > probably getting a 650B bike for my wife. But I think that the 650B > market is small enough that there is a better than average chance of > volatility. > > In the bike business, there are very few big players. It's nice that > Velocity makes 650B rims, but Velocity isn't exactly a blue chip > corporation on which to depend for long-term stability. They are a > small outfit, and 650B rims are a small part of what they do. Even now > Velocity USA is out of stock on any given listed rim (650B or > otherwise) more often than not. Will they still be "committed" to 650B > in five years if the number of 650B bikes being sold shows signs of > decline? I wouldn't bet on it. That's why I think it makes sense to > squirrel away a pair of rims, just in case. If I'm wrong, you'll still > probably need the rims someday. > > On May 12, 6:24 am, Steve Palincsar <palin...@his.com> wrote: >> In the world of computers, we call this FUD: the spreading of Fear, >> Uncertainty and Doubt. >> >> On Tue, 2010-05-11 at 22:33 -0700, Jim Thill - Hiawatha Cyclery wrote: >> >> >> >> >> >>> The discussion about the new Pacenti 650B tires momentarily ventured >>> into commentary on "the future of 650B". I thought this was worth a >>> discussion of its own. >> >>> Two or three years ago we had 650B bikes at Hiawatha Cyclery from at >>> least three manufacturers: Rivendell, Kogswell, and Rawland. Now >>> Rivendell does 650B only on smaller sizes of certain models, Kogswell >>> seems to be on an indefinite hiatus, and Rawland's new models have >>> been displayed at various venues with 622 and 559 wheels (with disc >>> brakes, 650B will still be an option). >> >>> To the extent that 650B has gone mainstream, it is by and large in the >>> 27.5" wheel size for mountain bikes. It seems like new disc-specific >>> rim and fat-knobby tire options are proliferating, but the 650B rim >>> and tire options for road bikes have not expanded much, if at all, >>> since I first read about 650B in the Rivendell Reader. There are some >>> small importers/manufacturers like Jan Heine with the Gran Bois and >>> now Pacenti with his Pari-Moto, but they have yet to get their tires >>> into the QBP catalog or on any Treks. I was pleasantly surprised to >>> see another of my mainstream distributors pick up some 650B stuff, but >>> again, it was mostly of the MTB variety. >> >>> I'm not sure Rivendell and a few custom framebuilders can sell enough >>> 650B bikes to support much expansion, or even maintain current levels >>> of the 650B rim/tire selection and availability. Unless the 650B size >>> gets picked up by Trek or some other major player, I think its future >>> will be at best as a niche item with limited selection and spotty >>> availability. I'd encourage 650B bike owners and aficionados to >>> stockpile an extra set of rims and a couple sets of favorite tires, >>> just in case. >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "RBW Owners Bunch" group. >> To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bu...@googlegroups.com. >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >> For more options, visit this group >> athttp://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en. > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "RBW Owners Bunch" group. > To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bu...@googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bu...@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en.
