In an effort to make my Salsa Vaya even more dirt- and gravel-capable, I’m switching over to 650B (aka, 27.5) wheels. Shod with large knobbies (that’s a 2.1″ tire in the photo), the overall diameter of the wheels is about the same as with 700×28 tires.
Stay tuned…
Any pedal strike? The BB on the Vaya is kinda’ low for a 650B conversion, although I’ve been eyeing this as a great option for a bit now!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/phofos/9412458114/in/set-72157630363786850/
No issues thus far, but I haven’t ridden it anywhere that’s rocky/technical. I’m used to riding low-BB bikes on dirt/gravel, so I suspect I’m a bit more aware of potential issues.
Well, I was starting to get stoked about a Vaya, until I saw that I would get a 26″ bike in my 52cm size. Bummer. No way baby. 26″ bikes are a dime a dozen. It’s big wheels or nothing. I’ve owned both a Crosscheck and a Doublecross, and grownup sized wheels are the way to go.
What about Salsa’s Fargo?