DealerCamp 2013, just finished its fourth year, at Deer Valley, and the big deal was that 650b (or 27.5) mountain bikes are going to explode even more in 2014. If you’re not familiar with Dealer Camp, then just imagine Outdoor Retailer for bikes of every variety. Dozens of bike manufacturers meet with hundreds of retailers in the Snow Park lot meeting up to do business and test out bikes that won’t even be available until next year. Dealer Camp calls it “Meet, Ride & Decide.”
Also, if you’re not familiar with 650b mountain bikes, the number refers to the size of the wheel. Standard bikes over the years have been of the 26-inch variety. And we all know our world was rocked with the introduction of the 29 inch tire. W ell, 650B splits the difference and is a 27.5 inch tire that supposedly gives riders the best of both worlds – the agility of a 26er and the rolling power of a 29er.
Along with new components at dealer Camp like 1X11 drive trains etc, the expansion of 650b mountain bikes was obvious to everyone. So, considering that I’ve never tried one, I drove up to Park City, got my pass at the gate, and entered a tented Valhalla that is Dealer Camp. The first bike I laid eyes on is the Intense Tracer 275. It’s one of the forerunners of the 650b movement, and has been around a few years already.
First, I rode the lifts at Deer Valley to the top of Bald Mountain and descended intermediate and advanced trails like Road to Ruby, Aspen Slalom, and Naildriver. Right away, I could tell the difference from my 26 inch bike. The Tracer 275 absorbed rocks and root drop-offs with smooth-ass ease. Tight, hairpin turns were also of no issue as the bigger wheels never felt like they were too beefy to make the curve. Going off jumps was a blast, mostly due to the 150mm of travel on the bike, but the large wheels were not cumbersome in the least. I really noticed an advantage when hitting rock ledges that would have otherwise stopped my front tire of at least would have required a wheelie maneuver to clean, but the 650b wheels made everything a littler bit easier.
That’s about what it comes down to – everything, from technical features, dirt jumps and tight corners, were just easier than on a 26 inch bike. It’s like the mountain bike version of the all-mountain ski that can float in the powder but still carve on the corduroy.
The only gripes I had was that the Intense Tracer 275 was a bit squishy on uphills and really slow as well. I haven’t been on any other 27.5 bikes to inform me as to whether this is a fault of the wheel size, or the build of the Tracer. Either way, this bike is made to slaughter the descents, but I wouldn’t want it under me on long, technical climbs.
Overall, I’d say the 27.5 wheel is a winner and I wonder why it took so long for the industry to realize that bigger is better. Also, ignorance is bliss, so I’m also bummed that I rode this bike not long after purchasing a new bike with… you guessed it… 26 inch wheels.