The World of Wheels

When we see bikes on the street or on the trail,  It seems like they all have the same size wheels. Truth is there are many different wheel sizes that fit certain bikes and riding styles. 

26 Inch wheels.

This wheel size is most common, and most bikes have this wheel size. This size has been proven to be the perfect size for most riding, whether it be on the street or on the mountain. Most riders prefer 26 inch wheels over the other size wheels.

29 Inch wheels

This wheel size started a few years ago and has really caught on since. Also known as "Niners" or "Wagon Wheels", these wheels get more traction on the trail and more power output per pedal stroke. A lot of riders hoping to ride uphill fast ride 29ers. This may seem like a win-win for riders but it has its pitfalls as well. The bigger the wheel is, the stronger it has to be, and the size makes it heavier then a 26 inch wheel. Also weaving through tight trails or through the urban jungle is more difficult with big wheels. Some people are die hard 29 people, while others hate on them.

27.5 Inch wheels

The newest inovation in the world of wheels is 27.5 inch wheels. These wheels are more commonly known as "650b" wheels, because the rims are measured in millimeters, and in this case, 27.5 inch rims are 650 millimeters. The idea behind these wheels are to mix the bennefits of 26 and 29 inch wheels into one wheel. The traction and torque of a 29er with the weight and maneuverabitly of a 26 inch wheel. 

here we see 26, 27.5, and 29 inch wheels

700cc Wheels

These wheels are built for road bikes and street bikes, and have thin rims for slick, fast rolling tires. 700cc wheels are not actually one strict size, and these wheels usually have a little number after the "cc" that describes the size of the wheel. These wheels can range anywhere from 26.5-29 inches. The main reason 700cc isn't called 650b or 29er is because they are made for road bikes and not mountain bikes.

20 Inch wheels

Twenty inch wheels are made for kids bikes, and BMX bikes. Kids bikes are for small children to ride, and kids bikes wheels can range from 18inches to 24inches in size. BMX bikes have 20inch wheels because these bikes are built for tricks and stylish riding. A smaller bike is needed for riding stylish and doing lots of tricks, so the wheels have to be smaller as well. 

I have ridden all of these wheels sizes and I think I'm gonna stick with my 26 inch wheels. While I like 27.5, I think the originals are the best.

Sea Otter Classic

Over the spring break I traveled to Monterey to go to the biggest bike event/race in America. After a long drive down to the coast, we arrived at the campsite. Everyone there had a bike of some sort, everyone was stoked and happy to be there. Its pretty unreal to ride with strangers from all parts of the world and have a great time. The vibe there was like no other place, everyone was connected by the love of bikes. The bike show was pretty awesome, a lot of the pros were there and bike parts were on sale. I spent 175 bucks on new parts and I don't regret it. The actual race part of it was cool as well. Although I did not race myself, I watched a lot of the racing and events. I plan on racing next year for sure. It felt like this was the mekka of the bike community all in one place.

Another aspect of Sea Otter was the crowd, so many people were super rowdy, cheering, blowing airhorns, waving flags while screaming, downing beers at lightning speeds, and doing whatever they could to be crazy. Sleep in the campsites was pretty much impossible because of the noise of surrounding parties, but after a long day of riding the second day, and some melatonin, sleep was a lot easier. There were random bands of people running through the campsites at night screaming and waving flags, there was for sure some patriotism

involved over the weekend.

I made a video from the weekend of my experience. watch it below....


http://www.pinkbike.com/video/358725/