# Help Please Hybrid Wheel Size 27.5 or 29 700c



## reavers (May 2, 2017)

Hi everyone I am looking at getting a hybrid bike and have narrowed it down to 2. 

Voodoo Marasa or Subway2 

I will be doing mostly road with some light trails. 

The Voodoo has 700c rims with 1.5 inch width tyres. 
The subway2 has 27.5 rims with 1.57 width tyers. 

I am unsure which would be better I am only 5 foot 8 and weigh 90kg. 
I am more inclined to go for the 27.5 but I do like speed on the road so am unsure what would be better? 

I will start with small rides and build up to longer ones so 3 miles to start moving up to 20miles etc. 

Thanks in advance.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

The difference between 700c and 27.5 inch is essentially nothing, so... nothing more than marketing hype. Same goes for tire sizes. 

I'd be more concerned with lack of (frame) sizing options, and in your price range you should be able to visit some shops, discuss your budget/ intended uses, test ride some bikes and decide from there. 

Lastly and JMO, but I'd take lower end cantilever brakes over lower end discs. For your purposes, canti's will do you fine and require less fiddling.


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## No Time Toulouse (Sep 7, 2016)

I'd be concerned with the limited tires available in 27.5 size....


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

No Time Toulouse said:


> I'd be concerned with the limited tires available in 27.5 size....


The difference between 27.5 inches and 700c's is (literally) 1.5 mm's. Considering the BSD of 700c tires is 622, you don't think they'd fit?


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

PJ352 said:


> The difference between 27.5 inches and 700c's is (literally) 1.5 mm's. Considering the BSD of 700c tires is 622, you don't think they'd fit?


No. That's wrong. The so-called 27.5 inch tire size is actually 650B, which is a bead seat diameter of 584mm, or (literally) 38mm less than 700C. Not even close. (Bike manufacturers seem to insist on making tire designations more and more confusing.

In any event, the tire availability issue is not that big a deal. Sure, there are more 700C tires out there, but there are plenty of 650B tires readily available. He should pick the bike he likes best. Wheel size is not an important factor.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

JCavilia said:


> No. That's wrong. The so-called 27.5 inch tire size is actually 650B, which is a bead seat diameter of 584mm, or (literally) 38mm less than 700C. Not even close. (Bike manufacturers seem to insist on making tire designations more and more confusing.


Ahhh.... thanks. Serves me right for oversimplifying and converting 27.5" to 698.5mm's. 

Yes, *very* confusing. 

Haven't heard back from the OP. Hope s/he visits some LBS's and test rides some bikes (versus buying from a spec list).


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

PJ352 said:


> Ahhh.... thanks. Serves me right for oversimplifying and converting 27.5" to 698.5mm's.
> 
> Yes, *very* confusing.


The tire designation puzzle is full of weird history. You also over simplified in assuming that a "700C" wheel is actually 700mm in diameter. The 700C designation originally meant a rim size that would produce an overall wheel diameter of 700mm when equipped with a size "C" tire - (a totally obsolete designation that's not used at all any more, except for its holdover in 700C, 650B, etc.) With the 25mm tires typically used on a road bike, the actual diameter of a 700C wheel is around 673 mm.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

JCavilia said:


> The tire designation puzzle is full of weird history. You also over simplified in assuming that a "700C" wheel is actually 700mm in diameter.


That's not an oversimplification. That's me forgetting what I once knew. Happens with the aging process. :wink5:


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

PJ352 said:


> That's not an oversimplification. That's me forgetting what I once knew. *Happens with the aging process. :wink5:*


I, sadly, am quite familiar with that process.


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## No Time Toulouse (Sep 7, 2016)

PJ352 said:


> The difference between 27.5 inches and 700c's is (literally) 1.5 mm's. Considering the BSD of 700c tires is 622, you don't think they'd fit?


12,000 posts on a bike forum, and you don't know basic wheel diameters? 

Wow.......


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

No Time Toulouse said:


> 12,000 posts on a bike forum, and you don't know basic wheel diameters?
> 
> Wow.......


12,985 (counting this one). Guess you can't decipher numbers. 

Wow....... 

.... and my post you reference has already been explained. Try to keep up.


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## shermes (Jul 26, 2008)

No Time Toulouse said:


> 12,000 posts on a bike forum, and you don't know basic wheel diameters?
> 
> Wow.......


I'm not sure if you were serious or just trying to be funny but either way you took time out of your life to try to insult someone who contributes in a positive manner and helps people new to cycling. He has the patience to answer the questions that new people asks and never insults or belittles them.

Nice job!

Wow......


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## Lombard (May 8, 2014)

Plain and simple, buy what fits you best. If I did a lot of off-road riding, I would opt for the smaller 27.5 wheels for their tighter turning ability. If mostly paved road riding, I would go with 700c because they are more common hence more tire choices.

Here's the straight poop on wheel/tire sizes to hopefully end the bickering:

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/tire-sizing.html


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