Our guide to 2014’s best 650B mountain bikes

If you buy a new mountain bike next year, there’s a good chance it could have 650B wheels on it. A couple of years ago I never thought I would be writing a list of my top five hottest 650B mountain bikes. But here we are, 2014 rapidly approaching and just about every major manufacturer now has a 650B bike or two in their range for the new season. Let’s pick five that I’ve got my eyes on for next year.

GT Force

One of the most interesting bikes in the new 650B sector comes with a lot of expectation. GT have been languishing in the shadows for many years, but two years spent working on the brand new Force, a 150mm bike designed around 650B wheels, with input from Dan Atherton and Hans Rey, has the potential to reinstate the brand back at the top table.

It uses an updated and simplified version of the Independent Drivetrain (ID) suspension with the new Path Link, stout 15mm axles everywhere and a full carbon fibre frame. Geometry has been honed by the team with much feedback from Atherton and, as I found when I rode it in Utah, is absolutely dialled. The bike is long and low with a 67-degree head angle.

Have a gander at Dan Atherton’s custom Force here

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