Jill Hamilton is the “Bike Biz Babe” and she’s brand manager for Haro Bicycles in southern California. She rode one of the new 650B bicycles Haro is offering this year: the steel, fully rigid, 650B Beasely.
Don’t get me wrong…I love my 29ers. But for a “little” person like me (at 5’7″), a 29er is a lot of bike. The Beasley didn’t feel like such a big bike…it felt very nimble and quick, yet very stable. Just like a 29er, it climbed with what felt like infinite traction, cornered with stability, and rolled over trail obstacles with ease.
The fact that the Beasley is steel also lends to the fun factor…steel truly is real. It yields a ride unlike any other material. It’s lively, yet stiff enough so you “feel” the trail. Steel frames also just look great…since you can make frames out of smaller diameter tubes, steel frames look sleek and svelte.