First Impression: Nashbar Bee’s Knees 650b singlespeed
Originally posted on February 20, 2013 at 13:43 pm
By Trina Haynes.
As a cyclist and a mom of two, I am quite familiar with Nashbar’s offerings. Over the years it’s been the cost effective outlet for my hubby and I to get new gear without breaking the bank.
This year Nashbar is breaking into the 650b market with the $500 Bee’s Knees single speed. This is not the first 650b I have played around on and I already enjoy this “tweener” size.
The first thing that caught my eye is the stock gearing, a 38 tooth ring matched with a 16 tooth cassette is a bit of a heavy gear for ascending mountains and seems more apt to commuting. A test of singlespeed uphill charging abilities are definitely ahead.
The bike comes stock with 620mm handlebars which I will likely swap out for something a bit wider for more leverage on climbs. A smaller chainring or bigger cog may be in my future as well. Time will tell.
I’ve only had a few decent weather days to get a good spin on the bike, and I have minimal complaints thus far. From our smooth rolling home trail to a weekend at Ray’s Indoor Mountain Bike Park, the Bee’s Knees has performed admirably.
This is my first time on a fully rigid setup and the low-speed technical control is great. The trade off, of course, is no high speed impact dampening. As a girl with a history of poor wrist circulation, a little cushion out front might not be a bad idea for an upgrade
I’m looking forward to many more rides on this budget-friendly single speed. Time will tell if it really is the Bee’s Knees. Look for my full review in an upcoming issue of Dirt Rag.