Pacenti 650B Tires

Time for another update on the Motobecane conversion project: this time, it's tires. For 650B tires, I chose 38mm Pacenti Pari-Motos made by Panaracer. In terms of price, they cost more than a diehard everyday workhorse tire like the Panaracer Pasela (which is available in the size), but less than the 650B options from Rene Herse (formerly Compass) or the Grand Rando tires from Soma. The quality seems excellent. They mounted up easily, and seated evenly all the way around with no trouble. They have a fine file-pattern tread, and the casings feel light and supple. They look both fast and comfy, and I can only imagine that they will offer a great ride.

The Pari-Motos are available in 38mm and 42mm widths. Actual width can vary depending on the rims they're mounted on, and unfortunately that can sometimes be difficult to predict. I measured between the stays on my bike and figured I'd be safest with the 38mm version. I tend to be a little conservative when it comes to clearance to allow for things like broken spokes or bent rims, etc. (though my caution has, so far, never been needed). Well, on the Grand Bois rims, with their 17mm inside width, the Pari-Motos actually measure about 35mm. They could stretch a little over time. It seems I might have been able to go with the 42s if their actual width were similarly understated, though it would mean slightly less "wiggle room" between the stays. I'm sure all will be fine as is, but it might be something to consider next time.

The labels are a little larger than I prefer, though I've seen larger and more garish. That's one of the things I like about the Compass/Rene Herse tires - that the labels are small and subtle.

Plenty of clearance between the fork blades - and tons under the crown. I'm going to need long brakes to make it to the rims. I'll have to use 75mm center pulls to reach, and I'll probably need every millimeter. (by the way, if the wheel/tire appears not to be centered in the fork, rest assured it's only due to the angle of the photo).

There's good clearance between the heavily-indented stays. It's nice and convenient that the indenting lines up well with a 650B rim and tire. I could probably have gone a size up and clearance would still be acceptable. Should be decent room for a fender in there, too.

The Pacenti tires seem to be really nice and should compare favorably to the Compass/Rene Herse tires. I understand that those have an even finer, more supple casing with higher thread count which is part of the reason they cost more - but I'm thinking these will prove to be a good choice for my budget. I'm getting pretty excited to get this on the road.