Spooky Horrortaxi with 650B wheels

Wight Mountain have built up a handbuilt ox-platinum steel Spooky Horrortaxi, these frames are handbuilt for Spooky by Niall Gengler and cost a stonking $1400 which converts to just shy of £1000 (I have pasted photos on here for you guys to see).

This wheel size has really taken off big in the US, for xc mainly even though i hear a few companies might do some DH bikes with these on?
They are exactly in between 26″ and 29″ ( 27.5″ ) The idea is to give you 700c rolling momentum with a wheel that will fit under a mountain bike fork but will also give you the feel of a normal mtb when it comes to threading them through the trees on a twisty trail!!

Also note this is not the old road bike time-trial wheel size, that was 650C!  Confused yet???????

When i took it out i found it felt just like a 26″ on the downhills, nice and forgiving on the pedally flats and rough trails ( not sure if thats the frame flex, bigger wheels or the tyres? but it was well smooth for a hardtail! ) and faster on the climbs! the only time i felt i was riding something out of the ordinary was standing climbs, it took longer to swing from side to side if that makes sense? ( bit like a 29er )  But on the whole i really liked it, not sure if it will take off but im kind of hoping it will? i see it as a bit of an xc made easy kinda thing, people who wana go out on ‘hacks’ not rides!!

Here is a link i have found on bike radar at the american handmade bike show which talks about Kirk Pacenti resurrecting the old/new 650b wheel size!

http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/news/article/handmade-bike-show-road-steel-and-650b-wheels-14612

Also there is a 650b website for the geeks!!  www.650b.com

Available at Wight Mountain, Newport – telephone: 01983 520 530