Kenda showed a 650B (also known as 27.5-inch) John Tomac Nevegal at the Taipei Cycle show last month. The company showed the new tire diameter in a 2.35-inch width and said a 2.1-inch width will be available soon.

The diameter splits the difference between traditional 26-inch mountain bike sizes and the fast growing 29-inch hoops, said Kenda's Jim Wannamaker.

"From a design standpoint, this new wheel size makes sense. It allows a bigger wheel to be
used on a longer travel bike, plus smaller riders can get away from some of the negatives like toe overlap and stand over clearance issues found with bigger wheels."

The Nevegal tread design is Kenda's best selling mountain bike tire. The tires should be available by mid-summer, he said.

The New Product column presents items that VeloNews editors decide would interest our readers. The items are not reviewed or tested.