Although they can be made to look normal, 700c wheels on a small bike always results in one or more unavoidable compromises:

• The rider ends up with way too much reach to the handlebars
• The rider ends up with a dangerous amount of toe strike
• The bike is designed with poor handling characteristics
• The bike pushes the rider too far forward, resulting in knee pain

Although 650c wheels allow us to design a smaller bike to handle great and fit comfortably, they do result in the following compromises:

• There are not as many tire choices available to purchase
• Most shops ignore 650c wheels, so it's hard to find a 650c tire in small towns or while touring
• You have to listen to your tall friends say "why don't you ride big wheels?"