It's on the internet so it must be true: Specialized ends its 650b/27.5 holdout with the launch of new tires as this screen grab from their website illustrates.

Though notably absent from the sprint to market with mid-wheel-size mountain bikes, Specialized has added 27.5-inch tires to their aftermarket product line in what might be a foreshadowing of bigger things to come.

The new tire sizes appear as 650b listings in drop-down menus on Specialized's web site for four models-the 2.3-inch wide Butcher Control ($55), and Purgatory Grid 2Bliss Ready 2.3 ($65) all-mountain tires, as well as the S-Works Fast Track 2.0-inch ($65) XC race tire, and the Ground Control 2.0 ($55) trail tire. Feature text on the site does not yet include tire weights, though one could reasonably expect them to fall between the listed weights for their 26- and 29-inch offerings.

"We really believe in the performance of our tires, so even though we don't currently offer 650b bikes we still want to make sure all riders have the option of choosing their favorite Specialized tires," said Specialized Global PR Manager Sean Estes. "We also want to make sure our dealers are equipped to service all riders as well."

Estes noted that the tires are already available at some Specialized retailers with more expected to receive shipments soon. He declined to comment on rumored 27.5-inch bike and wheel development.