Most small bikes (50cm frame and lower) use 650c wheels. This is due to something called wheel overlap. If you have large wheels on a small frame, the wheel can actually overlap the rider's foot on tight turns. If your foot hits your tire you can have a nasty wipeout. This image from rodbikes.com explains the hazard of a large wheel on a small bike:
As you can see, a large wheel on a small bike can cause mega problems. Some bike manufacturers overcome this by changing the geometry so there is no toe overlap with the 700c wheels on a smaller bike frame. But if you're a small person (like me), make sure you check that toe overlap before you buy!
650c wheels have some advantages over 700c wheels. They're smaller, so they're lighter. Since they're smaller they also accelerate faster and climb hills better than 700c wheels. This is something I've noticed with my bike. The wheels are very responsive. Once you're no longer accelerating and just maintaining speed on the flats (such as in a race), there basically is no difference between a 650c and 700c wheel.
650c wheels also have a huge disadvantage over 700c wheels. 700c wheels are way more common, so it's much easier to find tires, tubes, race wheels, etc. if you use 700c wheels. If you're riding 650c and totally destroy your tire during a race, chances are you may be screwed. It's also really difficult to find race wheels that you can rent or borrow if you have 650c's. This is something that's been really difficult for me.
So, do I like my 650c's? You bet! But, if I were to do it all over again, I would definitely go with the 700c wheels. In my opinion, the convenience of the wheel and tire selection of the 700c far outweigh any minor performance benefits from the 650c.
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