Steel rimmed wheels advice

tuxdogg

I recently bought my first road bike, an old triumph team leader for £100, from (I assume) the 1980s. It's in OK condition overall and rides well, except that it has horrible steel wheels which means braking is difficult in dry conditions and terrifying in wet conditions. I was just looking for some advice it would be worth buying new wheels entirely and getting them replaced or just giving up, selling on and trying to find a similar bike with alloy or aluminium rims? Is buying cheap wheels from amazon or somewhere and then getting them fitted by a bike shop ever a good idea?

cougie

New wheels would be almost as much as your bike. Plus is it 27 1/4 inch wheels rather than the 700c more popular these days ?

You could try new brake blocks ? They make a big difference.

tuxdogg

i did go into a few bike shops and each said the brake blocks were actually in great condition - they are leather backed which is apparently the best for steel rims. the bike is the same as this one http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Triumph-Team- ... 4167358d63 - i'm guessing these are the old 27 1/4 inch wheels on this? are these harder to replace?

jomoj

personally, if you can afford to then I'd sell on and try and get a more modern bike unless you were desperate for the trendy old-school look and were prepared to put up with the shortcomings.

rolf_f

My old Raleigh had incorrect steel rimmed wheels on it when I got it. I only ride it in the countryside at weekends and in the dry and, tbh, I had no bother with the brakes. I was just a bit more cautious on the decents.

I sourced some correct replacements for £20 but it cost another £10 to get them trued but they are fine now. Any second hand wheels may need further work but they can be had and cheaply on ebay - especially if they have good tyres on them (which mine didn't!).

For a simpler solution here is one option - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RACER-ROAD-BI ... 3cc802f7bc

These are 27s but I daresay similar 700c wheels can be had. They are hardly going to be the lightest wheels in the world but they'll probably not be much different to the originals and at £40 the pair they won't break the bank. It's a basic bike and not a lightweight so I think these wheels are the right thing for it.

If you live in a hilly area you might find the gearing hard work in which case a more modern bike has advantages. On the other hand, bikes like this are dirt cheap to run and maintain and the parts can be had for very little and everything is available one way or another.

tuxdogg

ok that's really helpful thanks. i don't have much mechanical knowledge to fit myself and so i think with delivery and fitting etc the cost is likely to be the same as the bike itself! so i'll probably try and sell this and replace with something with newer alloy wheels. i commute in and out of central london which means no hills but lots of abrupt braking....