Stupid -Old road bike wheel question ?

FishermanJoe
FishermanJoe Posts: 31
edited September 2014 in Road beginners
Hi Guys

May i ask a stupid question please...................... :oops: ??

I have got my hands on an old steel "frame" road bike the rear axle space is 126mm i tried a 700c x28 wheel on it i had laying around it seem to foul the seat tube ??

Got me thinking was the bike designed for 27 1/4" or is it simply it was designed for road narrow 700c tyres being a pure road bike ?

Back to the stupid question................... if your old frame has no wheels/brakes etc how do you work out if it was made to use 27 1/4" or 700c wheels ??

Joe

Comments

  • ktuludays
    ktuludays Posts: 96
    you may be better posting this over on retrobike.co.uk. it is aimed at older steeds
  • simon_masterson
    simon_masterson Posts: 2,740
    700c is a little bit smaller than 27" (enough that most bikes made for 27" will take 700c with sufficient calliper drop). Sounds like the clearances don't permit a tyre that size or you haven't seated the wheel correctly. Which size it was made for can to a certain extent be determined by where it was made and when - 27" was used mostly on English road bikes, particularly tourers, up until the mid 80s or so. Bike racing for a very long time was a largely continental European sport (if it isn't still) and dedicated racing equipment reflects that.
    Retro(ish) TT 2017-
    Fixed TT 2015-2016
  • keezx
    keezx Posts: 1,322
    Most likely it's a pure racing frame with no clearence for a 28 tyre.....
  • desweller
    desweller Posts: 5,175
    Photos?
    - - - - - - - - - -
    On Strava.{/url}
  • me-109
    me-109 Posts: 1,915
    Is it a small frame? Could be made for 26" wheels if so.
  • team47b
    team47b Posts: 6,425
    Keezx wrote:
    Most likely it's a pure racing frame with no clearence for a 28 tyre.....

    I think it's this too.

    700c wheels are about 8mm in diameter smaller than the old 27 inch ones so diameter won't be a problem.

    I have 20mm tyres on my 60's bike but I took the wheel out and tried a 700c wheel with a 28mm tyre just to see how it would fit and to understand your problem ( slow day here!) the 28 tyre didn't fit, hope this answers your question. :D
    my isetta is a 300cc bike
  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    Combination of sloping drop-outs and close wheel clearances meaning there's simply no room to fit the wheel and tyre. 126mm probably means it's 1980s vintage
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..

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