Hello Sir, I'm rebuilding my 25yr old bike frame for 27" wheels, since 700c rims are now common, could I know the range adjustment of that long reach brakes? Thank You.
Right now I'm looking at your Vintage Bike Upgrade.from 27" to 700c. What I like about this one is that you talked about towing your brakes to stop them from squeaking when it's wet outside. That's what I'm talking about. You bring back great memories. That's something we would do back in the day in Cleveland, Ohio. The group I road with (The Easy Riders); God, I really miss those guys. Like I said man, "I love what you do; keep it up." Peace!
Thanks RJ! I just converted my vintage 10-speed into a 14-speed, with the 700c wheels! Also installed a used 6 speed derailleur and it's work's for 7! None of us would have been possible without your videos! Never would have attempted this if I never seen this video!
Thanks! I have the same bike that I bought at Goodwill for $12.95, and overhauled for about $150. It's just a hair tall for me. It looked like I could switch to 700c with minimal work, but I wasn't positive. The lower height should help, and having more options for wheels and tires will be nice. I didn't expect to find a video of my exact bike. I also want to set the original wheels aside since they still have the original stickers and are still in usable shape.
RJ - This video clearly illustrates the dual-function of the Park Tool Co. cable-housing cutters, which also appear in your video about tools. Some Viewers (me included) may not have been aware of the crimping function also included in that cutter design. The pair I bought has two different crimping functions - one for cable end-caps, and another for housing ferrules. Well done. I have and old Raleigh Grand Prix that deserves similar 700c modernization.
In his original calipers, I could see the brake pad stems would have lowered to fit the 700's. He already bought the new calipers and so pushed through the conversion.Those side pull Shimano's are better anyway, but they don't 'look' vintage.
after schwinn went out of business after a million years along comes Trek, Cannondale etc... and those vintage bikes are very nice and i can only imagine how they ride too. like vintage cars those vintage bikes you bring back to life etc.. you make them look great again. very cool videos.
This was a great learning video, great job! On a separate note, my personal preference is keep bicycles looking as they were to retain the classic feel. This is good to know, however in case all the 27" wheels disappear from the Earth. (or I just can't find one if needed) :)
Hey, thanks. I'm just getting started working on a bike again for the first time in 20+ years. I found a cheap, but really nice Gitane at a yard sale. It just needs to be freshened up. Your videos are great. Over time I'll fix this thing up to better than new.
I’m restoring an old Peugeot U-08 I think??? By the replacement decals I found this is what I have. Me and my brother old beater as kid’s. My youngest son wants it back original!! So we will.I love older bikes because they are sturdy and can be modified with videos like yours RJ so thanks for all you do for people who like to think outside the box and do what LBS says I can’t do. You rock man
Thanks RJ. Doing exactly the same upgrade on a mid 90's Schwinn World Sport I rescued from the trash. New subscriber here. You're going to turn me into a tech... Hooray!
I want to do this with my project bike, but with a slight difference. I want to keep my original hubs and rebuild a wheel with aluminium rims. The wheels i've got have badly corroded rims and the spokes are awful. I've measured my brake calipers and they will easily accept 700 rims. Great video! You are truely an inspiration to many.
Other than your mentioned advantages of the 700c wheels does the original 27 inch wheels not functioning well reason you're replacing it? Just thought the whole bike is already cool the way it is including original wheels, but good video. Thanks
Hey RJ great videos I will say one thing on Tires, yes you get a wider variety of Sizes in 700c but unless you want to get really narrow or really fat there are PLENTY of 27" tires in a nice range of sizes out there from 1 inch (25c) to 1 3/8 inch (37c) in addition to the ubiquitous 1 1/14 (32c) by numerous makers. People who claim that "you can't find 27 inch tires" have simply not looked.
Oh nice, so if I get an old bike that comes with 27 1 1/4, I don't have to change the rim to 700 to get a wider tire? You're saying I can just change it to 27 x 1 3/8 and that's it? I like wider tires, and I notice these older bikes have the girl ones where you can step through them which I need with groceries on the back. If is so thanks in advance!
This is great stuff, I've watched a few of your other videos. These videos are great references and very relevant. I cant wait to take apart my old Schwinn continental and do a few upgrades. This was exactly what I was looking for. Thank you!
Depending on how old it is, might be a PITA. Most of those old Schwinns had weird sized parts. 21.15mm stem and odd sized head tube. Ashtabula BB. Though you can get an adapter for that. th-cam.com/video/7xTJ4ZmWmU8/w-d-xo.html And the things weighed a ton.
I did this several years ago to my Panisonic bike that was made in the 80's. I've gone through a lot of money upgrading the bike,and have actually spent really more then the bike is worth, but I like the older style frames. I put on 700c Mavic rims with 105 hubs, 9 gears in the back. Then I put on new Ultegra cranks and derailleurs so I have gone from a 12 speed to 27. The one thing that I did that others may not agree with is that I did not go to index shifters in the brake handles, rather I have a old Suntour shifter that I have on the gooseneck. I'm a older guy, and I don't like bending down to the lower tube, and I don't like them on the brake levers, so for me this was the logical choice. I have to say, it's made a lot of difference in the way the bike rides and handles.
I have a Panasonic from the 80's that I want to do the same thing: Mavic wheels, 105 brakes and crank, but I am to reuse the Suntour shift. I am older also.
Great idea. I just spent weeks waiting for some tyres for my old Nishiki 27" road bike. It's still in pretty good nick but parts are getting tough to source these days. Cheers.
The size of the wheel has absolutely no relation to how well it rolls. That only has to due with rolling resistance. (Bearings, wheel true, tires etc.)
@@twigscampi well no thats not entirely true, at the time he wrote that comment, 27.5 inch tires had much wider options available than 700cc tires making them smoother. Now 700cc makes them as wide so its a height preference.
@@fanlbc Yeah, a different tire is going to make a difference but the rim size itself wouldn't change anything. imo. Also they've been making super wide 700c tires sense 1991 (the advent of 29" mtb tires/wheels) so they were around when that guy commented a year ago lol.
can you make a tutorial on how to make a good 'bolt drop' for people who don't want to change to a long reach brake? I have a vintage frame but want to use my ultegra groupset and I really want to use the brakes that came with the groupset. Thanks so much! your videos are super helpful!!
Vartan Ghazarian, that is a Park Tool HBH-2 Handle Bar Holder. It cost under $20. It's nice to keep the handlebars straight and the wheel out of the way when you are working on a bike. Here it is at Amazon.com: www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000QSXPL2/ref=nosim/youtube25-20
+RJ The Bike Guy is your bike a tange/reynolds?,i saw the sticker on the seat tube :) i just got a malvern star (1 star) tange 900 cro mo frame & fork (it's an australian bike) & was wondering how to measure the drop on the caliper?,great idea for another video :) my bike has shimano calipers with the pointed nut (like yours) btw what are the replacements you fitted?,they look like shimano sora to me & what's the difference in the drop? could i use a dropper bolt on the cro mo frame/fork instead of replacing the calipers?
It's Raleigh 555sl double butted chrome moly. Measure from the center of the mount hole to the center of the rim. That is the drop of brakes you will need. Measure from the center of the bolt to the center of the pad is the drop of the brakes (measure with the pad up and down for the range) www.sheldonbrown.com/images/caliperreach266.jpg
Awesome video thanks! I have a 1986 Cannondale that I love, but it needs a new back wheel. Regarding the caliper length, do you know how many millimeters is standard for these old bikes? Also, where did you buy your wheel? Thanks much!!
Thanks for posting this instructive video. I have a superb Raleigh Record Ace, early eighties, and am considering changing from 27" to 700. It's a very high end bike, Reynolds 531 tubes and forks, Campagnolo derailers, and presently Rigida rims with Campagnolo Veloce hubs and an eight-speed cassette. I've changed the previous Weinnman 605 original levers for the most beautiful Mafac Competition 2000 Gold centre pulls. These will allow for the lowering of the brake pads if and when I do change rims, tires, AND hubs. These will have to be top range. I think it's going to cost me an arm and a leg! Thanks again, I'll keep watching your videos.
Thanks mate, very cool vid. I've been wondering the pros/cons of this for a while, and seems that if your brakes fit, there are no cons (except for vintage poseur rights)! Nice work. Will continue to watch. Keep it up!
I generally like your videos. You have a lot of innovative techniques for removing gauled and worn parts that are quite useful and helpful. In antique collection Original Fabric is best. Followed by Condition. If I find an old bike of any kind I just clean it up and service it. If it has missing pieces that aren't cheap or readily available I would and have substituted some that are just to keep the bike on the road. A useable bike being worth more than a non runner. That way someone that wants a completely original version of any bike can at least ride it until they find and purchase the missing parts.
interestingly, I prefer to keep bicycles as they were 'born'. :) usually i prefer to buy a new bicycle and keep the old ones looking classic! ...curious, since its been 2 years since your comment, did you get a vintage bicycle?
thanks! very helpful! I was planning with my bike to fit 700c, but the advices were to cut the frame to fit the rims and brakes! much less hassle and budget... thanks man!
Ok this might be not right but In case you just need couple of mm could you have filed down the brake pad slots? I went thru really 2 different brands and figured out that 57mm drop is what I need but I’d like to keep the better old one thank you! Great videos as always
Didn't need to cut perfectly good cables. Undoing the cable clamp would work just as well--unless the cables were indentified as needed replacing. That avoids threading new cable and fitting into the levers.
Thanks . Will convert 80's road bike to 700c electric FRONT small 250 watt motor. Will leave rear gears alone (27 inch wheel) and have small assist when hitting hills. Appreciate your help.
Rotating the brake adjuster clockwise (up) is tightening. I know, its a tricky thing to remember, but the Bowden cable system uses the cable housing tension for minor adjustment to the cable. The cable wire, once fixed, never is adjusted shorter or longer with the adjustment screws, only more or less tension is applied by them.
For those converting a cantilever brake equipped bike from 27" to 700c wheels you may find that some cantilever models' pad mounts will not allow you to lower the pads enough to align with the smaller 700c rims' sidewalls. In those cases, as with the caliper brake equipped 27" wheel framesets, you'll need to replace the brakes.
Hey RJ can you do a video on how to measure the drop length for the brakes? I have an older 10 speed that I am wanting to update a bit, and one of the things I would like to do is the actual brakes, I've replaced the levers with aero style already, but the actual brake drops are confusing me a bit. There's not much information online, but everything I've read is giving me a measurement of a drop of 69 for the brakes. Does that make sense? Older 10 speed with 27" tires and Shimano Tourney Center pull brakes. Many thanks, I LOVE you're videos.
Hey, so I had the issue where it was too short. One solution you can do which works for me is to put a slightly thick piece of metal and drill two screw holes into the top to be strongly in the calliper and not move and one under the calliper for the brake pad. Works flawlessly for me, if anything, too well.
Seems like ur the only bike TH-camr to have high quality tools apart from park tool lol. Seems like so many other bike people buy everything park tool, then cheap out on ratchets, sockets, wrenches etc lol. Not a castigation in anyway, just an observation lol
I picked up one of these bikes a while back............call it my Evel Knievel, or my 4 of July bike LOL. Its a pretty cool classic ride. Wish there was a smaller lower chaining for that front classic crank spider set up though. These old 12 speeds need a granny gear sometimes. Yep, Tire selection sucks too.
Is it ever worth it to save the cables and reuse them? I've done this before as a kid riding bmx. Now days, I see videos always just cutting the cables and putting in new ones. I guess I'm tight in that way. If cables seem still good I would re-use them, as long as they are not frayed at all.
C'mon, apples to apples. A cable that is in good shape is very much different than reusing motor oil. In an auto. you will cause catastrophic damage to your engine, if oil is reused. Not so, if you reuse a cable that seems to be in good shape-not frayed. Other than being frayed, I've seen decades old cable get a rust-like quality to them (Hawaii air) They get brown and get some rust dust particles in the cable and some do get frail and /or overly stiff. I've never seen or heard of a brake cable failing though. My dad (RIP) used to mess around with bikes a lot when I was a kid back even to when cables were a mechanical arm linkage and many bikes had Bendix foot brakes. My dad was overly thrifty back then. Living through the depression makes you like that. Times have changed.
i suppose if you are super cheap, you can wait until there are problems. However, it will be less work to swap them when you have everything apart. Plus, if you always wait for shit to break before you replace it, you guarantee poor performance and possibly having a breakdown. And personally, I'd rather have catastrophic damage to my car's engine than my own face on account of a brake cable snapping.
i see what you mean about the cables if its a commuter or a low end bike i usually keep them but to replace them it will run me about $20 or less so for a hi end sell i would replace them but a low cost bike i will try and save them
Can you recommend a good value 700c wheelset for a project like this? I'm upgrading a 1982 Trek 311so its a similar situation. Not looking to break the bank just improving the ride quality
A couple of points to bear in mind with a conversion like this - the braking power is reduced as the pads are moved further away from the pivot (less leverage). Also, the bike now sits lower and the chance of a pedal strike on the road has increased. Older 27" tyres were relatively tall in construction whereas modern 700c tyres have a lower aspect ratio. When you take into consideration the 4mm reduction in radius and lower tyre profile, pedal contact is obviously more likely on corners.
I think few milimeters of difference is totally insignificant. If only 4mm is missing for you in a corner, you are already riding beyond the safety limit. The settings of the original brakes in the video is almost good for the new rim, I don't think that this swap changes anything noticeably.
SC24 - those are great points! I am included to agree with Gabor Moczik on the actual effects, BUT it's always nice to consider those unique issues when doing something like this!
@@thijsvandenbroek5333 Old comment, but still: 28" is a wide range of rim diameters (from 622 to 642), 700c is ISO 622, 27" as used here is ISO 630, but 27" can mean ISO 609 to 630. The ISO measurement measures to the inside of the rim, just where the tire starts. Due to the wide range of different rims in inch measurements, I'd only use ETRTO/ ISO 5775 numbers. Current road bikes most often have 622, but smaller ones have 571 (which is 650C, not B).
Dearest RJ. Have you ever tried to "mix" wheels with different width in same bike? I am trying to restore a single speed bike with 700x28 rear wheel. I can't find its front wheel with the same size but a friend of mine can give me his 700x32 front wheel. And i'm wondering if you have tried this kind of combination :)
Hey RJ, nice video! I was thinking of building up a beater bike for winter, using an old frame i have. But I have a problem with it, I can't install my brake on the fork or rear because the hole is too small. should I drill it? or perhaps just forget about it...
THANKS MAN - very helpful as always , i might consider this upgrade as i have a new set of 700c wheels just sitting around - at current i am eyeballing an old varsity that i love , that has cruddy rims - might upgrade him
Nice job! Like the conversion process. I am wondering though - if the caliper centering was off, why would you loosen the mounting bolt to adjust the centering instead of simply using a 3mm Allen key on the centering adjustment screw?
On these brakes it's a phillips head screw. That is good for minor adjustments. So why not get the brakes centered to begin with and then use the screw for fine tuning.
Hi there ... Is that a steering lock ? Meaning a tool to prevent the wheel turning ( not for security) looking for something like that ) what is it called and how much was it ? Thank you
Aweosme videos! I just picked up a bike like this the other day and i want to do some modifications. is it possible to put smaller wheels on there? What's the smallest I can go? I'm trying to cut down some hight on it.
Ryan Olivares Putting smaller wheels on it is not the way to reduce height. Generally you buy a smaller bike. In the video the 700c wheels are only slightly smaller than the 27" wheels.
RJ The Bike Guy I know it's not the best way to do it but I'm starting to get desperate haha. I've been searching around for a smaller frame but no luck yet I just want to ride!
Seriously, starting with the right size bike is the way to go. Trying to put smaller wheels on to make it smaller is just a really bad idea. You won't be able to use rim brakes. The pedals may hit the ground when you pedal.
Hi there RJ,nice video again,just wondering if you can help.I have a old racing bike with 700c wheels and the tyres are 700-35c I have no mud guards on the bike because the diameter is such that they wont fit on, if I was to fit say a 700-28c tyres would the diamiter be reduced so maybe they will fit. many thanks from Wales uk
Thank's, many cracking informative video uploads.... I'm rebuilding an early 1980s Claud Butler bike using the Reynolds 531 frame, Chaining the wheels from 27 to 700c will i also need the long reach brake calipers on the 531 frame ?
531 is the steel the frame is made of. It has nothing to do with whether you will need long reach brakes. Maybe you will, maybe you won't. But probably.
Hey RJ. How do you suppose a vintage 10 speed road race bike that came with 25-630 slicks will perform on threaded 32-630 tires, like Continental Tour Ride? Any idea? I know rhey will be heavier, just wondering if you ever tried that.
I'm doing a similar conversion with an old Dawes frame, I have a drop of 57 mm. I am a Tektro fan even though I have Ultegra on my oher road bike. Do I buy Tektro R539 with a 47 to 59mm drop of R559 with a 55 to 73 mm drop? In my mind I'm thinking the R559 will be stronger as I'm working closer to short end of the design perameters. What are your thoughts?
@@RJTheBikeGuy I had an old set of 80s Shimano Tourney single pivot calipers with 55 to 73mm, put them in to check, just fits at the 55 end but I don't like the look, too much hanging down so I'm going for the R539. Thanks
Just wondering if you've used hubs that normally take a 7+ speed cassette and used a spacer? Or if you found hubs that are 6 speed. I'm also having problems making brakes reach and I really want to keep them since I have a whole Shimano 600 groupset 2x8 and I see they have an adapter that converts short reach brakes to long reach and I might do that because I really want to keep my tri color Shimano brakes since they work do well. Do you recomend getting an adapter that makes csntaliver brakes sit closer to the wheel or do you recommend getting all new brakes. It sucks because I just spent 150 for this whole Shimano 600 tri color groupset so I'm not sure what I should do. Thanks. I also have an aluminum frame that I managed to stretch from 6 speed to 8 speed. I know that's usually forbidden but it works with minor pressure applies to the rear triangle to make the time fit
hi rj, i think i mess it up! i got a newer bike w disc brakes(avid bb7) and dont have a clue have to get rid of the friction noise...damn it! i should've stay w old cantilevers.
Hi RJ, great Video, I am currently rebuilding my 23 year old vintage schwinn, having a hard time getting a replacement 27 wheel set, my option is to go 700c. I was wondering if you can share with me the model of the shimano brakes you got. That will greatly help my rebuild simpler. Thanks again for creating great videos
i just found a rusted to crap CCM Targa at the recycling depot at my local landfill the other day (in the bike area where they're left outside with a lot of other for sale crap but still definitely not taken care of). i've never had or gotten to work on a 27" bike or any sort of road bike before, i totally forgot you could even swap them for 700c's until just now, and i thought the targa was a lost cause because of this. tomorrow i'm gonna go pick it up (will probably cost me about 10 bucks, the money goes to keeping the recycling depot area running) and get to work on it. do you have any experience with targas or have any advice for me? i expect it's gonna be rough and i don't even know if i'll be able to fully rebuild it, but i can't wait!!
aeshir i'm also not sure if i'm actually gonna swap the wheels, it all depends how much money i want to dump into it and if i want to be able to carry the parts over to a more modern road bike if i ever build/buy one
aeshir I am not familiar with that specific model of bike. You will just have to figure it out as you go. I have lots of videos on various aspects of the job.
Thank you so much for respond. I got the same project but I have a SHIMANO 105 breaks. I'm waiting for the 700 c wheels shipping. I hope they work out. Thanks................< I LET YOU KNOW >
I have a 27 inch 12speed road bike looking to convert to a single speed Fixie bike with a flip flop wheel and front brake only. I wanted to see that very comparison between a 27 rim and a 700c. Thanks for the video.
I did a upgrade on my viking phantom not long ago I upgraded it from a 21 speed to a 30 speed, new bars, seat post, saddle, bottom bracket, brakes, derailleurs, break lever shifters, wheels, cranks and bar tape I had to gring the break mounts on frame sligthly wider so I could fit the new breaks
why did u decide to change from 27" to 700c,are there plus's & minus's to the 700c wheel?,apart from being modern of course :) just curious ok,were the old 27" wheels damaged?
ok tyres for 700c ( i checked the net)start @ $70 seems a bit steep,btw are they strong enough to go trail riding as iv'e seen a lot of new bikes from hardtails to hybrids with 700 c rims,would have thought they would go out of true very easily or are they built tougher?
neil crompton 700c is just the diameter. They come in a variety of widths and qualities. You can find cheaper 700c tires and more expensive ones. Pretty much all current road bikes come with 700c wheels/tires. Cyclocross bikes generally have 700c wheels/tires.
As you were working on that bike I noticed all the similarities to my '84 Schwinn Le Tour. The cable routing loops along the top tube, brakes and attaching hardware, brake levers, seat post and seat post bolt, crank set, pedals, and even the frame and fork seem to be basically identical. Is it possible that these bikes are the same, built in some overseas factory and just branded and sold by Raleigh and Schwinn?
Older bikes sometimes had 9 mm axles and lugs with narrower clearance so you'd have to remove some metal there, which could compromise wheel alignment. Best keep the old hubs
Hi RJ, I have an old 46cm Miyata Pavea 77 road bike with 650c. However, I'm having a hard time finding 650c wheelsets for it. Is it possible to put in 26inch wheelsets on it? I wonder if it would enough clearance to accommodate the wider rim and tires.
Hey! Have you tried swapping 650c to 700c? (probably won't work but i'm asking so i don't end up buying larger wheels and they'll won't fit) Thanks for answer ;)
Do you recommend against going from 700c to 26'? I have a road/hybrid bike that's just a tad uncomfortable for me to mount, and I was hoping a smaller wheel size would bring the height down a touch.
26" could be 559mm, or 590mm. The latter (26× 1 3/8) are pretty close in size to 700C, which are 622mm. If you mount 35-37mm tires the difference in height will be like 4-8mm. So, a conversion could actually work.
When people say 26" they are generally referring to mountain bike wheels which are 559. That is A LOT smaller than 622!!! The pedals would probably be hitting the ground. Or do you think they were thinking of replacing modern 700c with antique wheels?
590 are quite common in Europe and Japan, especially in road and city bikes. Nothing antique about it. You can get relatively popular tires from Continental or Schwalbe for them. But, the OP wanted to bring down height for easier mounting, and I agree, that's not the way to go for that. The conversion itself is possible.
Hi RJ, I have a vintage bike with 27inch. The hub length is 8.5cm. I have a set of 700c wheels with hub length of 10cm. I’m not able today stretch my fork 1.5cm. Any advice?
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Hello Sir, I'm rebuilding my 25yr old bike frame for 27" wheels, since 700c rims are now common, could I know the range adjustment of that long reach brakes? Thank You.
Sir, the Shimano super slr says 57mm reach, is this adequate?
@@haldyordan2316 You have to try them and see.
What I like about RJ: Even a really old, junky, typical, mainstream bike is a "really cool bike". :) Plus, he works barefoot in his garage!
Right now I'm looking at your Vintage Bike Upgrade.from 27" to 700c. What I like about this one is that you talked about towing your brakes to stop them from squeaking when it's wet outside. That's what I'm talking about. You bring back great memories. That's something we would do back in the day in Cleveland, Ohio. The group I road with (The Easy Riders); God, I really miss those guys. Like I said man, "I love what you do; keep it up." Peace!
I have been building bikes for myself all my life and it's always nice to see new ways or old ways to upgrade a vintage racer.
Thanks RJ! I just converted my vintage 10-speed into a 14-speed, with the 700c wheels! Also installed a used 6 speed derailleur and it's work's for 7! None of us would have been possible without your videos! Never would have attempted this if I never seen this video!
Yes, SIS RDs all have the same cable pull ratio.
Thanks! I have the same bike that I bought at Goodwill for $12.95, and overhauled for about $150. It's just a hair tall for me. It looked like I could switch to 700c with minimal work, but I wasn't positive. The lower height should help, and having more options for wheels and tires will be nice. I didn't expect to find a video of my exact bike. I also want to set the original wheels aside since they still have the original stickers and are still in usable shape.
RJ - This video clearly illustrates the dual-function of the Park Tool Co. cable-housing cutters, which also appear in your video about tools. Some Viewers (me included) may not have been aware of the crimping function also included in that cutter design. The pair I bought has two different crimping functions - one for cable end-caps, and another for housing ferrules. Well done. I have and old Raleigh Grand Prix that deserves similar 700c modernization.
Thanks for this video, I followed along to swap 27" to 700c and found that my brakes had enough distance in them to cover the difference!
In his original calipers, I could see the brake pad stems would have lowered to fit the 700's. He already bought the new calipers and so pushed through the conversion.Those side pull Shimano's are better anyway, but they don't 'look' vintage.
after schwinn went out of business after a million years along comes Trek, Cannondale etc... and those vintage bikes are very nice and i can only imagine how they ride too. like vintage cars those vintage bikes you bring back to life etc.. you make them look great again. very cool videos.
schwinn is still in business
This was a great learning video, great job! On a separate note, my personal preference is keep bicycles looking as they were to retain the classic feel. This is good to know, however in case all the 27" wheels disappear from the Earth. (or I just can't find one if needed) :)
Hey, thanks. I'm just getting started working on a bike again for the first time in 20+ years. I found a cheap, but really nice Gitane at a yard sale. It just needs to be freshened up. Your videos are great. Over time I'll fix this thing up to better than new.
I have a Gitane Professional Tour De France frame that I will be build up at some point. Hopefully this summer/
I’m restoring an old Peugeot U-08 I think??? By the replacement decals I found this is what I have. Me and my brother old beater as kid’s. My youngest son wants it back original!! So we will.I love older bikes because they are sturdy and can be modified with videos like yours RJ so thanks for all you do for people who like to think outside the box and do what LBS says I can’t do. You rock man
Thanks, RJ! This video helped me out with upgrading an old 10 speed with modern parts.
RJ, your videos are great. Thanks for the planning work you do to keep them short and concise, while still covering everything.
Thanks RJ. Doing exactly the same upgrade on a mid 90's Schwinn World Sport I rescued from the trash. New subscriber here. You're going to turn me into a tech... Hooray!
You're kidding right? My neighbor had a dark blue one sitting out by the curb and I picked it up! Gonna do the same exact thing!
@@No5elfCTRL Are you serious. I want to do this to my 81' Sports Tour 2x5 so I can get gravel tires and 6 speed freewheel. Run 700c x 35 0r 38's
Tengo una schwinn sprint 27, hiciste alguna modificación o solo cambio de rueda a 28
I want to do this with my project bike, but with a slight difference. I want to keep my original hubs and rebuild a wheel with aluminium rims. The wheels i've got have badly corroded rims and the spokes are awful. I've measured my brake calipers and they will easily accept 700 rims. Great video! You are truely an inspiration to many.
www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B004H1UA9Y/ref=nosim/youtube25-20
Other than your mentioned advantages of the 700c wheels does the original 27 inch wheels not functioning well reason you're replacing it? Just thought the whole bike is already cool the way it is including original wheels, but good video. Thanks
Best brake course I have seen......so easy to follow and accept the true simplicity of this task....based on your video, of course.
Hey RJ great videos I will say one thing on Tires, yes you get a wider variety of Sizes in 700c but unless you want to get really narrow or really fat there are PLENTY of 27" tires in a nice range of sizes out there from 1 inch (25c) to 1 3/8 inch (37c) in addition to the ubiquitous 1 1/14 (32c) by numerous makers. People who claim that "you can't find 27 inch tires" have simply not looked.
Oh nice, so if I get an old bike that comes with 27 1 1/4, I don't have to change the rim to 700 to get a wider tire? You're saying I can just change it to 27 x 1 3/8 and that's it? I like wider tires, and I notice these older bikes have the girl ones where you can step through them which I need with groceries on the back. If is so thanks in advance!
This is great stuff, I've watched a few of your other videos. These videos are great references and very relevant. I cant wait to take apart my old Schwinn continental and do a few upgrades. This was exactly what I was looking for. Thank you!
Depending on how old it is, might be a PITA. Most of those old Schwinns had weird sized parts. 21.15mm stem and odd sized head tube. Ashtabula BB. Though you can get an adapter for that. th-cam.com/video/7xTJ4ZmWmU8/w-d-xo.html
And the things weighed a ton.
Cool bike! I remember lusting after this model at my LBS as a kid. If I ever run across a 58 or 60cm it's gonna be hard to resist.
I did this several years ago to my Panisonic bike that was made in the 80's. I've gone through a lot of money upgrading the bike,and have actually spent really more then the bike is worth, but I like the older style frames. I put on 700c Mavic rims with 105 hubs, 9 gears in the back. Then I put on new Ultegra cranks and derailleurs so I have gone from a 12 speed to 27. The one thing that I did that others may not agree with is that I did not go to index shifters in the brake handles, rather I have a old Suntour shifter that I have on the gooseneck. I'm a older guy, and I don't like bending down to the lower tube, and I don't like them on the brake levers, so for me this was the logical choice. I have to say, it's made a lot of difference in the way the bike rides and handles.
I have a Panasonic from the 80's that I want to do the same thing: Mavic wheels, 105 brakes and crank, but I am to reuse the Suntour shift. I am older also.
Great idea. I just spent weeks waiting for some tyres for my old Nishiki 27" road bike. It's still in pretty good nick but parts are getting tough to source these days. Cheers.
Keep the 27" wheels, they roll really well. And you can get quality rims & tires for them pretty easily.
Yes but it’s not easy in my country to find 27 inch wheels and is un-economical not to buy 700c
I wanted to get black rims for my vintage Schwann world sport, 630mm? I can’t find em... thinking of changing wheel soze
The size of the wheel has absolutely no relation to how well it rolls. That only has to due with rolling resistance. (Bearings, wheel true, tires etc.)
@@twigscampi well no thats not entirely true, at the time he wrote that comment, 27.5 inch tires had much wider options available than 700cc tires making them smoother. Now 700cc makes them as wide so its a height preference.
@@fanlbc Yeah, a different tire is going to make a difference but the rim size itself wouldn't change anything. imo. Also they've been making super wide 700c tires sense 1991 (the advent of 29" mtb tires/wheels) so they were around when that guy commented a year ago lol.
one of my favorite RJ videos
To toe in brakes I like to fold some card and place it at the back of the block while tightening the nut.
Alternatively you can use a small zip tie around the block too.
can you make a tutorial on how to make a good 'bolt drop' for people who don't want to change to a long reach brake? I have a vintage frame but want to use my ultegra groupset and I really want to use the brakes that came with the groupset. Thanks so much! your videos are super helpful!!
Vartan Ghazarian, that is a Park Tool HBH-2 Handle Bar Holder. It cost under $20. It's nice to keep the handlebars straight and the wheel out of the way when you are working on a bike. Here it is at Amazon.com: www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000QSXPL2/ref=nosim/youtube25-20
RJ The Bike Guy I was about to ask this question, thanks a lot for the very informative videos!!!
+RJ The Bike Guy is your bike a tange/reynolds?,i saw the sticker on the seat tube :)
i just got a malvern star (1 star) tange 900 cro mo frame & fork (it's an australian bike) & was wondering how to measure the drop on the caliper?,great idea for another video :)
my bike has shimano calipers with the pointed nut (like yours) btw what are the replacements you fitted?,they look like shimano sora to me & what's the difference in the drop?
could i use a dropper bolt on the cro mo frame/fork instead of replacing the calipers?
It's Raleigh 555sl double butted chrome moly.
Measure from the center of the mount hole to the center of the rim. That is the drop of brakes you will need. Measure from the center of the bolt to the center of the pad is the drop of the brakes (measure with the pad up and down for the range) www.sheldonbrown.com/images/caliperreach266.jpg
RJ The Bike Guy isnt 28 what all road bikes have?
The best bike channel. Thank you for the tips to! Happy wrenchin
Awesome video thanks! I have a 1986 Cannondale that I love, but it needs a new back wheel. Regarding the caliper length, do you know how many millimeters is standard for these old bikes? Also, where did you buy your wheel? Thanks much!!
thank you so much for the good information I used to repair way back in the day when I was 9 years old I am 48 years old now
Thanks for posting this instructive video. I have a superb Raleigh Record Ace, early eighties, and am considering changing from 27" to 700. It's a very high end bike, Reynolds 531 tubes and forks, Campagnolo derailers, and presently Rigida rims with Campagnolo Veloce hubs and an eight-speed cassette. I've changed the previous Weinnman 605 original levers for the most beautiful Mafac Competition 2000 Gold centre pulls. These will allow for the lowering of the brake pads if and when I do change rims, tires, AND hubs. These will have to be top range. I think it's going to cost me an arm and a leg! Thanks again, I'll keep watching your videos.
Thanks mate, very cool vid. I've been wondering the pros/cons of this for a while, and seems that if your brakes fit, there are no cons (except for vintage poseur rights)! Nice work. Will continue to watch. Keep it up!
I wrestled with the idea of leaving it stock.
I generally like your videos. You have a lot of innovative techniques for removing gauled and worn parts that are quite useful and helpful. In antique collection Original Fabric is best. Followed by Condition. If I find an old bike of any kind I just clean it up and service it. If it has missing pieces that aren't cheap or readily available I would and have substituted some that are just to keep the bike on the road. A useable bike being worth more than a non runner. That way someone that wants a completely original version of any bike can at least ride it until they find and purchase the missing parts.
Great video. How did you keep 6-speed? Is it a modern freehub with spacers? What is the hub and cassette situation?
Thanks for make my day now I want a vintage bike with upgrades.
interestingly, I prefer to keep bicycles as they were 'born'. :) usually i prefer to buy a new bicycle and keep the old ones looking classic! ...curious, since its been 2 years since your comment, did you get a vintage bicycle?
Ricardo Acebedo da fak is 700 inch and 700 c ?? canto you Spike like people ?!?
Hey rj binging your vdos since I subscribed and man u know the stuff. A quick question though I have 27 x1-1/4 wheel to 700c ? Please suggest
thanks! very helpful! I was planning with my bike to fit 700c, but the advices were to cut the frame to fit the rims and brakes! much less hassle and budget... thanks man!
Ok this might be not right but In case you just need couple of mm could you have filed down the brake pad slots? I went thru really 2 different brands and figured out that 57mm drop is what I need but I’d like to keep the better old one thank you! Great videos as always
Didn't need to cut perfectly good cables. Undoing the cable clamp would work just as well--unless the cables were indentified as needed replacing. That avoids threading new cable and fitting into the levers.
Those cables were likely as old as the bike. They had a dull grey appearance and were likely cruddy.
Thanks for the info. You just saved me from possible frustration.
Thanks . Will convert 80's road bike to 700c electric FRONT small 250 watt motor. Will leave rear gears alone (27 inch wheel) and have small assist when hitting hills. Appreciate your help.
Rotating the brake adjuster clockwise (up) is tightening. I know, its a tricky thing to remember, but the Bowden cable system uses the cable housing tension for minor adjustment to the cable. The cable wire, once fixed, never is adjusted shorter or longer with the adjustment screws, only more or less tension is applied by them.
Those Shimano brakes also come in black. Just installed some on a fork that didnt work with short reach calipers.
first mitsake you made was the new callipers cable stop is on the other side which is a NO NO..
Doing videos that others dont do: great work RJ
For those converting a cantilever brake equipped bike from 27" to 700c wheels you may find that some cantilever models' pad mounts will not allow you to lower the pads enough to align with the smaller 700c rims' sidewalls. In those cases, as with the caliper brake equipped 27" wheel framesets, you'll need to replace the brakes.
They suit the frame a lot better, even though its only a small difference.
Hey RJ can you do a video on how to measure the drop length for the brakes? I have an older 10 speed that I am wanting to update a bit, and one of the things I would like to do is the actual brakes, I've replaced the levers with aero style already, but the actual brake drops are confusing me a bit. There's not much information online, but everything I've read is giving me a measurement of a drop of 69 for the brakes. Does that make sense? Older 10 speed with 27" tires and Shimano Tourney Center pull brakes. Many thanks, I LOVE you're videos.
hey RJ, all these bikes you restore. do you ride them for urself or sell them on?
He won't answer you.
@@20alphabet I don't understand. Is it bad to restore bikes and sell them? I can't imagine he keeps them all.
Hey, so I had the issue where it was too short. One solution you can do which works for me is to put a slightly thick piece of metal and drill two screw holes into the top to be strongly in the calliper and not move and one under the calliper for the brake pad. Works flawlessly for me, if anything, too well.
Seems like ur the only bike TH-camr to have high quality tools apart from park tool lol. Seems like so many other bike people buy everything park tool, then cheap out on ratchets, sockets, wrenches etc lol. Not a castigation in anyway, just an observation lol
I picked up one of these bikes a while back............call it my Evel Knievel, or my 4 of July bike LOL. Its a pretty cool classic ride. Wish there was a smaller lower chaining for that front classic crank spider set up though. These old 12 speeds need a granny gear sometimes. Yep, Tire selection sucks too.
Is it ever worth it to save the cables and reuse them? I've done this before as a kid riding bmx. Now days, I see videos always just cutting the cables and putting in new ones. I guess I'm tight in that way. If cables seem still good I would re-use them, as long as they are not frayed at all.
I don't. Cables wear out, get cruddy, frayed, etc. They should be replaced periodically. Would you reuse the oil in your car? Or buy fresh oil?
C'mon, apples to apples. A cable that is in good shape is very much different than reusing motor oil. In an auto. you will cause catastrophic damage to your engine, if oil is reused. Not so, if you reuse a cable that seems to be in good shape-not frayed. Other than being frayed, I've seen decades old cable get a rust-like quality to them (Hawaii air) They get brown and get some rust dust particles in the cable and some do get frail and /or overly stiff. I've never seen or heard of a brake cable failing though. My dad (RIP) used to mess around with bikes a lot when I was a kid back even to when cables were a mechanical arm linkage and many bikes had Bendix foot brakes. My dad was overly thrifty back then. Living through the depression makes you like that. Times have changed.
i suppose if you are super cheap, you can wait until there are problems. However, it will be less work to swap them when you have everything apart.
Plus, if you always wait for shit to break before you replace it, you guarantee poor performance and possibly having a breakdown.
And personally, I'd rather have catastrophic damage to my car's engine than my own face on account of a brake cable snapping.
i see what you mean about the cables if its a commuter or a low end bike i usually keep them but to replace them it will run me about $20 or less so for a hi end sell i would replace them but a low cost bike i will try and save them
Po Zr Agree cables last forever unless U brake like a maniac, just double check them its good enough!! Mine last Me for many years!
Can you recommend a good value 700c wheelset for a project like this? I'm upgrading a 1982 Trek 311so its a similar situation. Not looking to break the bank just improving the ride quality
Nope. You gotta shop around. I bought these wheels on craigslist.
A couple of points to bear in mind with a conversion like this - the braking power is reduced as the pads are moved further away from the pivot (less leverage). Also, the bike now sits lower and the chance of a pedal strike on the road has increased. Older 27" tyres were relatively tall in construction whereas modern 700c tyres have a lower aspect ratio. When you take into consideration the 4mm reduction in radius and lower tyre profile, pedal contact is obviously more likely on corners.
I think few milimeters of difference is totally insignificant. If only 4mm is missing for you in a corner, you are already riding beyond the safety limit. The settings of the original brakes in the video is almost good for the new rim, I don't think that this swap changes anything noticeably.
SC24 - those are great points! I am included to agree with Gabor Moczik on the actual effects, BUT it's always nice to consider those unique issues when doing something like this!
SC24 isnt 28 the wheel size all road bikes have?
@@thijsvandenbroek5333 Old comment, but still: 28" is a wide range of rim diameters (from 622 to 642), 700c is ISO 622, 27" as used here is ISO 630, but 27" can mean ISO 609 to 630. The ISO measurement measures to the inside of the rim, just where the tire starts. Due to the wide range of different rims in inch measurements, I'd only use ETRTO/ ISO 5775 numbers. Current road bikes most often have 622, but smaller ones have 571 (which is 650C, not B).
Really? Check just how small 4mm is. You might has well advise people not to use long cranks.
Dude. Your the best. Keep the vids coming.
Dearest RJ. Have you ever tried to "mix" wheels with different width in same bike? I am trying to restore a single speed bike with 700x28 rear wheel. I can't find its front wheel with the same size but a friend of mine can give me his 700x32 front wheel. And i'm wondering if you have tried this kind of combination :)
Hey RJ, nice video! I was thinking of building up a beater bike for winter, using an old frame i have. But I have a problem with it, I can't install my brake on the fork or rear because the hole is too small. should I drill it? or perhaps just forget about it...
I am guessing this is your issue: th-cam.com/video/74RBbMoAy4k/w-d-xo.html
+RJ The Bike Guy ty
Thank you for the video and explanation.
Great job on the videos they are very good and you do a great job instructing. Thanks
THANKS MAN - very helpful as always , i might consider this upgrade as i have a new set of 700c wheels just sitting around - at current i am eyeballing an old varsity that i love , that has cruddy rims - might upgrade him
Hang on I thought 700c was closer to 28 inch so slightly larger? Did you just say they were slightly smaller in diameter?
Nice job! Like the conversion process. I am wondering though - if the caliper centering was off, why would you loosen the mounting bolt to adjust the centering instead of simply using a 3mm Allen key on the centering adjustment screw?
On these brakes it's a phillips head screw. That is good for minor adjustments. So why not get the brakes centered to begin with and then use the screw for fine tuning.
Absolutely nothing at all - only had me scratching my head as you didn't mention that adjustment. I'm really enjoying your video's. :-)
Thanks I saw an old Miele but was 27inch might reconsider this as newer 700c rims an tires are easily had
RJ ur the boss. Can u tell me which bike stand do U have in ur garage pls ? I mean which brand and model. Greetings from Poland.
Minoura. I bought it used. It works okay.
Hi there ... Is that a steering lock ? Meaning a tool to prevent the wheel turning ( not for security) looking for something like that ) what is it called and how much was it ?
Thank you
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昔の自転車を見て懐かしく自分のものとの比較しています。
Aweosme videos! I just picked up a bike like this the other day and i want to do some modifications. is it possible to put smaller wheels on there? What's the smallest I can go? I'm trying to cut down some hight on it.
Ryan Olivares Putting smaller wheels on it is not the way to reduce height. Generally you buy a smaller bike. In the video the 700c wheels are only slightly smaller than the 27" wheels.
RJ The Bike Guy I know it's not the best way to do it but I'm starting to get desperate haha. I've been searching around for a smaller frame but no luck yet I just want to ride!
Seriously, starting with the right size bike is the way to go. Trying to put smaller wheels on to make it smaller is just a really bad idea. You won't be able to use rim brakes. The pedals may hit the ground when you pedal.
Hi there RJ,nice video again,just wondering if you can help.I have a old racing bike with 700c wheels and the tyres are 700-35c I have no mud guards on the bike because the diameter is such that they wont fit on, if I was to fit say a 700-28c tyres would the diamiter be reduced so maybe they will fit. many thanks from Wales uk
No idea. You will have to try it. It all depends on the particular bike and tires and wheels.
Thanks for videos and all info,
What is the widest tire you have installed on the vintage road bike? Such as 700x35?
I think 700x32. Different bikes are different.
@@RJTheBikeGuy Thank you, Sir, keep it up!!
Thank's, many cracking informative video uploads.... I'm rebuilding an early 1980s Claud Butler bike using the Reynolds 531 frame, Chaining the wheels from 27 to 700c will i also need the long reach brake calipers on the 531 frame ?
531 is the steel the frame is made of. It has nothing to do with whether you will need long reach brakes. Maybe you will, maybe you won't. But probably.
@@RJTheBikeGuy ....cheers :)
I learnt a lot from this video. Thanks🙂
your videos are so helpful man. thank you!
Hey RJ.
How do you suppose a vintage 10 speed road race bike that came with 25-630 slicks will perform on threaded 32-630 tires, like Continental Tour Ride? Any idea? I know rhey will be heavier, just wondering if you ever tried that.
Tires are a personal thing. Just be sure the fatter tires will fit inside your fork and chain stays.
RJ is there any other way aside from using long reach calipers? Adapters or something? Cause i have the short calipers
Then get some long reach calipers. Or stay with 27" wheels.
RJ The Bike Guy okay thanks :)
I'm doing a similar conversion with an old Dawes frame, I have a drop of 57 mm. I am a Tektro fan even though I have Ultegra on my oher road bike. Do I buy Tektro R539 with a 47 to 59mm drop of R559 with a 55 to 73 mm drop? In my mind I'm thinking the R559 will be stronger as I'm working closer to short end of the design perameters. What are your thoughts?
Dunno. Sounds like either may work.
@@RJTheBikeGuy I had an old set of 80s Shimano Tourney single pivot calipers with 55 to 73mm, put them in to check, just fits at the 55 end but I don't like the look, too much hanging down so I'm going for the R539. Thanks
I have question sir,what about the 27x1/4 rimset can the 700x35c tire put in 27x1/4??? I want my bike become tracklocross
Just wondering if you've used hubs that normally take a 7+ speed cassette and used a spacer? Or if you found hubs that are 6 speed. I'm also having problems making brakes reach and I really want to keep them since I have a whole Shimano 600 groupset 2x8 and I see they have an adapter that converts short reach brakes to long reach and I might do that because I really want to keep my tri color Shimano brakes since they work do well. Do you recomend getting an adapter that makes csntaliver brakes sit closer to the wheel or do you recommend getting all new brakes. It sucks because I just spent 150 for this whole Shimano 600 tri color groupset so I'm not sure what I should do. Thanks. I also have an aluminum frame that I managed to stretch from 6 speed to 8 speed. I know that's usually forbidden but it works with minor pressure applies to the rear triangle to make the time fit
th-cam.com/video/Jrd5XAQfgaA/w-d-xo.html
hi rj, i think i mess it up! i got a newer bike w disc brakes(avid bb7) and dont have a clue have to get rid of the friction noise...damn it! i should've stay w old cantilevers.
Hi RJ, great Video, I am currently rebuilding my 23 year old vintage schwinn, having a hard time getting a replacement 27 wheel set, my option is to go 700c. I was wondering if you can share with me the model of the shimano brakes you got. That will greatly help my rebuild simpler. Thanks again for creating great videos
This is the current version of what I used.
www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B005DTQ6UQ/ref=nosim/youtube25-20
Hi Mr. RJ thanks a lot. Once again great videos and very informative.
@@RJTheBikeGuy thanks for info exactly what i was looking for. your videos are timeless.. Im upgrading 83 Panasonic, love them.
i just found a rusted to crap CCM Targa at the recycling depot at my local landfill the other day (in the bike area where they're left outside with a lot of other for sale crap but still definitely not taken care of). i've never had or gotten to work on a 27" bike or any sort of road bike before, i totally forgot you could even swap them for 700c's until just now, and i thought the targa was a lost cause because of this. tomorrow i'm gonna go pick it up (will probably cost me about 10 bucks, the money goes to keeping the recycling depot area running) and get to work on it. do you have any experience with targas or have any advice for me? i expect it's gonna be rough and i don't even know if i'll be able to fully rebuild it, but i can't wait!!
aeshir i'm also not sure if i'm actually gonna swap the wheels, it all depends how much money i want to dump into it and if i want to be able to carry the parts over to a more modern road bike if i ever build/buy one
aeshir I am not familiar with that specific model of bike. You will just have to figure it out as you go. I have lots of videos on various aspects of the job.
Thank you so much for respond.
I got the same project but I have a SHIMANO 105 breaks.
I'm waiting for the 700 c wheels shipping. I hope they work out.
Thanks................< I LET YOU KNOW >
+cava1962 They work perfect....
You got a great videos............
I have a 27 inch 12speed road bike looking to convert to a single speed Fixie bike with a flip flop wheel and front brake only. I wanted to see that very comparison between a 27 rim and a 700c. Thanks for the video.
I did a upgrade on my viking phantom not long ago I upgraded it from a 21 speed to a 30 speed, new bars, seat post, saddle, bottom bracket, brakes, derailleurs, break lever shifters, wheels, cranks and bar tape I had to gring the break mounts on frame sligthly wider so I could fit the new breaks
I am going to be doing some of that on this bike. It will be fun.
Thanks big help for me,again thank you keep up the good work God bless 🙏
may i ask a question, this kind a dumb but can i put 700c fork in 27 wheelset?
why did u decide to change from 27" to 700c,are there plus's & minus's to the 700c wheel?,apart from being modern of course :) just curious ok,were the old 27" wheels damaged?
neil crompton 700c are more current, have wider variety of tires. They don't even make bikes with 27" wheels today that I am aware of.
ok tyres for 700c ( i checked the net)start @ $70 seems a bit steep,btw are they strong enough to go trail riding as iv'e seen a lot of new bikes from hardtails to hybrids with 700 c rims,would have thought they would go out of true very easily or are they built tougher?
neil crompton 700c is just the diameter. They come in a variety of widths and qualities. You can find cheaper 700c tires and more expensive ones. Pretty much all current road bikes come with 700c wheels/tires. Cyclocross bikes generally have 700c wheels/tires.
As you were working on that bike I noticed all the similarities to my '84 Schwinn Le Tour. The cable routing loops along the top tube, brakes and attaching hardware, brake levers, seat post and seat post bolt, crank set, pedals, and even the frame and fork seem to be basically identical. Is it possible that these bikes are the same, built in some overseas factory and just branded and sold by Raleigh and Schwinn?
I doubt it.
lovely looking bike that
Can you do the reverse with a 700c fixie frame (with 120mm rear dropouts) & install 27 1&1/4 sturmey archer 3 speed wheelset?
Older bikes sometimes had 9 mm axles and lugs with narrower clearance so you'd have to remove some metal there, which could compromise wheel alignment. Best keep the old hubs
Rear are axles are typically 10mm. Front wrench axles are typically 9mm. Nutted axles are usually 3/8" or 5/16".
Great video. Where do you buy your bike parts from?
www.rjthebikeguy.com/faq/
Hi RJ, I have an old 46cm Miyata Pavea 77 road bike with 650c. However, I'm having a hard time finding 650c wheelsets for it. Is it possible to put in 26inch wheelsets on it? I wonder if it would enough clearance to accommodate the wider rim and tires.
26" mountain bike rims are smaller than 650c and the brakes will have issues reaching. Depends on the frame if wider tires will fit.
Okay. Thank you, RJ! keep those informative videos coming.
Hey! Have you tried swapping 650c to 700c? (probably won't work but i'm asking so i don't end up buying larger wheels and they'll won't fit) Thanks for answer ;)
+jgvbadv I doubt 700c wheels will fit on a frame made for 650c. That is a pretty big difference.
Is it possible to fit a 700c fork and wheelset to a 26er frame with integrated headtube? Thank you
Nice conversion again, you are a real bike guy. Is that grey car yours?
That was my wife's car. She has a black car now.
Haloo.. What type of shimano u brake replace..?
will 27.5 wheel work on a 27 1 1/4 shwinn continental?
Do you recommend against going from 700c to 26'?
I have a road/hybrid bike that's just a tad uncomfortable for me to mount, and I was hoping a smaller wheel size would bring the height down a touch.
+misamisatv No. Brakes won't reach. Pedals would likely hit the ground. Buy a smaller bike.
RJ The Bike Guy Thank you for your reply! It's a shame because I really really like this bike.. :'(
26" could be 559mm, or 590mm. The latter (26× 1 3/8) are pretty close in size to 700C, which are 622mm.
If you mount 35-37mm tires the difference in height will be like 4-8mm. So, a conversion could actually work.
When people say 26" they are generally referring to mountain bike wheels which are 559. That is A LOT smaller than 622!!! The pedals would probably be hitting the ground. Or do you think they were thinking of replacing modern 700c with antique wheels?
590 are quite common in Europe and Japan, especially in road and city bikes. Nothing antique about it. You can get relatively popular tires from Continental or Schwalbe for them. But, the OP wanted to bring down height for easier mounting, and I agree, that's not the way to go for that. The conversion itself is possible.
Hi RJ, I have a vintage bike with 27inch. The hub length is 8.5cm. I have a set of 700c wheels with hub length of 10cm. I’m not able today stretch my fork 1.5cm. Any advice?
If it's a steel fork, you can cold set it out to 100mm. At your own risk of course. But's not uncommon.