Originally Posted by
woodrupjoe
I worked in bike shops in my college years (1970s) and have always been a bike nut, but I don't recall when 700c wheels became the new standard. Why are 700c wheelsets considered an upgrade from stock 27"? I'm not sure I could tell the difference if I was riding a bike and didn't know what wheels were on it.
What I read and I wish I could find the link right now because I know I will screw up some of this is one of the tire manufactures came up with 27's trying to corner the market.
700's were actually 1st, the 27's came and the tire manufacture cut some deal with one of the large bicycle manufactures to build with 27 inch wheels for their bikes and they cut some deal for really low price on the tires for X years to cover the retooling. The tires size I think for a while was proprietary/patented on the size assuring no competition in the aftermarket. The bike manufacture was big enough that it made a significant impact on the market and other companies followed suit like lemmings because supposedly they were better.