Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Going from 27 1/4 to smaller

OK, I mean wheels, not pants:) Happy to be back in my college 34" from 36'", btw.

But, recently I got a new bike - Specialized Roubaix - and the transition from 27 1/4" wheels to 700 seems to be more difficult than I could ever imagine:(

Anybody else experienced it?

I'm going from 26" to 700 wheels, and I'm pretty wobbly a week into the change, but I'm getting better.

No, I loved the transition, frankly. Your selection of tires is far better. The only real problem is that 700c is a mother to change a tire, because of the tight bead.

As to how they roll, and sheer wheel strength, especially with a wheel like the Deep V from Velocity or other deep section wheels? Well, there's just no comparison at all to a 27" wheel with a box rim.

Yes, I like the strength, they stay true unlike the old ones.

I guess I am more out of shape than I thought :(

It may just be that your gears are taller than you're used to. My Schwinn has a final top gear of 48:18 and my Allez has 53:12.

OK, I mean wheels, not pants:) Happy to be back in my college 34" from 36'", btw.

But, recently I got a new bike - Specialized Roubaix - and the transition from 27 1/4" wheels to 700 seems to be more difficult than I could ever imagine:(

Anybody else experienced it?

What size tire do you have?
I just changed my 700C X 23 to 700C X 25.
But guess what? The new tires are actually 700C X 21.
Stiff as a rock and squirrelly.
Measure your tires you may not have what they say they are.

It's more in your head and frame. Your head thinks it's different so you say it is hard. More then likely, your new bike's frame has steep, twitchy geometry compared to your old bike.

As for the tire being harder to istall, that is a good thing. A tighter fit means the likelihood of a tire rolling off when you flat is low.

Not to mention rolling off the rim in a very high speed corner......which I've had happen on the older box rims. :eek:
It's more in your head and frame. Your head thinks it's different so you say it is hard. More then likely, your new bike's frame has steep, twitchy geometry compared to your old bike.

As for the tire being harder to istall, that is a good thing. A tighter fit means the likelihood of a tire rolling off when you flat is low.

I'm going from 26" to 700 wheels, and I'm pretty wobbly a week into the change, but I'm getting better.

Give 'er another week, and you'll be like a pro. WHen I first got my Trek FX it took me about two weeks to be fully comfortable with it. I think the "over the top" was the first time I blasted around a corner at speed - and didn't lose a whole lot of said speed. I still kind of miss that bike... :(

To the OP: Give it some time, and watch your ratios. While I can spin nearly the biggest combo available on my 26in MTB quite often, I've used the biggest combo on my touring bike all of once.

What size tire do you have?
I just changed my 700C X 23 to 700C X 25.
But guess what? The new tires are actually 700C X 21.
Stiff as a rock and squirrelly.
Measure your tires you may not have what they say they are.

+100000

My 700x37 continentals look about as wide as the 700x32 Bontragers I had on my FX (which were excellent, btw), albeit definitely a lot taller. They roll about the same, though, so either the 700x32's were wide or the 700x37's are narrow for their size..

I'm going from 26" to 700 wheels, and I'm pretty wobbly a week into the change, but I'm getting better.

I went from 26 to 700 in an hour. Seriously. I think you are anticipating a problem, and thus creating one.

Give 'er another week, and you'll be like a pro. WHen I first got my Trek FX it took me about two weeks to be fully comfortable with it. I think the "over the top" was the first time I blasted around a corner at speed - and didn't lose a whole lot of said speed. I still kind of miss that bike... :(


I think the reason you, and now Neil F., had such a problem is that you are faster riders than I am. When I rode Roark, I didn't have the wobble the two of you spoke of.

I destroyed my 27" wheels pretty quickly - the longer spokes do weaken the wheel a little bit IMO and opinions from the mechanics are they don't make good 27" wheels (36 spokes at least) anymore.

When I went to 700cs I immediately could climb where I couldn't before, faster, longer...it was like Viagra for bikes! :eek:

Problem could be more with the wheels - what are on them now?

When I went to 700cs I immediately could climb where I couldn't before, faster, longer...it was like Viagra for bikes! :eek:

I went from 27 x 1 1/4 on an '85 Trek to 700c x 23 on a '07 Scott. And I agree, faster, longer, better. It was I was on a perpetual high, easy to do corners, climbs, etc. Part of it is attributed to a much lighter bike. I've been riding for about 7 months now of which 6 months were on the 'vintage' Trek.

I'm not a clydesdale, but i'm trying to shed a lot of weight after a 1+ year of inactivity. I read this sub-forum for inspiration.