Classic & Vintage - any new bikes still made with 590 mm / 26 x 1 3/8 E.A.3 / 650A wheels?

I'm wondering if they are still building bikes with this wheel size. Anyone ever see any new bikes with this size of tire? I still see the tires for sale in the local hardware stores - are the tires sold just for all the old English 3 speeds still going out there or for new bikes I don't seem to find? Everything seems to use mountain bike or 700C sized wheels. (BTW, I'm looking for 650A wheels with alloy rims for a project....)

I've read that it's a very popular tire/wheel size in Japan, so perhaps in other Asian countries as well. There's a wide variety of 650A tires available in Japan.

Neal

I'm looking for 650A wheels with alloy rims for a project....)

If you find a source, please post it for the rest of us.
I would love find a bunch of these to upgrade my old 3 speed bikes.
Apparently Nashbar used to carry some that were either their own brand or Alex rims, but I don't think they have them anymore.:(

http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/rims/590.html
Harris Cyclery has rims, but not wheels.

For some reason, my local K-Mart has a ridiculous abundance of 26 1/4 tires. I ran all around town, to all the bike shops, and kept getting shut down, but K-Mart is, for some reason, all about this tire size.

http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/rims/590.html
Harris Cyclery has rims, but not wheels.

Thanks for that!
I had seen the Sun rims but dismissed them as not looking right on a vintage bike. I hadn't seen the Weinmanns though. I still don't like the profile, but they would be better.

Well, a source for built up wheels came up in another thread: a Canadian company that distributes parts to bike shops in Canada.

http://www.damourbicycle.com/catalog...alogue2007.htm

Pages 174 and 175 have a complete front and rear wheel with steel hub (freewheel or a coaster brake hub); and on page 193 are the rims. As pointed out Harris also has the rims but finding a source up here is nice.

velo orange might have those.

For some reason, my local K-Mart has a ridiculous abundance of 26 1/4 tires. I ran all around town, to all the bike shops, and kept getting shut down, but K-Mart is, for some reason, all about this tire size.

same here, my local super markets (giant, carrefour) is better than my local bike shop for many bike related items

velo orange might have those.

They, and many others, all seem to be interested in the 584mm 650B wheels and tires. The E.A.3 ('650A') is used on 'English' 3 speeds. About 50 gazillion of those bikes were sold in North America over the last 100 years or so (OK, I'm guessing). Why they chose to go with importing and stocking 650B (where tires are available mail-order only) instead of 650A (where tires seem to be available everywhere...) is another debate. :thumb:

They, and many others, all seem to be interested in the 584mm 650B wheels and tires. The E.A.3 ('650A') is used on 'English' 3 speeds. About 50 gazillion of those bikes were sold in North America over the last 100 years or so (OK, I'm guessing). Why they chose to go with importing and stocking 650B (where tires are available mail-order only) instead of 650A (where tires seem to be available everywhere...) is another debate. :thumb:

I believe Kogswell posted on another thread they like the 650A.

I believe Kogswell posted on another thread they like the 650A.

As Neal pointed out, the 650A (590) is still VERY popular in Japan.

And because of that, the Taiwanese still make 590 rims and tires.

590 is also the default size for wheel chairs, and that's why the Sun CR-18 rim is still available.

The best 590 tire is the Panaracer Col de la Vie Randonee. I think J&B stocks them now. And the Chinese 590 tire that Walmart stocks is quite nice for the money. Oh, and the Schwalbe Marathons are available in 590 as well (not light, not comfy, but tougher than nails).

And yes, the new 650B (584) movement is an attempt to sell commodity tires at premium prices.

There is a small, grassroots 590 movement. Aaron from Aaron's in Seattle has been vocal in his support of 590.

These days I don't much care. I say that we should pick one and go with it. I would personally pick 590 because IT MAKES SENSE. But since they are virtually the same, I really would rather pick one and have everyone follow along.

There's a reason why a gazillion bikes were made with 590 tires: you can wrap a fender around them and they're still small enough to clear your toes when you turn. If you don't get that, then try riding a bike with 700C tires and fenders and then do the same with a 590/584 bike.

Thanks for that!
I had seen the Sun rims but dismissed them as not looking right on a vintage bike. I hadn't seen the Weinmanns though. I still don't like the profile, but they would be better.

I looked at the Weinmann website and found that they offer several different rims in 650a (590). Details are a bit limited but profiles were shown.

Rigida also shows two different rims in this size under their Steel / Stainless category (model QS 32 & ST 32). I have no idea where one would buy these.

I don't find that I mind the CR18s on an old bike. Unfortuantely, I don't have a closeup readily available but the blue bike has CR18 rims and the maroon bike the original stainless steel.

Regards,
Alan

Curiously, what are the new Schwinn Sid and Nancy bikes set up with?

-Kurt

Thanks Alan,
What I don't like about the Sun rims is the angles in the profile. Angles look modern to me, curves look retro. I suppose it is cheaper and easier to just stamp an angle though. I have seen some rims in the 590 size that were drop center and looked not unlike the Schwinn S-5 rim but they were alloy. The Weinmann Alesa is like that, but Hilary Stone is the only one that ever has any of those on ebay and the cost to ship them from England is prohibitive. I think Nashbar used to have a rim like that but they seem to have closed them out. I also think that Alex rims had a model like that but I can't find them anymore either. Hopefully the Sun rim will continue to be produced and will remain an option for the future.

Edit; Alan, do you have a link for the Weinmann website? I tried googling them but I couldn't find their web page, just a bunch of discussions and some Chinese site.

Curiously, what are the new Schwinn Sid and Nancy bikes set up with?

-Kurt

The Schwinn website decribes them as 700c :(

Regards,
Alan