Bicycle Mechanics - Wheel size for an old Raleigh frame???

Bikeforums.net is a forum about nothing but bikes. Our community can help you find information about hard-to-find and localized information like bicycle tours, specialties like where in your area to have your recumbent bike serviced, or what are the best bicycle tires and seats for the activities you use your bike for.



PDA
HeyWhoa
08-04-09, 12:52 PM
I found an old Raleigh bike on big trash day in my town a few months ago. As usual I ditched the old rusted wheels on the spot, to make it easier to stash in my car, and I knew that I would inevitably end up buying a new wheelset for it after restoration. It is a smaller frame, and it had moustacchech style handle bars. I stripped the frame and primed and painted it, added on all new components, but when it came time to put the new wheels on, the front fork would not accommodate a 700c wheel. I had an old 26x1 3/8 wheel and tried that, but it was just a hair too big with a 26x1 1/2 tire. I'm not quite sure what to do, my LBS told me i needed to use a standard 26" mtn bike wheel with a small tire (which I am doubtful if it will work). I have no idea what the model number on the bike is, for some reason I never photographed the frame before I stripped it.

Any ideas? Has anyone run into this problem with smaller Raleigh frames? what wheel size should I be looking for? and where could i find it?

I'll try and take some photos tonight to illustrate what I am talking about.

Esteban32696
08-04-09, 03:24 PM
It may need 26x 1 3/8 [ or 1 1/4 ] tires. There was also a small Raleigh, I think the name was a Raleigh Colt, that had 24" wheels. Keep trying.
Proofide
08-05-09, 02:51 AM
With Raleighs, I've mostly encountered 27 X 1 1/4 on the sportier full-size bikes (what we'd call racers back then), and 26 X 1 3/8 on roadsters, the type with flat handlebars and three-speed hubs. Raleigh did make the Arena in the seventies, which seems to have been aimed at the teenage market. It was a racer, but I'm fairly sure the wheels were 26 X 1 1/4. I don't think these tyres are widely available now, but I'm also fairly certain that MTB tyres wouldn't do the job. We'll know more when we see a picture.

griftereck
08-05-09, 04:33 AM
Could be 24" X 1 3/8" wheels

Ive got a Raleigh Phaser that came with those wheels. The model was also called Clipper and similar to Jeep.

These a youths bikes. 15" frame.

I fitted 24 X 175 MTB wheels. Had to mess with the rear frame width. And use narrow tyres. Got 195 tyres on my silver one. They scrape the frame, even after mods to it.