700 to 26 wheels frame change
 

Hi,
I have a Dawes Galaxy world tour 48cm.
It has now 700 wheels with cantilever breaks.
I would like to put 26'' wheels to lower the stand over hight.

What is required to have this change done?

Thanks,
Kfir

26" wheels. Other than that you need to find a way to stop the thing. If it were an all disc brake ride then you could just run those. With cantis you need an adapted which doesn't set me on fire or, you need new bosses. You could check into the paul v brakes.

I've never had any of those Paul brakes, but it doesn't seem like they would work on the 26" wheels, the pads can't slide low enough.

kipi,
If you do solve the brake dilemma, you're going to have a very low bottom bracket- watch those pedals in corners!

kipi,
If you do solve the brake dilemma, you're going to have a very low bottom bracket- watch those pedals in corners![/QUOTE]
My girlfriend is very short ;) And would like to put 160mm crank arms. Also the bike is for loaded touring. I don't think we will make a lot of leaning ;) hehe

From what I see, the bosses are to high. So, even paul v breaks will not work, because the limiter of the break pads are the bosses.
I guess I will need to move the bosses.

I was putting on some canti bosses on a cross frame today and got to thinking about this thread while I was measuring things out....there is NO WAY you can use the original bosses and run 26" wheels. The canti studs will be at the same height the rim is. The only way you are going to be able to run cantis is to lower the studs on the frame.

So, back to the original question, you will have to remove the old studs (with a torch and file or with a saw and file) and install the studs about 3cm lower. It's an easy operation for a framebuilder or a good diy project for you!
You always wanted to learn to braze, right? ;)

How about cutting off some chainstay and seat stay and rewelding/lugging the dropouts for the shortened wheel? For the front, get a 26 inch fork.

Of course, this is a lot of effort to lower the standover height a half inch or so.

Two other thoughts:
If loading this up for touring anyway, how about an Extracycle?
Or a Shockster (they still pop up on Ebay)?

I don't understand how the Extracycle will help with lowering the stand over hight.
As for cutting the chainstays. I guess its far easyer for me to move the canti bosses then do such a big change. Also I would like to keep the length of the chainstay.

Cheers,
Kfir

Hehe,
I'm really an inch from doing it myself ;)
This can be a great easy start for me.
One problem, hehe, I don't have any brazing equipment.
If I will do it, I guess it will be with silver rods and mapp torch.
If you have some tips, I would love to hear them.

Cheers,
Kfir

Try a 650B. Wheels and long reach Tektro brakes are all you need. Good luck

It is a touring bike, and should have mudguards and big fat tiers. So I guess those Tektro will not work in this case.
Thanks,
Kfir

You may run into some issues with your idea. Typically I use bronze to braze in canti studs, rather than braze with silver , to get the extra strength of bronze. 56% silver is awfully tough to build up a fillet with and it is pretty expensive but I know some that do use either nickel silver or 45% silver to braze in studs.

My fear would be not getting the studs up to temp with the MAPP setup. Not really sure though because I have never used one. I just burn Oxy/Acet.

As mentioned before, have you looked at the possibility of 650b wheels and the Paul Racer or the Motolite brakes?

Tim O'Donnell
Shamrock Cycles

Thanks for letting me know about the Paul Racer.
Will it be possible to use them with 26'' wheels?

About the brazing, in youtube there is a guy that builds a frame with mapp gas.
If I would go this way, I will ask the forum for advices about it.
Thanks for your notes.

Cheers,
Kfir

Holy Sweet HayZeus! That guy is a dumpster fire raging! Do NOT NOT NOT follow his advice or technique. The number of things he is doing incorrect, inadequate, or just plain dangerous are too numerous to mention. You will notice that he pronounces the word "miter" as "meeter". Why? Because he has never heard the word pronounced out loud, he has only read the word on this here series of tubes we call call "the internets".

This whole discussion about this guy was discussed in great detail over on the FF site. The verdict: bad info is more dangerous than no info.

Re: the Paul racer brakes and their fitment on 26" wheels. Check the site to confirm. I'd hate to tell you something wrong and have you plunk down the big cash for Paul brakes only to discover no workie workie.

Ok, I will try to search reference to this guy in the forum.

About the 26'' wheel. Yesterday I have tried my mtb wheel on the frame, and the funny thing was that the break bosses are in the same level of the rim break surface ;) I guess I will not be able to find any break that can mount the break pads in the same hight as the bosses.

Why not, that's what they're designed for. Bikeman has a whole section on his site devoted to it.

Looked in bikeman site, but didn't find it. Can you replay with a link to this section in Bikeman website?
Thanks,
Kfir

Update + Photos
 

Hi,
I have put the wheels of my MTB on the bike. It seems that the bosses are just in the hight of the break surface of the rims. From that I think no break will work.
What do you think?

For info, the stand over hight changed like this:
Near the saddle nose: 700 - 76cm, 26'' - 74cm (-2cm)
Middle of top tube: 700 - 77.5, 26'' - 76cm (-1.5cm)

The bike with 26'' wheels:
http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x...s/dsc00473.jpg

26'' front:
http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x...s/dsc00479.jpg

26'' rear:
http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x...s/dsc00478.jpg

The bike with 700 (original) wheels:
http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x...s/dsc00460.jpg

700 front:
http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x...s/dsc00461.jpg

700 rear:
http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x...s/dsc00467.jpg