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Wheelset

Old 06-07-09, 12:01 AM
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Wheelset

Alright, i need some help guy's. I am new to road parts, as i just sold my hardtail and have recently purchased an old road bike to convert into a fixed gear. I am sick and tired of taking the bus and the last thing i need is a wheelset, that is all.

Honestly, i don't know even know where to start, the bike is kinda big, at least for 27" rims, so i would like to purchase a 26" fixed gear wheelset. I've looked at the over priced deep v's, i've looked at mavic, dt swiss, surly, vuelta and weinnman. I need some direction, i need a really simple light bike.

What are my options? My budget is limited to maybe $300 tops, and 26" is neccessary.

Thank you for any help you can provide
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Old 06-07-09, 12:42 AM
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If it had 27" wheels, you should go with 700c instead of 26".

You are probably going to have a problem with your pedals striking the ground while cornering if you drop it down with the small 26" wheels.
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Old 06-07-09, 12:44 AM
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Originally Posted by swim
Honestly, i don't know even know where to start, the bike is kinda big, at least for 27" rims, so i would like to purchase a 26" fixed gear wheelset.
Are you saying the bike is too big and you want to buy smaller wheels to fix that? Because that's not the way to go about things.

First off, a 27"/700c frame with 26" wheels isn't going to be able to have brakes. Of course, your cranks are going to hit the ground, so you may not even get to the point of needing brakes...
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Old 06-07-09, 12:44 AM
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my feet can barly touch the ground with 700c, i don't enjoy it.
but i never even considered the length of my crank arms, hmmm
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Old 06-07-09, 12:46 AM
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You can barely touch the ground from the saddle, or standing over the top tube? If you can't do the latter, the frame is way too big. If you can barely touch the ground from the saddle, well, that's actually what you want.
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Old 06-07-09, 12:49 AM
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i'm used to riding a small hardtail, where my feet sit flat on the ground.
i've lowered the seat right to the top of the tube (passed the minimum seat tube length), and the tips of my feet just barly reach the ground, if at all.

it's not a big deal really, i would just prefer to be able to reach the ground while riding fixed gear.
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Old 06-07-09, 12:53 AM
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On road-style bikes, the general rule of thumb is that when pedaling, you can extend your leg to the point where you can almost lock your knee. That's how you want to adjust your saddle height, not so that you can reach the ground.

That said, if you have the saddle adjusted all the way down, and you can still barely touch the ground, the frame is likely way too big for you to begin with.
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Old 06-07-09, 12:58 AM
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it's taken me a good six months to actually find a decent frame to build up, i cannot stand public transportation anymore, so the frame size will have to do for now.

i guess, for future reference, if i do have 700c rims, i can just look into a smaller frame from here on out?

you saved me from a big mistake though man, i never even thought about the crank arms, not at all.

what should i look into for rims anyways? i'd like to have a wheelset ordered before the weekend is over, so it goes in on monday.
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Old 06-07-09, 05:32 AM
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For $300 you could purchase an entirely new fixed gear bike in the correct size.

https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/windsor/thehour.htm

For another $30, you can add bullhorns and brakes too...

https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/dawes/sst.htm
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Old 06-07-09, 07:55 AM
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Sounds like a combination of things. Frame sounds like it could be a little too big. It could also be that you don't understand what a proper fitting road bike should feel like. I would go to the LBS and see if they can get your current bike to fit you.
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Old 06-07-09, 04:10 PM
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with 27" inch rims, from the front axle to the ground, there is a good 4 inches, all i need is that extra inch and everything will be fine.

is a 26" wheelset with the one inch difference really gonna affect my pedals? there would still be at least 3 inches of clearence from the ground
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Old 06-07-09, 04:32 PM
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They mean while cornering. You see the problem will be that when you are riding fixed you can't coast like you can with a freewheel. So you're probably used to making your cranks horizontal around corners and coasting through them. When you're riding fixed you have to keep pedaling and this can cause you to bang your pedals in the ground if you aren't careful. This can cause serious damage/injury. So yes, the one inch is very important.
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Old 06-07-09, 04:39 PM
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Originally Posted by swim
with 27" inch rims, from the front axle to the ground, there is a good 4 inches, all i need is that extra inch and everything will be fine.
front axle of what?

Originally Posted by swim
is a 26" wheelset with the one inch difference really gonna affect my pedals? there would still be at least 3 inches of clearence from the ground

quite possibly. tilt your bike at an angle (imagine cornering) and see how much clearance you have
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Old 06-07-09, 06:12 PM
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the front axle of the fork.

i'm really lost as to what to do at the moment, i wan't to pick up some wheels asap, but i really would like 26", i know it would make the difference i am looking for.

is there any measurements i can take to figure out if i have enough clearence? is it even possible for me to put 650c wheels on a 700c bike..

thanks
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Old 06-07-09, 06:43 PM
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Originally Posted by swim
the front axle of the fork.

is there any measurements i can take to figure out if i have enough clearence?
thanks
the front axle of the fork has 4" of clearance? I'm not sure I follow...

regardless, switching from 27" to 26" will result in a wheel OD loss of 69mm, meaning your entire frame would be roughly 1 1/3" closer to the ground. Unless you have a really high bottom bracket, I'd imagine lowering your whole bike 1.33" would cause some major pedal to ground issues. I suppose you could measure from the center of your bottom bracket to the ground and see how much room you have, but you have to keep in mind clearance issues when turning as well. (not to mention you could never run brakes). 650c is larger than 26", but only by about 1cm... might be a better option if you're convinced it's worth a shot.

If the frame is really that large on you, it just may not work. The biggest question Can you straddle the top tube and stand flat-footed?
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Old 06-07-09, 07:00 PM
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sorry, the axle where the quick release is on my front tire, where the fork fits into the middle of the wheel, like where the brackets fit onto the axle, from the middle of the wheel there is 4" inches to the ground.

from the bottom bracket, there is 11" inches give or take from the ground with 27" tires on.

i really don't have any other option than this bike, so i want to try and make it work as is, and if the frame is the problem (which it is) i will make it adapt to 26" and then just switch out a frame afterwards.

i can stand flat footed with the 27" wheelset on, but my crotch is directly on the top tube, no inch or two clearence, i just about sit on it. i swear if the frame was an inch smaller everything would be perfect.
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Old 06-07-09, 07:12 PM
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Buy some 700cc wheels. You'll be fine. If you can stand flatfooted it isn't worth going through the trouble with weird sized wheels and possible/probably pedal clearance issues. Go ride the bike, if your legs aren't almost locked straight when the pedals are vertical then the seat is actually too low. The frame is probably a fraction too big but not a huge deal.
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Old 06-07-09, 07:23 PM
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can't ride it right now, it's in pieces, don't have the parts to hold the back wheel on, i have no chain and the crank arms are off.

but, really? honestly, i'm just scared.
i was fixing it up a week or two ago and the shifters were acting up, so i had to take it around the block a couple times (not remembering i had no breaks or anything to stop me), and it was either i smack the back of a parked truck or attempt to get onto the sidewalk.

end result, i'm all cut up and bloody and i blacked out, i know that i would have had a better handle on the bike if it wasn't to big.

running fixed gear on a bike that is slightly to high scares the **** out of me when riding thru traffic, brakeless. so i was hoping a 650c set would ease my mind a little bit
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Old 06-07-09, 07:52 PM
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Dude, seriously this is a sketchy and dangerous idea. If the bike is so badly sized that you can't handle it properly, bringing your feet closer to the ground isn't going to make the bike any smaller or more comfortable, it'll still fit you the exact same way. The only difference is that you'll be more likely to smack a pedal into the ground and hurt yourself, badly. On a proper fixed gear bike or a conversion with properly sized wheels pedal strike is something nearly everyone has to be aware of with cornering because it's an ever present risk and since it only happens during high speed turning, it's extremely dangerous when it does occur. What you're doing is taking that ever present risk and multiplying it to ride a frame that is too big for you to ride properly anyway.

And you want to ride it brakeless too?

This is a really, really sketch idea dude. You`re going to hurt yourself.
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Old 06-07-09, 08:00 PM
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i understand, i guess if it's that sketchy and 650c won't actually make that much of a difference, because it's the frame... i'll just get a 700c wheelset and hope to find a smaller frame eventually?

until then, i'll just be careful of what i'm doing
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Old 06-07-09, 08:03 PM
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That would make by far the most sense if you're really stuck on riding this frame. But really, you ought to start looking for an alternate frame that fits you (no matter how heavy and ****ty) pretty much right away.
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Old 06-07-09, 08:13 PM
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i don't have the cash man, i bought an 80's norco monterey, it's not special or anything, i just need a bike to ride and right now, the easiest way to have a bike i can ride is to just replace the old wheelset on this one.

i will keep my eye out for a new frame though. i was trying to google a good frame sizing guide, but came up with nothing.

i believe this frame is like 54 and i'm like 5'9", what size would be reccomended? i guess it shouldn't be that much off, an inch or two, so once size smaller.
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Old 06-07-09, 08:25 PM
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and what if i just generally prefer a good 650c wheel? is it just common sense that a road bike will have at least a 27" inch tire or 700cc?

i don't want to order a good pair of wheels and then happen to find a 26" inch compatible frame.
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Old 06-08-09, 12:22 AM
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Chances are that frame really isn't that big for you and that you are just used to riding a smaller hardtail where you are supposed to have way more clearance. When I first started riding road bikes I thought my frame was way too big for me too and also had the seat all the way down. Since then I realized this isn't how road bikes are meant to be and have raised the seat a good 4 inches and think the frame fits almost perfectly. It's just something you have to get used to. And about wrecking your bike. Chances are that had more to do with riding with no brakes on a free wheel. And DON'T, DO NOT ride without brakes, you will need a lot, a whole lot of practice before you can just go out and ride fixed without brakes, even then it is very dangerous. You at least want and front brake for now. Especially if you plan on riding in traffic.
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Old 06-08-09, 12:52 AM
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Wow that frame should be your exact size. Unless you have very short legs you should easily be able to stand right over the top bar on 700c wheels flat footed, or close to it.

But you should still be wearing a crash helmet for awhile.
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