Originally Posted by
rootboy
I recently posted a thread on the trouble I'm having fitting 27 x 1 1/4 Paselas into a fork that wasn't meant for them. Thanks for all the input. I'd like to keep the bike period correct if possible and these old rims are in nice shape, and, I'm not too keen on spending another hundred bucks on a new set of rims, etc. My question here is, am I flirting with danger using old non-hook bead 27 inch clincher rims? Been doing some reading on various blogs and forums, guys mentioning modern tires like Paselas blowing off old rims with no hook for the bead, ie; straight wall rims from the 70's, trouble getting the tire to seat properly, etc. Were tires built differently back then? What's supposed to hold the tire bead in the rim? When did they stop this practice in rim making? Am I flirting with danger ? ARE THESE OLD THINGS SAFE?
Thanks
Generally they are safe, tire wise, you need to be careful about two issues though.
1) Even if the tire is rated 500PSI, you NEVER inflate tires on those rims to more then 80PSI, the reason modern wheels have hooked rims is to hold the tire on the rim at higher pressures. All tires then were made with steel beads, when the wanted a high pressure tire (70-80PSI was considered high pressure at that time) the beads were made slightly undersized, and they can be a bear to get on.
2) Most often those rims are chromed steel, chromed steel is very slippery when wet, in fact it wasn't uncommon in the 70's to be riding in the rain, jam on your brakes and find your self picking up speed rather then slowing down.
As long as you keep these two things in mind, they are quite safe. It's period correct, but your far better off to look for period correct looking modern rims. I just put a set of 80's Weinmann 700Cs on my Raleigh, and can't wait to test them out. Actually debating about putting the old 27" rear wheel back until the end of trainer season..... Then when I do the annual maintenance on that bike, put the 700C back on. This is only to save the new tires from getting beat up on the trainer though.....