Originally Posted by
chucky
So I've been riding folders for a number of years now and I've basically come to the following bimodal conclusion:
1. Purchasing quality non-standard spokes, tires, tubes, wheels, etc is a pain in the arse. So for that reason it's really nice to stick with 700c, 26", or at least 20" wheels.
2. There's nothing inherently wrong with small wheels so if you're gonna go nonstandard then you might as well go as small as possible (ISO305 or smaller like 8" or polyurethane skate wheels).
How do you feel about it? I'm toying with the notion of replacing my downtube with a montague so I can buy tires and spokes at any LBS.
Good ERTO 406 tires are getting easier to find at the LBS in my experience; but still more difficult than 26" or 700c. Going smaller than ERTO 406 is a pain for other reasons too. For instance, if you like internal hubs which tend to have bigger flanges, not only is finding spokes harder but using a tensionometer can be impossible for a 305 wheel ... at least it was impossible with my Park Tool tensionometer. Overall, I think that the availability of 406 stuff is much better than 305/349 such that extra compactness comes at a bigger price for #1.
How often do you go through tires or wheels? You might be able to address 90% of the problem by replacing stuff a bit sooner than later.