Originally Posted by
bikemig
This is a really good bike that looks to be in pretty decent shape. So the rear is 700c and the front 27 inch? Is the rear a superchampion gentleman or a 58? Both are nice rims. I think you'll find that you can fit a fatter tire without the fenders and that is probably what I would do.
My 610 had 27" Super Champion's on it. Nice rims. They held up great until my landlord drunkenly fell into one (or so I suspect). Anyway, could be 700 or 27. I see no reason not to go 700 all around, though. You'll have a vastly better tire selection for down the road.
If you're looking for a comparable replacement wheelset, I'm going to toot my own horn here and recommend the Velocity Synergy in a 700c. It's an eyeletted box rim that will keep the aesthetic of the Super Champion. They can be rebuilt onto the the original hubs easily, though I'd service the hubs at the same time. Top the wheelset off with some gumwall Panaracer 28c tires and then replace the fenders with something like my SKS fenders (they more or less match the rear on your bike currently) and you've got a fantastic bike.
One of the great things about older bikes is how serviceable they are. It takes a bit of skill, but once you know how to remove, clean, reinstall and adjust bearing interfaces (like the bottom bracket and headset), the original parts can last you near a lifetime. On my Miyata, all the bearings themselves are original -- I just removed the balls, wiped them down in a clean rag with some chain lube (I don't like using solvents) and then reinstalled them into some fresh grease and got the adjustment dialed in.