I read thru this whole thread. So I must reply.

I like 27" wheels. It's what I have mostly had, and it's what comes on the vintage 70's bikes I buy.

With that, I was surprised by a set of wheels that came on a Raleigh Grand Prix that I picked up a couple years ago. They were steel rimmed wheels with Schwinn Puff 27 x 1 1/4 tires. Old and starting to crack I thought I would just pull them off and put on new tires. But first a test ride. Wow, I really liked the Puff tires. They rolled well and absorbed road shock. I rode that bike quite a bit. Loved those tires. Wish I could find a pair for my Raleigh Comp.