Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Madison, WI
Posts: 11,203
Bikes: 1961 Ideor, 1966 Perfekt 3 Speed AB Hub, 1994 Bridgestone MB-6, 2006 Airnimal Joey, 2009 Thorn Sherpa, 2013 Thorn Nomad MkII, 2015 VO Pass Hunter, 2017 Lynskey Backroad, 2017 Raleigh Gran Prix, 1980s Bianchi Mixte on a trainer. Others are now gone.
Mentioned: 48 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3459 Post(s)
If I went touring on a bike with 27 inch wheels, I would carry a spare tire for sure.
I was unaware that some 520s came with a 40 spoke wheel(s). Are they aftermarket? If it has a free hub type hub with a cassette, the wheels might be as good if not better than some modern wheels. I have no opinion on finding new cassettes if it has less than eight speeds.
But if it has an old freewheel type hub, the axle is a weak point, I have bent such axles. A friend of mine bought a used touring bike with 27 inch wheels and freewheel type rear hub, it had a broken rear axle when he bought it.
Your friend might want to re-grease the hubs and if the bottom bracket is cup and cone, re-grease that too.
The 520 of that era might have a road triple. He might want a smaller granny gear if it is a 30T.