Hi there,

I recently bought a used and gorgeous Specialized Allez off of CL. A previous owner swapped out the original steel fork with a carbon fork that has an Avid BB 7_Road disc brake. The wheel in it is a 559x16, which seems like a good option if I ever went on a path that took my down some questionable gravel or dirt. However, I don't have plans for that right now and would like to swap it with a 700cx23 wheel because I like them and only want to carry around one size of replacement tubes. The fork definitely has the vertical clearance, but I've never had disc brakes before, so, is this even possible? And if it is, does anyone have recommendations for an entry-level front wheel that would be compatible?

Thanks!

Disc brakes don't care what happens out by the rim. A bigger rim laced to a compatibly spec-ed hub will fit and work fine - assuming it fits in the frame/fork.


In theory, leaving the rotor the same size while going to a functionally bigger wheel will make the brake a tad weaker due to the increased leverage.
It is quite unlikely to be a problem IRL though.

Shimano Deore disc hub, and a 160 disc rotor should work fine. Any double walled alu rim should be fine. I'd recommend using a 36 spoke wheel, since discs do stress spokes more.

I'd lace the wheel the opposite way a rear drive wheel is laced, since the braking force does the opposite of driving spokes - so reverse leading and trailing spokes.

Say what? Who in their right mind puts a 559mm wheel on a bike designed for 622mm rim? And, sorry about this, but who in their right mind would buy a bike that is this frankenbiked? I can't see any purpose for doing this and I can see all kinds of problems arising from doing it.

You need to go and get a new 622mm front wheel that is disc compatible and ditch the " " 559mm front wheel. This is what happens when you get a substandard Igor!