MrSlappy

okay, so i have an old frame that i wanna make into a track bike, it takes 27" by 1.25" wheels, but i cant find any wheels that size, only 700c, but i dont know how big that is, am i able to use these size wheels? are they smaller or bigger than the 27"? If i use them can i still use the same brakes i have? Your expert knowledge would be greatly appreciated.

Little Darwin

I was almost able to answer your question, but then you mention putting brakes on it. To the best of my recolection, track bikes don't have brakes.

Now to the real answer... answered about 3 or 4 times a week in one forum or another...

The difference in radius to the rims/braking surface is about 4mm. The smaller radius belongs to the 700c. So, if you have 4mm of extra reach on your calipers, you can make the move to 700c from 27".

BTW - you can still find 27" rims/wheels if you really want to go that way. So, if you do, don't give up.

TallRider

700c standard road wheels are 622mm diameter. 27" wheels were 630mm diameter. They were common on road bikes up through the early 1980's. 630mm rims were rarely top-quality and design; most real racing bikes had 700c wheels.

If you actually mean a track bike, they don't have brakes, so it doesn't matter if the wheels are slightly smaller; you can just buy a set of 700c wheels.

If you are converting to a singlespeed or fixed-gear bike for use on roads, you'll want brakes. Certainly a front brake, and possibly a rear. If you just want a front brake, then you can use your current 27" front wheel that came with the frame, and get a 700c fixed or flip-flop wheel for the rear.

It's also possible that your brakes have enough unused reach that they could still work with 700c wheels. That is to say, you could lower the brake pads. Or, you could get longer-reach brakes.

That all said, you can get ahold of 27" wheels built for singlespeed or fixed-gear riding. NYC Bikes sells such a wheel, as does Harris Cyclery. The NYC Bikes wheel comes with a better rim (modern double-wall construction) whereas Harris' has a better hub as is almost certainly better-built. I bought an NYCBikes 27" wheel and had to do a lot of work to get the spokes tensioned properly. (That said, it still cost me less to buy their wheel than it would have to buy the parts and build it myself, so it's certainly not all bad.)

Edit: looks like NYCBikes doesn't have their 27" wheel listed. I could sell you mine, which I probably won't end up using and is perfectly tensioned, if you want to go that route.

MrSlappy

i can find the wheels, but not track wheels that are 27, and i didnt know if i wanted to put the brakes on or not, do i need them? is it easy to stop with a fixed gear bike? thanks

MrSlappy

i searched on ebay and couldnt find 27 inch one speeds, so anywhere online i can buy them? or anyone have one to sell me? be back in a few days, bye

TallRider

You must have writing your second post before reading mine. It answers the questions you just raised. Unless you're a very experienced fixed-gear rider (which you're not, but could possibly become), it's unsafe to ride without brakes (at least a front brake), and even then brakes would be much safer.

As to your third post, I'd already told you some places that sell 27" fixed-gear wheels.

urbanknight

If you really meant track bike, they won't let you on most tracks with brakes. If you're riding this on the streets, you want the brake. If you really can't find a 27" fixed gear wheel (even though there appears to be a nice link up there for some) you could always find a 27" rim and swap that out with the rim on a 700c wheel. The hubs don't care what size the rim is, just the number of spokes. That might not be economical, but it will definitely work if puch comes to shove.