calstar 

Wondering how many of you would buy a nice vintage 27" wheeled tourer with cantis, would wheel size alone be a deal breaker? 27" tires are still available but sizes are limited(Panracer Paselas for example). Cantis most likely won't be able to accommodate 700 wheels, although I believe they will work in a very few instances. What are your thoughts?

regards, Brian

PS Moderators , I mistakenly posted this in the Clydes/Athena forum first so if needed please delete that one.

Salamandrine 

I think that most of the 80s era tourers with 27" will accommodate 700c wheels if you choose to use them. The canti posts were often located in an intermediated position, and if the bike has cantilevers with post type pads, there's a wide range of adjustability. If needed Dia Compe 988's are still sold. It does vary though, so don't count on it without checking.

By that time bikes were already living in a transitional world.

Nothing wrong with Paselas anyway. Much better than any clincher tires from the C&V days.

sdn40

A good wheel is a good wheel - right ? Don't get caught up in the "need" to update. If you're paranoid, have an extra set of tires on hand.

fietsbob 

No but bring an extra tire on tour, just in case...



Basically, why stay home until you have the perfect bike .. ? ..




...

gugie 

Just think out what you want to do with the bike.

The biggest issue with many (most?) vintage 27" cantilever brake bikes is the limitation on tire size. The front braze-ons were typically too close together vs the cantilever spec's, and were too short for most brake pads to open up past the fork blades. If you want to ride a wider tire, you have to deflate the wheel to take it on or off.

T-Mar

Instead on cantilevers, you could always update to V-brakes , which use the same studs and typically have a wider pad height adjustment range. That should allow you to run 700C and provide better braking too. Win-win.

badger_biker 

I wouldn't blink an eye if I happened upon a nice vintage touring bike with 27" wheels. There are enough good tire options having adequate width including Paselas and Schwalbe for a more rugged tire. I currently have a Cannondale ST400, a Miyata 1000, and a Schwinn Voyageur still running with 27" wheels and I have no desire to swap them out.

bikemig 

The posts tend to be narrower on vintage bikes than modern ones. I know that can be an issue with modern cantilevers (they sometimes don't work on vintage bikes) but I have never tried installing a v brake on a vintage bike.

noglider 

Words of wisdom!

Honusms 

noglider 

Toe overlap isn't such a bad thing. I have it on all of my bikes because I put my cleats way back on my shoes and I have clown feet.

Salubrious

Cantis were developed in the 1930s if memory serves. I'd love to find a 1930s bike with cantis and 27" wheels!

deephate 

nlerner

top506

27" tires didn't stop me:

It's nothing special, just exceptional.

Top

ThermionicScott 

I think it would have taken a Jack Taylor type to do that. When did canti's make it out of France?

ExPatTyke

I would love a canti-braked tourer; a Peugeot Dordogne or Bretagne are right at the top of my "want it now" list. Tyre size really isn't an issue as there are plenty of choices out there. My BSA is on 27 inch wheels - not a problem at all, and I've recently reshod it with Contis.

eom 

Came with 630 (27'') wheels.
Fits 622 x 40. Stock brakes adjusted fine.

Salubrious

No idea! Maybe when someone road over to Italy?

Ged117

My Schwinn Voyageur has its original Araya 27" wheels in very good shape and true as I've ever seen since it had a good going through a year ago. I've got the Panaracer Pasela tires, but there are other tires available that fit, like Gatorskins. For this year I'll be doing a bunch of three or four day tours, and I am fully confident. I plan on a cross-Korea from Incheon to Busan tour in the next few years with the Voyageur, and also a continental US trip from Vancouver to Boston once the Great American Rail Trail is a bit more established and time / money allows. That along with a copycat trip of antman5000's trip down the West Coast. I'll carry spare tires and tubes. Based on others' experience, I may upgrade to the Panaracer PT since the regular wire bead tires seem prone to punctures or premature wall failure (not my experience thus far). I'm thinking of replacing the Jagwire pads with Kool-Stops for the canti brakes.

wrk101

ryansu 

+1 on Sand Canyons I love mine on a 87 Cresta GT -sadly I crashed it recently and bent the fork but I would buy another 27 inch wheeled tourer, especially Japanese one in a heart beat

Cougrrcj 

Nope. I bought - and then passed along - a too-tall-for-me Miyata 1000, and already have a '84 Univega Gran Tourismo (pretty much equivalent to a Miyata 610). Both have 27" wheels and canti brakes. Two of my other three road bikes also roll on 27" wheels. So am I afraid of 27s? Nope. In fact, I only have one road bike with 700c, and I have 'wide' 28s on that one.

aprieto28 

arex

I rebuilt a 1984 Univega Gran Turismo with 27" wheels. 700C wheels won't work at all, given the position of the canti posts.

The 27" wheels aren't a deal breaker. The tire selection is more limited, yes, but there's still good choices available.