KiwiAmerican

Hey crew! Pardon my place if it doesn’t belong in CV. I got my hands on my first proper 80s road rig. 1987 Nishiki Prestige w/ Tange 2 and solid components. I’ve done quite a bit of work to this point- frame saver, bearing overhaul, new consumables and an old pair of Mavic Cosmos. The principle question I have: will 700X28 fit here? The rear has plenty of room (searingly) but the front may be limited by the bottom of the fork crown. I have a cheap pair of 25s on now. What say ye??? I’ll post pics as it comes along.

Front (height may be tight)

Rear looks good to me.

Drillium Dude

Even if it is a little close, you can fix it - nobody here will crucify you for filing that extended bit of fork steerer back

However, to ensure 28s will truly fit at the rear, see if they interfere with the chainstays. If not, looks good.

DD

icemilkcoffee 

Do the usual trick of slipping a 3mm allen wrench in there to see how much clearance you have.

1989Pre

You'll have to get lucky on a 28mm with a relatively low profile. Make sure it is a "slick".

nlerner

What’s the measured size of the tires on there now? Not all 25mm tires are the same, nor 28mm.

smd4

Why would you ever want to put on anything larger than 25s?? It's a 1980s road bike, for cryin' out loud. Don't ruin it by trying to turn a Porshe into a Lincoln.

mstateglfr 

As mentioned, take a file and work on the underside of the fork crown. Removing some material in that area is not a safety issue. Clean it off once finished and touch up with whatever paint is similar to the bike. Its in an area where you really wont see the paint so it doesnt need to be exact.

mstateglfr 

Because fitting the widest tire possible is a trend. People like wider road tires. Its the same reason why frames are dimpled too.

smd4

DON'T FILE YOUR BIKE! Sheesh! Just use the tires that God meant this bike to have. Buy a different bike if this one is too uncomfortable for you.

KiwiAmerican

Sweet! Thanks friends. I don’t “need” 28s by any means but while cleaning her up I wouldn’t mind throwing on something I can run a little lower. The ones I have are 25 on the money at 90 PSI. There are some good deals on Lithiums, Rubinos, Conti, etc so wanted the option. Plus I like the looks of a little wider tire. Appreciate it!

mstateglfr 

Why not?
People take old frames and add bottle bosses, pump pegs, cable guides, rack mounts, and dimple chainstays all in an effort to tailor the bike to how they want to use it. Taking a file to some excess steerer tube protruding past the crown is hardly extreme, especially considering a lot of production bikes have that excess tube because it wasnt removed when the fork was built(presumably due to time/cost). There is no safety concern when removing excess steerer tube that protrudes below the crown. Its called excess for a reason and was/is removed on custom builds that have that style fork crown. Here are comments from someone who has forgotten more about building frames than you will ever learn- Can I add some tire clearance to the fork axle-to-crown distance?
To continue, people add triples to road bikes that were spec'd with doubles. People add compact cranks to road bikes that were spec'd with goofy tough gearing. People add indexed drivetrains to bikes that were spec'd with friction. People put drop bars on bikes that were designed for flat bars. People put fenders on bikes without fender mounts. etc etc etc.

Your weak argument could be used to yell at anyone who does any of the things mentioned above. None of these changes are sacrilegious.

1989Pre

The Prestige has eyelets, front and rear. He may enjoy the 28's if he ever decides to tour with it. I use only 23's on the Moser, but have 28's on the Manufrance (which has eyelets) to give me that option.

Trakhak

A term to describe irreversibly modifying a C&V frame to accommodate wider tires is long overdue. A case could be argued for "Drew," but that should probably be reserved for turning C&V bikes into fixies by, e.g., cutting off derailleur hangers and grinding off shifter bosses and cable guides.

icemilkcoffee 

Agreed. I don't like the idea of filing a lugged fork crown. A unicrown fork I am OK with filing.
They are options for a cushier riding tire without going to 28's - like the open tubular clincher tires: Soma Supple Vitesse, Vittoria Corsa, Veloflex Corsa, etc.

tricky 

Wider tires are fun and fast. Totally get why you would want to go that direction. And not sure if you've found it yet but the forum has an ignore feature for shouty folks like smd4 that want to foist their opinion on everyone.

smd4

Can I be on yours? Please?

79pmooney

I look at the idea that it is a sin to modify old bikes as a money/greed issue. Instead, I like the idea that an older bike is valued enough that the current owner wants to put in the effort to modify it to be a ride that suits him better. I think of the early builders of bikes, say the Wright Brothers. If they had a new use for that bike thay made last year or ten years ago, they wouldn't think twice about cutting this off and brazing that on. Machining a whatever to put here.

i haven't made big changes to my Peter Mooney but I have replaced the fork. (Peter built me one with thinner, better handling blades, nicer bend, different crown and LowRider mounts). Last year, TiCycles added an under the DT WB bosses, pump peg on the HT, moved the RD housing stop on the chainstay (I kept hitting it with my hub wrench doing on-the-road wheel flips - fix gear)

I looked at the OPs photo and my first thought was "file that steerer!" That what protruded below the crown served no purpose whatsoever and should have bee filed/machined off when the frame was built.

Now, if I was given one of Eddy Merckx's De Rosas, I'd leave it intact. A De Rosa or the like in NOS condition. But a well worn De Rosa with 25,000 miles and looks to go with it and that fork detail? I'd be filing.

Edit: Actually, I'd just throw on some 28s and look. I think there is plenty of clearance. Then, next time I had the fork off anyways, I'd toss in in the vice and go to work.

2nd Edit: That steerer below the crown is doing nothing structurally. There are thousands og bikes out there with flush steerers. Now, if filing reveals voids in the braze, yes, I'd address that (take it to a framebuilder, then repaint) but I wouldn't expect that. And if I did see that, well, TG. I want solid braze at the steerer/crown much more than I am concerned with beyond the crown.

The Golden Boy 

If that were my bike- I'd ******g put monster truck tires, racks and mirrors and bells and streamers and reflectors and lights and chain guards and kickstands and all that **** and put pix up and PM pix to smd4 daily.

KiwiAmerican

Yeah, I’m thinking I will check out the recommended 25c tires here and leave the steerer alone for now. Not because I’m opposed to it, not on this particular bike that is. This is more function over form as the patina will stay and I don’t plan on buying anything new other than rubber (for now haha). It will serve as a commuter/touring bike for a close friend on loan. I’m trying to strike that balance of class, comfort, and cost. Love the community here. Always helpful!

Polaris OBark

I have a 1987 Bianchi SLX frame and fork that fits 28mm tires fine. Yours looks more forgiving than mine. Ignore the naysayers, but definitely get gumwalls.

KiwiAmerican

This gave me a needed morning laugh! I’ve got no ill will. I’ve been around 🚲 long enough to know that taste and strength of opinions run the gamut. Of course, I appreciate the non-aggressive and useful over the “X is right and that’s all there is to say.” But no harm no foul.

rccardr 

I’d Dremel that excess steerer in a heartbeat.
But then, I do whatever I want without regard for the opinions of others.
So, there’s that.

tricky 

Never! You're a delight!

RB1-luvr

I hope 28s fit. You'll probably like them.

shoota 

You're fine with 28s, that's plenty of clearance.