27" to 700c wheels
 

Looking for information of any place online other than ebay where I can find a set of 700c wheels with 130mm spacing so I can put my 7 speed freewheel for my 88 lotus.

I'm sure you guys get this question left and right but this is my first visit to this section since I found this bike on CL and want to upgrade the wheels.

Thanks for the info/bashing I may get. :D

7 speed freewheel would only require 126mm rear OLD/spacing. What do you have on there now? And will your brakes' pad slot handle a 4mm drop for the rim size change?

Often all the upgrade a 27" wheel needs is a good cleaning, hub bearing overhaul and a set of nice lightweight tires. That's assuming the rims are aluminum and not damaged and that the bearing cup and cones aren't pitted, which they usually aren't.

You should consider this route before going through the hassle of cold setting the frame, buying new brakes, buying new wheels, etc.

well the calipers have been upgraded and I test fitted a 700c from my fixed gear to see if the pads would reach and they do. The wheels on there are araya and I have no issues with them I just want 700c cause I have a big supply of tires and a wider choice with that size. My plan is to go 700 so I can fit a larger tire than a 23c something like a 28 or 32 if it fits so I can do some light touring with the bike.

here's the bike btw

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...P1040241-1.jpg

I installed new brake levers and brake calipers but I'm thinking I don't want to spend so much money on it and have custom wheels built if I can't find something cheap online or locally.

The bike is in almost new condition for an 88, the paint is shiny and only has a few scratches so I'm weary of selling it to fund something with 700s already.

It sounds like you are mostly on track in your thinking. Why do you need a 130 mm wheel? Is the rear dropout spacing 130mm? If not, 126 (sometimes 128) is the norm for 7-speed freewheels, and good used126 wheels are usually pretty cheap on Ebay.

Great bike. A Lotus in that condition is hard to find.
Don't forget to hold on to those 27" wheels. In case of restoring it to original spec.

Here's a selection of low cost 700C's...

http://www.niagaracycle.com/index.php?cPath=135_200

If you currently have 27" wheels and want wider tires, why not go with 27 X 1 3/8 tires? They are available, although admitedly not in the numbers that wider 700c tires would be.

I made that switch - 27" to 700c - and had to buy a new fork in order for the brakes to reach up front. I didn't believe the bike mechanic when he first told me that, but he was dead-on. Worked like a dream.

Thanks for the link, btw is there a place I can look up info on these bikes? I can't seem to find much.

I'll look into wider 27s but the reason I want 700s is of course for the choices in tires.

well I have another bike with 700s and test fitted the front wheel with the brakes I have now and I can adjust the pads to reach the new rim so no issues with reach.

I measured the rear axle on the stock wheels and it measures out to 130 so it only makes sense to replace it with one the same size.

i have a bike with 700c, a bike that had 27's and went to 700's (fixed), and one that is still running 27's. i use the bike with 27's for touring (a 1 and 1/4 tire is ~32mm). plenty of good tires are available in 27"- i love my palsea tourguards (panaracer). used them about 2k miles and very few flats.

the main reason im looking to switch to 700's is so i can run some 28's with fenders. im hoping they can be squeezed in there with the reduction of tire radius (its way too tight right now). id stick with the 27's and try some good tires.

Did you measure the axle or the distance between the outside of the locknuts? I may be wrong but I don't think we had 130mm in 1988.

edit: Sheldon says Shimano came out with 8s in 1989, at that time Dura-Ace only

I measured the distance between the dropouts, it may be 126 for all I know and the dropouts are being spaced out a bit when the wheel is installed.