I'm with everyone else on this...I can't tell the difference between my 27 inch wheel and the 700's. I have a 27x1 tire on it, which comes out to about 700x25c. It's a little more plush than my 23c bikes and less so than the 28c ones. The only real difference is tire selection.

27" wheels are heavier, have few options for nice rims, and have a terrible selection of tires. No thanks!

I believe 27" wheels are superior on bikes made for 27" wheels, and 700C wheels are superior on bikes made for 700C wheels.

27" wheels on 700C frames is often laughable, and 700C wheels on frames designed for 27" almost always looks like crap. Amongst the few exceptions are the Raleigh International and Competition, which have enough clearance for 27" wheels, and often look better with shorter rear brakes.

-Kurt

I mistakenly built my Raleigh Pro up with 27s and they actually look pretty decent...it has fairly slack geometry (at least when compared to Italian steel) and the wheels look quite natural.

Classic and modern classic hooked bead 27" rim options:
Rigida AL1320 (Classic)
Mavic Module 3 / E series (Classic)
Super Champion Gentleman (Classic)
Ambrosio (Classic)
Ukai 27" (Classic)
Weinmann hooked-bead box section (Classic)
Weinmann hooked-bead box section w/raised holes, for Paramounts (Classic)
Velocity Twin Hollow (Modern, classic look)

Tire options, 27", high pressure:
Specialized Armadillo (deep red sidewall) - 27x1-1/4"
IRC Roadwinner / Duro II (tan or black sidewall) - 27x1-1/8" through 27x1-1/4"
Panaracer Pasela / Pasela TG (tan) - 27x1" through 27x1-1/4" Note: Truthful sizing - size range is closer to 27x1-1/8" through 27x1-3/8"
Serfas Seca (black) - 27x1-1/4"
Continental UltraSport (Conti redwall) - 27x1-1/4"
Schwalbe Marathon (black reflectawall) - 27x1-1/4"
Michelin World Tour (tan or black) - 27x1-1/4"

...to name a few. We accept your apology :P

-Kurt

I dare say short-reach 700C's with 700C wheels wouldn't work on that frame, right?

-Kurt

^
+ Sun CR-13 & CR-18 rims

I started on 27" tires. Mavic rims, Normandy hubs and 27x1 1/4" tires, then to 1 1/8" IRC and Michelin tires. Swapped a new set of Campy hubs and Ambrosio Elite 19's. Ran Specialized 1" tires. Ride got progressively harsher and faster as I narrowed tires. Next bike got Campy 700C rims rolling on Panaracer Technova 25mm tires. I couldn't perceive much rolling difference between the two diameters. Based on very smooth tarmac and rough spots of my favorite bike route. Tire build and quality very similar in those days for these brands. I have a pair of Sansin hubs laced to polished Araya single-walled rims, that I saved off a Lotus bike. I will be mounting these on my 27" bike to find out how it rolls on 700C. And also allow me to overhaul that old pair of Campy's.

On two different bikes, I fitted two different wheel sets. My CCM Tour du Canada, fitted with 27" wheels and tires, is a dog. Fitted with 700c sew-up, it seems as light and nimble as a feather. But those are two dramatically different wheel set and sport a weight difference of approximately 2 1/2 pounds.

http://www.mytenspeeds.com/My_TenSpe...t2_Collage.jpg

The second bike was a Canadian made Peugeot Sport, fitted with 27" x 1 1/4" tires. Rides just fine. However, I fitted the same bike with a set of 27" x 1" (taken for an near identical Peugeot Sprint) wheels and tires and the difference was very noticeable. I should add that the 1" wheels run a higher tire pressure.

But I never did consider the diameter. Did diameter impact feel and ride quality? I really don't know but my guess is yes, ride quality would be impacted. Impact that one can feel in the seat of their pants? Again, I am not sure.

But I do know one thing. The fastest riders in the world do not go fast on 27" wheels. I prefer 700c wheels on my vintage racing bikes but consistently run 27 x 1 1/4 on my every day errand runners.

That's a generalization that can hardly be backed up. Maybe I'll build up a 27" wheel with carbon hubs just to prove you wrong. (No I won't.)

Ride what came on the bike. If it was a nice bike, chances are it had nice rims. I don't even see how this is an argument, since there's no such thing as a 27" hub.

Here's the crazy cool thing about this: you only need two tires per bike! And they can be the exact same kind of tire! I don't give a crap how many kinds of tires there are for my bike, as long as the ones I have work the way I want them to. (They do.)

Boom. Debated.

(More seriously, I prefer the smaller selection of tires. The number of 700c tires is frankly overwhelming—I don't think I've ever bought the same tire twice. My decision process is more like "Is it in my price range? Is it not the cheapest piece of crap out there? BAM! That's my tire this go-round." Maybe if you're the type that color coordinates your tires, the "poor selection" argument is valid. Me? I only need only need one good type of tire.)

I think the main point here is that 700c takes way less time to type than 27 x 1 1/4.

P.S.: If anyone wants to complain about that laundry list of tires and rims that I listed, I'll list all the non-hooked bead rims that I can think of as well - and the cheap tire selection too.

For the record, my preference for either rim depends solely on how many I have of each rim type in my shed at any given time.

-Kurt

I don't believe I apologized...

I prefer 700c. All things being equal, one of the ways I come to a decision about whether a frameset is a keeper or not, is how well it plays with 700c wheelsets and dual pivot brakes.

Let's face it--650B/584mm wheels are the best.

Neal

Maybe the old bikes, made for 27" wheels, ride more to your taste.

IIRC I have the standard size campy (short reach) calipers and they do work, though the pads are down to the most extreme position. I really need more photos of that bike...I'll try and take some next week.

This thread is utter bull$hit.

Someone had to say it.

-Kurt

I wouldn't say utter BS, it did give a good list of available 27 tires.

BTW...Performance has a house brand 27x1 tire that's more a real 27x1 than the Panaracer.

Neal, you are buying into the industry hype, 635m rims are the best:D Tim

By posting that list, I wound up polishing a turd thread. Without it, this thread is little more than a bunch of C&V'ers arguing over personal preferences - not product quality. I'm not sure it was worth doing.

I assume the Performance tire is high pressure; what color sidewall?

Speaking of a size with limited availability...

-Kurt

Well, if you're really going to go big, then . . .

http://web.mit.edu/nlerner/Public/Bikes/BigBike1.jpg

Neal

argue the wheel size all day long but ask the ladies...it's all about girth.

I like both...Matter of fact, I'm just now converting my suicide hubbed, steel wheeled Peugeot fixed gear to a proper flip-flop 700c wheelset (Alex rims, Formula hubs). Either way, if I want tires narrower than 28c, I go with 700c. If it doesn't matter, I'll keep the 27's, assuming they're alloy.

I've noticed though that with 48X18 gearing and 630X32's (which are really 35's), I simply CANNOT start a skid on pavement. Not that I necessarily want to, but I'm just sayin...

Sorry Zaph, I'm not buying your calcs... can you show us your work? (Hint: there is approximately a 1.3% difference between 630 and 622, so there should be approximately 1.3" difference in gear inches in the 100 inch range, when comparing 630 to 622.)