smontanaro 

I have a Schwinn Speedster we found cheap on CL (S-A three-speed, 26" wheels, "Schwinn Approved" handbrakes, built circa 1980s?). It's perfect for bopping around town - riding to the train, heading to the Y, running out to grab Thai food, that sort of thing. Basically, situations where the carrying capacity of the Xtracycle isn't necessary or for which the Madone would simply be over the top.

It's great except for the steel rims. Aside from being a bit wobbly, they can scare the bejeezus out of you in the wet. I'd like to replace them with the alloy wheels, but obvious Google searches have proven useless. I have brand new tires, tubes and rim strips, so I'd prefer to find some rims which are Schwinn 26" size (S-5? S-6?). If that's not possible will any old 26" alloy rim work with my brakes (can they be adjusted to work)?

Thx,

Skip Montanaro

sonatageek

The one thing you can do to help out with the braking, with the existing rims, would be to switch to Koolstop salmon pads. Just pointing this out as a cheap step you could take.

clubman 

Since you've got the tires, what exact size are they? This will help you/us find a proper rim since the Schwinn codes aren't used to identify wheel size anymore. There are no less than a half dozen different 26 inch wheels out there.

sailorbenjamin

Here, read this;
https://sheldonbrown.com/tire-sizing.html
You've probably got the 26x1 3/8 Schwinn size which is the same as the English EA1 26x1 1/4 with a 597mm bead seat diameter. That's not the same as the more common English EA3 26x1 3/8 with the 590mm bead seat diameter. Alloy rims in both sizes show up on Ebay every now and then but you have to be patient. The 590s are available new, though it's likely not what you've got.
You could also have the 26x1 3/4 which. ironically isn't the same as 26x1.75. They usually aren't available in alloy. If you've got 26x1.75 (or any other decimal) you're in luck, that's the common mountain bike size and is available almost everywhere cheap. There's probably a pair in the dumpster behind that chinese food place around the block.

macaw1us

The bead size will be on the tire just after the listed size on the tire, something like 29 x 2.0 ( 51 622)
The 51 will be the tire width in millimeters and the 622 is the rim seat size, these are the numbers you want to use from your tires so you can get the same size rims you have now.

smontanaro 

Thanks for the replies. The tires are Kenda replacements. On the sidewall I see "(37 - 597) 26 X 13/8 X 11/4".



So I should be looking for EA1 or 597mm rims. Now that I have something more selective than "schwinn alloy rims" to search for, I think I'll be able to find stuff when it turns up. Worse comes to worse, I could look for 590mm rims assuming I have an extra 3mm or so of adjustment left in my brakes, right?

sailorbenjamin

Yup. I wonder if 700s (622mm) would fit that bike.

Mr IGH

I'd go with a nice Sturmey Archer dyno/drum up front, much less dorking around, better wet braking, cheaper too.

macaw1us

Ouch, good luck finding a 597, I just check J & B and they don't list anything in a 597. With a 590 you'll have to change your spokes too.
Might go with the brake pads for now and think about a new wheel set down the road.