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Show us your 27 inch to 700c conversion

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Show us your 27 inch to 700c conversion

Old 02-27-13, 03:43 PM
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Show us your 27 inch to 700c conversion

I'm looking out for sports/touring frames built for 27 inch wheelsets. Fitting 700c wheelset allows the use of 700x32 tires for a smooth ride on gravel or badly repaired pavement.

Do you have a 27 inch to 700c conversion?

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Old 02-27-13, 03:50 PM
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The difference is about 4mm if I recall correctly, it doesn't make much difference other than opening up your tire selections. Usually the stock brakes will just need a minor adjustment. I have 27x 1-1/8's on my Miyata 610, which are roughly equivalent to a 32c width tire. On my Nishkiki International (27 to 700c 'conversion'), I've fit 700x35c's without an issue.
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Old 02-27-13, 04:14 PM
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I really wanted a Raleigh Sports or Superbe but Raleigh never really made one in my size so I sort of had to "roll my own". I found a Bottecchia frame for fairly cheap and I think it originally would have had 27 inch wheels. I built it up into a three speed with 700c wheels. I mounted some 32mm tires that came off my wife's bike and it rides great. I got some NOS Shimano Dura Ace centerpull brakes off ebay for about $40 for the pair. Here it is...

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Old 02-27-13, 04:26 PM
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I've gone the other way- from 700C to 27 inch, just cause I had the parts/tires. It's just a matter of adjusting the brakes, though they were on the top limit.
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Old 02-27-13, 04:28 PM
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1973 Schwinn World Voyageur

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Old 02-27-13, 04:43 PM
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Any excuse to post my Super Course again. There's plenty of room even with 27s. More so with 700s. This is with 35mm Paselas.
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Old 02-27-13, 04:54 PM
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27" to 700c conversion.


700c to 27" conversion.

Go figure!

In the above examples there's no difference in ride quality between the 700X32 folding Continentals and the 27X1&1/4 wire bead Panaracers.
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Old 02-27-13, 04:59 PM
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1988 Schwinn Voyageur that now fits 35mm tires and fenders.

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Old 02-27-13, 05:02 PM
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1973 Super Sport. The original Weinman 610 (front) and 750 (rear) centerpulls didn't have enough reach for the 700c rims, so I used Tektro Silver sidepulls. Rear triangle was coldset from 120mm to 130mm spacing for the Campy 10-s hub.

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Old 02-27-13, 05:05 PM
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Originally Posted by ColonelJLloyd
1988 Schwinn Voyageur that now fits 35mm tires and fenders.

I've wondered how that would work w/ cantilever brakes and it appears that it works just fine.
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Old 02-27-13, 05:08 PM
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Sometimes it does and other times not. It depends on the frame, rim and brake combination. Here's another one that worked out well, a 1985 Trek 620.

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Old 02-27-13, 05:09 PM
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Two in the current fleet:

1975 Raleigh Super Course MkII:


1979 Fuji S-12S:
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Old 02-27-13, 05:16 PM
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I'm about to do the conversion. Found a nice set of 700c rims for my Univega Gran Turismo. I dread adjusting the cantis. Setting them up in the first place took an hour of fiddling.
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Old 02-27-13, 06:47 PM
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Trek 400 that I will use as a commuter. I found a set of Matrix ISO rims/Campy NR hubs for a reasonable price. Still have the 27s for when I sell this. Stock brakes fit (pads all the way down), but I found some std. reach Tektros for a reasonable price, so am using those with Tektro levers. Sorry for the crappy pic

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Old 02-27-13, 06:57 PM
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Originally Posted by Barrettscv
I'm looking out for sports/touring frames built for 27 inch wheelsets. Fitting 700c wheelset allows the use of 700x32 tires for a smooth ride on gravel or badly repaired pavement.

Do you have a 27 inch to 700c conversion?
I've done several conversions, but only one for myself. A 1970s or thereabouts Sakai



And you have actually seen and hefted this bike Michael.
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Old 02-27-13, 07:09 PM
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Originally Posted by Dan Burkhart
I've done several conversions, but only one for myself. A 1970s or thereabouts Sakai

And you have actually seen and hefted this bike Michael.
OH Yeahhh... :-)
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Old 02-27-13, 07:17 PM
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My 1985 Trek 620 (blue) and my wife's 1985 Trek 720 (red), both originally equipped with 27" but converted to 700c:



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Old 02-27-13, 07:43 PM
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Originally Posted by Flying Merkel
I'm about to do the conversion. Found a nice set of 700c rims for my Univega Gran Turismo. I dread adjusting the cantis. Setting them up in the first place took an hour of fiddling.
Oh god I hear you. I have decided that from now on I'll just build a wheelset with drum brakes or something for any new conversion, as it will still take less time and work better than my efforts. I know it's not rocket science, but I cannot get them dialed in without spending hours and hours on it.
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Old 02-27-13, 08:06 PM
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So what's the verdict on converting 27" to 700? I'm assuming everyone here is all for it?

I ask because I'm currently rebuilding a sports tourer that was originally equipped with 27" wheels. The stock wheels are FUBAR. Should I switch over to 700c?
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Old 02-27-13, 08:10 PM
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Two Voyageurs, first is a 1985 SP, and the second is a 1981 11.8:





Plenty of room for rubber on both (35mm on the Voyageur SP, and 22mm tubular tires on the 11.8 in the photos.)



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Old 02-27-13, 08:41 PM
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Originally Posted by not_me
So what's the verdict on converting 27" to 700? I'm assuming everyone here is all for it?

I ask because I'm currently rebuilding a sports tourer that was originally equipped with 27" wheels. The stock wheels are FUBAR. Should I switch over to 700c?
My opinion is that if you are equipping a bike w/new wheels and are not attempting a restoration, period correct end result, one should generally go ahead and convert to 700c simply because of the wider range of options.

The only cases where you need to maybe do a little consideration in advance is if, in the case of caliper brakes, the pads are at the max extension of the arms or <4mm from this, as you may need some longer brakes, or in the case of cantilever brakes, sometimes it can be a little futzy because of the spacing of cantilever posts on road bikes (closer) in the mid and earlier 80's. Some Shimano M732 or equivalents are a known remedy.

These cautions aside, usually, it is pretty uneventful conversion. I like to do it also because it gives a little more clearance for larger tires/fenders. The 4mm decrease in rim radius is usually worth about an increase of 1 tire size.
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Old 02-27-13, 08:49 PM
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Hmm. I was just going to start a thread asking about my 27" to 700c woes.

So I have a '73 World Voyageur shod with Velo Orange 42mm fenders.

I got myself some CR18 wheels, and decided to throw on the only 32mm tires I had around - Bontrager 'race' all weather hard case from my 7.3FX hybrid.

The rear loads in and spins fine. For some reason, the front is rubbing on the fork crown, or the portion of the fender on the fork crown.

I had 27x1-1/4 on there previously, which is 32mm. Oddly, these Bontragers definitely seem wider (and taller?) than the tires on there before. Does this mean my fork won't accept a 32mm tire with fender? What did I do wrong?

Thanks!
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Old 02-27-13, 08:51 PM
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My 700TX. Running 28mm Riv Ruffy Tuffys on Velocity Dyads, not sure any larger would fit between the chainstays.

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Old 02-27-13, 09:00 PM
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Originally Posted by gklinger
My 700TX. Running 28mm Riv Ruffy Tuffys on Velocity Dyads, not sure any larger would fit between the chainstays.
I also can only fit a 700x28 between the chainstays of my 1978 Trek TX900.
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Old 02-27-13, 09:10 PM
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Originally Posted by gklinger
My 700TX. Running 28mm Riv Ruffy Tuffys on Velocity Dyads, not sure any larger would fit between the chainstays.

That's a gorgeous TX, the copper plated accents are a nice touch. Is that the original paint?
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