Maximum Load for 27" Wheels
 

Hello, everybody. I tried to Google this one but couldn't find any information.

What I'm trying to determine is the maximum weight one could haul on standard 27" wheels?
My commuter/road bike is from 1980 and the wheels are the same age, standard chromed steel. Over the Winter when it'll be inappropriate to ride on 27 x 1 1/4" tires, I hope to upgrade the rims to something newer - either 27" or 700c will do, I've got the extra reach on my brakes to accommodate.

I don't want to compromise how much I can carry, and I don't want to trash my rims. On the bicycle it automatically has to carry my 150lbs self plus my gear.

Condition is everything. You could probably carry 75# plus your 150 lbs if the wheels are true, spokes properly tensioned and the hubs are good.

Strength is the least of your worries. Chromed steel wheels don't stop well in wet weather. Get (at least) a new front wheel with an aluminum rim. You can get a decent wheelset in 27" (or 700) from Harris Cyclery for about $130 with sealed bearings and aluminum rims. They also have ball bearing hubs for $100.

I give my steel wheels to people who leave their bikes at their beach houses.

why is it "inappropriate" to ride on 27 x 1 1/4 tires in the winter?

He's in Ottawa. Studded tires don't come in that size.

I have 27" wheels on my 72 Falcon commuter. I carry my laptop, cloths, lunch and papers in my panniers so the bike wieghs about 50 lb loaded. I weight 170. After 4000 commuting km, the original rear wheel gave out. It started popping spokes and the rim developed some unrepairable flat spots. I didn't figure the wheel would last too long because when I got the bike, the spokes had lost a lot of thier tension from sitting idle for 30 years. They would ping and flex when I really put down the power on them. I tensioned the spokes but they were already pretty weak. I built a new rim around the original hubs with new spokes last summer and all has been well since. I'm still running the original front wheel/hub/spokes without any problems.

True dat but, he could pick up these at MEC for a song. They are on my CX bike and do quite well in poor conditions.

http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_d...=1159850355319

Very slushy/snowy roads. The skinny tires would cut in and slide.

Yeah, they do get quite slippery in the wet weather, however they'll last the season I think and it'll be easier for me to afford them in a few months before the Spring comes and the crap gets off the roads.

So, it seems I shouldn't worry too much about the loading weight judging by the responses. I can't imagine having 75 lbs of stuff to carry any sort of distance.