Hello, what should i do from here?
i posted last year about modifying my road bike into a commuter. I have an extra pair of 700x 35c tires and thought they would fit going from 25c but no clearance on front and rear (see photos).
For the rear, the way the Merlin frame tapers even with 650b wheel i think it's still gonna touch on 30+ tires? what would you suggest? I really wanted the 35c to swap but looks like this 90's frame just wont have the accommodating width unfortunately

my OG post here

no clearance

A case of no choice no problem. Use the 25mm tires or get a different bike with more clearance.

I think you have two choices, and Steve B. mentioned them both.

^^^This.^^^

And if you do choose to make it new bike time, choose something with a more relaxed geometry since you have back issues.

One of my bikes will take up to a 28 period. Even then, the clearances are such that any dirt build up is immediately noticeable. Some bikes are only meant for narrow tires, and you have one.

Yup ...


But I hate to be negative and it is Such a pretty bike .... Titanium responds favorable to repeated blows from a light sledgehammer. The clearance is there, it is just hiding.

Seriously, try 28s .... That is too pretty a bike not to ride but obviously it will never work as a gravel bike.

I have commuted on a variety of wheel/tire combinations. Unless you commute off-road or serious urban, 28s shouldn't be painful.

I can’t believe I just read that.

Then I remember what forum l’m on…

Sorry ... I should have suggested applying a blow torch to soften the metal first.

Did your conversation last year include how to figure out what the biggest tire you could run on that bike would be?

Seems a 35 mm width is too much. Is 25mm the max? Depends on how much room you had left when the 25mm tire was on it. Tires grow in diameter by about the same amount as you increase tire width. Though more aggressive tread patterns than the previous tire add even more to that.

And be aware that moving to a larger tire might make it impossible to get an inflated tire past the brakes. You either dont inflate until after you've installed the wheel, or you do some magic adjustments to the brake cable tension so as to use the brake cable tension knob to release tension and open up the brakes a bit.

Get a bike that makes more sense. I love vintage bikes but frequently they don't fit wider tires. My Phil Wood bike is a max 700x25 at the rear, a 28 will rub and that is just how it is. Luckily I have other bikes with more clearance and that bike is more fun to look at.

You might be able to fit a wider tire but a 35 might be a bit much try a 32 or 30 or 28 depending on what will work. A little measurement with a caliper will help with that. If you like the bike keep it and get another one. If not sell the bike, it will probably sell fairly easily and get the right bike for you and your riding. Plenty of great titanium bikes out there with more clearance. These days 38 is the lowest I want to go on a new bike unless a pure road bike than I could see myself going a little skinnier.

It's not surprising that 35mm tires don't fit on a 20+ year old road bike. 28mm is probably pushing it.

If the bike fits (which is debatable considering the photos in the other thread) then just put some 25mm tires on and ride it. This idea that you have to have 35mm tires and flat bars/single speed to commute seems silly to me, but if you want those things - you'll need a different bike.

Whether it's silly depends on the conditions of the roads on his commute. For example, I would not ride anything less than 35mm on NY City streets and I'm sure other large cities are similar.

This person has another thread on this same bike, on this forum somewhere ... a lot of this has already been said.

Like [MENTION=560856]Lombard[/MENTION], I would not recommend skinny tires for true downtown-style urban environments ,,, the pavements and debris and various hazards, the need to sometimes hop curbs or slam through unavoidable potholes (because of overly courteous drivers only allowing bikes to have half-a bike-width;'s space on the road) and particularly in colder or wetter climates, frost-heaves, washouts, mini-sinkholes, sand bars .....

OP has not really said what he wants. I think in the other thread he says it is a short (4-mile?) commute and he wants to set up the bike as single-speed. Not sure why, but also not sure I would want to ride single-speed in heavy urban traffic .... but there are people who ride track bikes in NYC ....

The advice given so far is build the bike in a way which Works; i.e. having tires which rub the frame simply doesn't work---and with 28s o whatever fits, see how s/he likes the bike on the ride. Then, if it isn't what the OP wants, sell or trade the bike, and get a bike suited for the task.

OP mentions that s/he (I think it is a he so I will go with that) just bought a flat-bar commuter bike, but loves the old Ti bike and might want to turn it into a single-speed gravel bike ... for which the frame is patently unsuited.

Basically the OP need to bite the bullet and either accept the frame for what it is or get rid of it and get what he really wants. The frame just won't fit wide wheels and tires.

Your streets must be in much better conditions than most eastern cities.

Then again, I have 28mm tires on my road bike that I ride on fairly decent roads, but as my body ages, a softer ride becomes more important.

Shucks, those pictured tires have knobs everywhere. Makes me wonder if a smooth treaded tire 30-32 might fit? If 27/28mm with ti frame are not smooth enough for one's paved streets, then try a very high end, high tpi, supple tire - before moving on from one that fits. If that makes a big improvement and $$$ is not a problem (and the bike style fits your usage), then consider a wheel upgrade.


Otherwise,
Commuter tires in bicycle unfriendly urban areas are important. Maybe a sport/race position is not optimal for everyone. I vote that the ultimate best solution is new bike, given all the new needs.

my new road bike purchase will take 40mm, 35 with fenders/flaps. Disc brakes will do that.

As a general rule of thumb, there should be at least 3mm of space between each side of the tire and the chainstays. If you are already at that point with 25mm tires, then going to a 28mm may still roll, but will rub when the frame flexes on hill climbs or hard acceleration in general - not a good thing.