24" wheels
#2
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Bikes: Giant Excursion, Raleigh Sports, Raleigh R.S.W. Compact, Motobecane? and about 20 more! OMG
Aaron
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Webshots is bailing out, if you find any of my posts with corrupt picture files and want to see them corrected please let me know. :(
ISO: A late 1980's Giant Iguana MTB frameset (or complete bike) 23" Red with yellow graphics.
"Cycling should be a way of life, not a hobby.
RIDE, YOU FOOL, RIDE!"_Nicodemus
"Steel: nearly a thousand years of metallurgical development
Aluminum: barely a hundred
Which one would you rather have under your butt at 30mph?"_krazygluon
Webshots is bailing out, if you find any of my posts with corrupt picture files and want to see them corrected please let me know. :(
ISO: A late 1980's Giant Iguana MTB frameset (or complete bike) 23" Red with yellow graphics.
"Cycling should be a way of life, not a hobby.
RIDE, YOU FOOL, RIDE!"_Nicodemus
"Steel: nearly a thousand years of metallurgical development
Aluminum: barely a hundred
Which one would you rather have under your butt at 30mph?"_krazygluon
#3
canis lupus familiaris
Joined: Dec 2011
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From: North Carolina
Bikes: En plus one
It may also be that when we have several choices, some will be viewed as a poor compromise. A 24" sits between a 20" and a 26" so it is too big to be a small wheel, and if i want a bigger wheel, might as well go for a 26". Generally a 24" is chosen for a smaller rider that wants the advantages of a larger wheel but won't fit something with 26"
The same thing happens with the 650 size for road bikes. It is usually used for smaller riders so that the frame can be made with adequate proportions for a smaller rider. Most roadies will pick a 700 if they can fit it.
There are however several advantages to smaller wheels: lower the center of gravity, reduced rotational inertia, more responsive handling...... I am a big fan of minivelos for those reasons, but all of mine wear 20" because of tire availability and choice.
The same thing happens with the 650 size for road bikes. It is usually used for smaller riders so that the frame can be made with adequate proportions for a smaller rider. Most roadies will pick a 700 if they can fit it.
There are however several advantages to smaller wheels: lower the center of gravity, reduced rotational inertia, more responsive handling...... I am a big fan of minivelos for those reasons, but all of mine wear 20" because of tire availability and choice.
#4
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From: Hillsboro, Oregon
Bikes: Specialized Roubaix Comp, Soma ES
Hard to find as said above. My wife has a bike that has a 24" front wheel and 700c rear. The tires and tubes were quite difficult to find so when we found some, we bought all they had. I think the 24" non-road type tires and tubes aren't that hard to find, but road goodies are. She's now building up a 650 wheeled mixtie to replace it.
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Demented internet tail wagging imbicile.
Demented internet tail wagging imbicile.
#5
Over time the cycling industry was forced to make cuts with the 24" being the odd man out due to all the young people using 20" to do tricks on.
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My preferred bicycle brand is.......WORKSMAN CYCLES
I dislike clipless pedals on any city bike since I feel they are unsafe.
Originally Posted by krazygluon
Steel: nearly a thousand years of metallurgical development
Aluminum: barely a hundred, which one would you rather have under your butt at 30mph?
My preferred bicycle brand is.......WORKSMAN CYCLES
I dislike clipless pedals on any city bike since I feel they are unsafe.
Originally Posted by krazygluon
Steel: nearly a thousand years of metallurgical development
Aluminum: barely a hundred, which one would you rather have under your butt at 30mph?
#6
Senior Member

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From: Middle of da Mitten
Bikes: Trek 7500, RANS V-Rex, Optima Baron, Velokraft NoCom, M-5 Carbon Highracer, Catrike Speed
One of my recumbents has a 24" rear wheel. Tire availability is the biggest problem. Well, that and finding 56-58T chainrings to normalize the gearing.
#7
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From: Marion, AR (Memphis)
Bikes: Modified Denali
My wife and son both ride 24" Mt Bikes... We bought hers some years ago, and I replaced the knobbies with something more road-friendly in Jan. My son's bike was a hand-me-down from my Nephew. Tires and tubes weren't hard to find per se, but selection is really limited.
#8
The Recumbent Quant

Joined: Jan 2012
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From: Fairfield, CT
Bikes: 2012 Cruzbike Sofrider, 2013 Cruzigami Mantis, 2016 Folding CruziTandem
I agree with what's been said. In principal, 24" wheels might be better than larger wheels at supporting higher weights. In practice, I don't think most 24" wheels are built for this purpose, so I doubt most would be a good choice for clydes.
#9
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From: Middle of da Mitten
Bikes: Trek 7500, RANS V-Rex, Optima Baron, Velokraft NoCom, M-5 Carbon Highracer, Catrike Speed
My wife and son both ride 24" Mt Bikes... We bought hers some years ago, and I replaced the knobbies with something more road-friendly in Jan. My son's bike was a hand-me-down from my Nephew. Tires and tubes weren't hard to find per se, but selection is really limited.
#10
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2013
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From: Marion, AR (Memphis)
Bikes: Modified Denali
This is what I got her: https://www.biketiresdirect.com/produ...-inch-tire-507
They also have this: https://www.biketiresdirect.com/produ...h-tire-507-iso
The K52 only goes to 40psi, but the K905 goes to 65. Again, I wasn't looking for top end stuff
Rick
#11
Which 24" wheel?
507?
520?
540?
All different sizes and all with different tire availability. For 540's you can get racing wheelchair tires and they're very fast, 520's also have some road tires- IIRC Durano's and Kojacks. 507 is a MTB size so good luck finding road tires..
if you want to cry, try finding new 540 rims.
507?
520?
540?
All different sizes and all with different tire availability. For 540's you can get racing wheelchair tires and they're very fast, 520's also have some road tires- IIRC Durano's and Kojacks. 507 is a MTB size so good luck finding road tires..
if you want to cry, try finding new 540 rims.
#15
The Recumbent Quant

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From: Fairfield, CT
Bikes: 2012 Cruzbike Sofrider, 2013 Cruzigami Mantis, 2016 Folding CruziTandem
1) Wheel size doesn't have much to do with bottom bracket height.
2) Lower bottom bracket height means lower speed at which you have to worry about hitting pedals on the ground. Probably not synonymous with better cornering.
3) Faster acceleration? Better braking? Huh?
#16
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A smaller wheel will spin up easier, but OTOH it has to spin up more in order to achieve the same ground speed. Acceleration ends up being a wash. Often the small wheel will feel snappier, but that's only because the smaller wheel results in lower gears. In that case, better acceleration is due to gearing, and is at the expense of top end.
#17
A smaller wheel will spin up easier, but OTOH it has to spin up more in order to achieve the same ground speed. Acceleration ends up being a wash. Often the small wheel will feel snappier, but that's only because the smaller wheel results in lower gears. In that case, better acceleration is due to gearing, and is at the expense of top end.
#21
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From: Middle of da Mitten
Bikes: Trek 7500, RANS V-Rex, Optima Baron, Velokraft NoCom, M-5 Carbon Highracer, Catrike Speed
My V-Rex24, with a 507 in back and a 451 in front. Dealing with the tire availability issue over the years has been enough of a hassle to more than offset any 'advantage' the 24" size had. As shown, it has a 56T chainring to compensate for gearing. Ever tried to buy a pinned 56-58T ring?
#22
canis lupus familiaris
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 2,254
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From: North Carolina
Bikes: En plus one
My V-Rex24, with a 507 in back and a 451 in front. Dealing with the tire availability issue over the years has been enough of a hassle to more than offset any 'advantage' the 24" size had. As shown, it has a 56T chainring to compensate for gearing. Ever tried to buy a pinned 56-58T ring?






