geachyguy

Is it possible to use 26" wheels on a bike originally intended for 27"ers or 700c tires? What's the problems? I assume that this wouldn't work.
Is the only problem the brakes? I would have thought there was a way around this. 26" wheels and 27" wheels are not so different, after all.

LesterOfPuppets

If you mean 29ers instead of 27ers and the bike has disc brakes it's a pretty easy switch brake wise.

Another problem is that the bike's frame will sit quite a bit lower than normal. You'll want to run the shortest possible cranks and the fattest possible 26" tires to keep from striking pedals in the turns.

LesterOfPuppets

27" wheels have a bead seat diameter of 630
26" MTB wheels have a bead seat diameter of 559

Difference of 71mm or about 3".

With the same width tire, your frame would be sitting an inch and a half lower with 26" wheels.

Steering geometry would also be affected by the change.

Chris_in_Miami

search for BF member JJPistols Varsity, he (and several other folks) put 26" coaster brake wheels on formerly 27" wheeled frames. Very cool visually, and he says it works well.

positron

generally, no because of the dropped bottom bracket.

you will hit your cranks in turns.

Gotte

We used to do it when younger to make what we called Trackers, which were mid 70s UK versions of what would become mountain bikes. We used 26" frames, but put 27" forks on the front. We used to extend the break with a simple drilled metal plate. It worked quite well. The ride was uber-relaxed. We sometimes put a 24" on the back of a 26" frame and fork, to give it that dirt bike look and feel. Never really had problems with clipping the curb, but then again, when cornering we instinctively raised the inner pedal and cruised, anyway.