I'm sure Chuck will point out that this is all in the Archives somewhere,
but I couldn't figure out just how to phrase my questions for them.
Many of my early '70s bikes have 27" wheels...many of the later ones have
700C wheels. I recently built up a really great '76 frame and it seemed
to prefer 27" wheels over the set of 700C wheels that I wanted to go into
it...it took three drop bolts, much confusion and more than a few choice
deleted expletives before they went into the bike to my satisfaction.
Speaking to the builder later at Cirque I mentioned the 27" wheels the bike
was built for and he told me it was built for 700C wheels...but for long
reach brakes!
Now few are as mechanically inept as myself, but my feeling is that there
must be others out there who run into similar problems (hopefully I am not
all that uniquely non-gifted!).
I am wondering if those who know can shed some light on when the change from
27" wheels to 700C wheels came about, was it gradual or abrupt, what
triggered the change, how to tell on a frame just what wheels are needed and
if what you are seeing is instead a calling for a different reach brake than
the ones one has on hand, etc.?
I know that I have changed them on bikes for reasons of tire availability,
what wheels I had on hand, etc. Other than the greater tire availability of
700C wheels, I sure can't see any advantage to them and wonder how we ever
got started in adding one more complication to the bicycling mix.
Once again I come, hat in hand, seeking clarification...
Thanks all
Tom Sanders
Lansing, Mi USA