Re: [CR]27" tubular tire?

(Example: History:Norris Lockley)

Content-class: urn:content-classes:message
Subject: Re: [CR]27" tubular tire?
Date: Tue, 20 Mar 2007 13:20:05 -0700
Thread-Topic: Re: [CR]27" tubular tire?
Thread-Index: AcdrI9oXGVAS3/JOS0e+Q4Bz3QojwQABu2ngAABqrxA=
From: "Mark Bulgier" <Mark@bulgier.net>
To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>


Jeff Piwonka wrote:
> i got a tubular off of ebay, it was listed as 700c-22.
> that is not correct. the tire says 27"-22, it's a
> continental sprinter.
> the circumference is considerably smaller than my 28"
> tubular tires.
> does that sound right for a 27" tire or is it possibly
> a 650c tire?

This came up today also with Tom Ward's Barum tubulars. I am 90% sure that German and Eastern-European brands use 27" to refer to what everyone else calls a 28" tubular (equivalent in size to 700c wired-on tires). Anybody know for sure - Sheldon?

Both Barums and Conti Sprinters are extremely tight - it can seem impossible that they are going to make it onto the rim. Try bigger levers. When I mounted my first Barum, I too thought it must be for some smaller rim, but I did eventually get it on, and it was a great tubular for the money - raced on those lots.

Ah yes of course Sheldon knows, should looked there first! The following is from http://sheldonbrown.com/tire-sizing.html#tubulars:

Full-sized tubulars fit rims of the same diameter as 622 mm (700c) clinchers. This size is sometimes referred to as "28 inch" or "700". It is also, confusingly, sometimes referred to as "27 inch." The "27 inch" designation is inaccurate and obsolete, but you'll sometimes run into it in older printed material.

In clincher tires, there is a real difference between "700c" and "27 inch" sizes, but for tubulars this is a false distinction. Whenever you see mention of "27 inch tubulars" the writer is actually referring to standard full-sized tubulars, as used on most racing bikes.

Mark Bulgier
Seattle WA USA