At this time the Constrictor Asp 26 x 1 1/4 would have been considered to be the best though in hindsight Weinmann Alesa 26 x 1 1/4 build much better and are stronger - the Alesas were available in the UK from around 1950. Another widely used alternative would have been Dunlop Special Lightweight chrome rims or the Dunlop aluminium ones. Its very unlikely to have been on 26in tubular rims which were by the 1950s almost unheard of... 650B rims were in the UK known as 26 x 1 1/2 and in the 1950s would have been unknown except possibly on Jack Taylor machines and the very rare personal import. The bead seat diameter of 26 x 1 1/4 is 597mm, that of 650B 584mm, a difference of 13mm on diameter and approx 7mm on radius. This might cause problems with having sufficient brake drop... Another possibility is 26 x 1 3/8 (650A) with bead seat diameter of 590mm and consequently only 4mm brake drop. There's quite a good choice in these tyres but 32/40H rims of any date are really rather rare. Sun does some really quite 36H 650A rims which if the stickers were removed do not look too out of place. It is true that good 26 x 1 1/4 tyres are not easy to find and certainly 650B ones are available from the US but are hard to find in the UK. On balance I think 700C narrow MA2 rims which can be found in 32/40H version with a some searching are the best bet as they are the same diameter as sprints. With stickers removed and 23mm black tyres they look like remarkably like sprints. Overall diameter will only be a little larger than 26 x 1 1/4. I will service ASC hubs (or any 4-speeds except for the FG) and in the 1980s was recommended by Sturmey to service their obsolete hubs. It would cost approx £25 plus parts, about the only part I do not have in stock is the special ASC RH ballcup.
Hilary Stone, Bristol, England
Simon PJ wrote:
> I have a 1954 Hetchins Brilliant 1a Tourer (with ASC hub), which started
> life on 26" rims but had been converted to 700c by the time I
acquired it.
>
> http://www.wooljersey.com/
>
> I would like to convert the wheels back to 26" and would appreciate
> information and advice about the choices.
>
> What would the best 26" rims have been in the immediately pre- and
post-WW2
> era?
>
> Would the bike have been on 26" clinchers, or could it have been on 26"
> sprints?
>
> What tyres would have been used, and are there any suitable tyres still
> available for 26" rims?
>
> What's the relationship between the 26" rim size used in Britain in that
> period and 650B size used by French randonneurs? Might it make sense
to use
> 650B rims so that tyres such as the 32mm Grand Bois ones recommended
by Jan
> Heine could be used?
>
>
> And finally, do you have recommendations for the best person in the UK to
> service a Sturmey ASC hub?
>
> Thanks!
>
> Wyndham Pulman-Jones
> Girton, Cambs., UK.
>
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