What happened to 27" wheels/tires
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Deer Park, TX
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
What happened to 27" wheels/tires
I have let a few years go by and find myself wanting to get my bicycle back in shape for mostly just "sensible exercise". Just to start "moving"!!!!
Mine is (I believe) a late 70's Raleigh Record and it has 27" wheels and uses 27" x 1 1/4" tires. I started looking for new tires and ONE thing that I seem to have discovered concerns me.
Looking at the websites of local bike shops.... they do not have ANYTHING in 27".
Looking at place where one might commonly find bike tires & tubes (Thinking WalMart... places like that).... they do not have ANYTHING in 27"
I can find them in places where I have to order them..... but the real surprise was that local shops don't have them.
Did I miss a memo?
What happened?
Bob
Mine is (I believe) a late 70's Raleigh Record and it has 27" wheels and uses 27" x 1 1/4" tires. I started looking for new tires and ONE thing that I seem to have discovered concerns me.
Looking at the websites of local bike shops.... they do not have ANYTHING in 27".
Looking at place where one might commonly find bike tires & tubes (Thinking WalMart... places like that).... they do not have ANYTHING in 27"
I can find them in places where I have to order them..... but the real surprise was that local shops don't have them.
Did I miss a memo?
What happened?
Bob
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Posts: 7,213
Bikes: Trek CheckPoint SL7 AXS, Trek Emonda ALR AXS, Trek FX 5 Sport
Liked 2,049 Times
in
1,160 Posts
the 700c wheel happened in the mid 80's becoming the standard
__________________
Brian | 2023 Trek CheckPoint SL 7 AXS | 2016 Trek Emonda ALR | 2022 Trek FX Sport 5
Brian | 2023 Trek CheckPoint SL 7 AXS | 2016 Trek Emonda ALR | 2022 Trek FX Sport 5
Last edited by jaxgtr; 12-29-20 at 08:35 PM.
Likes For jaxgtr:
#3
Senior Member
My experience is that most LBSs don't carry a very good selection of 27" tires, but many have something basic in stock, like a Kenda K35.
As far as what happened... 27" wheels have a bead seat diameter of 630mm, while 700c wheels have a bead seat diameter of 622mm. They're almost exactly the same size, so it's awkward for a market to sustain good support for both. The USA used to use 27" as its standard road bike wheel size, but 700c started to encroach in the late 1970s. 700c has the same brake track location as road tubulars, and it was marketed as a more "performance-oriented" size; it was also sold with a greater focus on hooked rims to provide good bead security for narrower and more lightly-constructed tires at higher pressures. Over the course of the 1980s, 700c took over.
The reason that bike shops don't carry more 27" wheels and tires is that the size has been dead on new bikes for a few decades.
There are still some reasonable tires available in 27", like Paselas. And most bikes with 27" wheels can be swapped to 700c wheels, if desired: it just requires moving the brake pads downward by 4mm.
As far as what happened... 27" wheels have a bead seat diameter of 630mm, while 700c wheels have a bead seat diameter of 622mm. They're almost exactly the same size, so it's awkward for a market to sustain good support for both. The USA used to use 27" as its standard road bike wheel size, but 700c started to encroach in the late 1970s. 700c has the same brake track location as road tubulars, and it was marketed as a more "performance-oriented" size; it was also sold with a greater focus on hooked rims to provide good bead security for narrower and more lightly-constructed tires at higher pressures. Over the course of the 1980s, 700c took over.
The reason that bike shops don't carry more 27" wheels and tires is that the size has been dead on new bikes for a few decades.
There are still some reasonable tires available in 27", like Paselas. And most bikes with 27" wheels can be swapped to 700c wheels, if desired: it just requires moving the brake pads downward by 4mm.
Likes For HTupolev:
#4
I ride 27" on a couple of my bikes that are built from older parts. So far as switching to 700c, I figure that someday I'll need new tires and will discover that 27" are no longer available, then I'll build new wheels. Or if something really bad happens to one of the wheels. But I see no reason to worry until that actually happens. "Premature optimization is the root of all evil." -- Donald Knuth
Continental Ultra Sport and Vittoria Zaffiro have been available in recent years. Of course everything is in shortage right now, but these seem to be available in 27x1-1/8 and 27x1-1/4
https://www.biketiresdirect.com/prod...ffiro-v-27inch
Continental Ultra Sport and Vittoria Zaffiro have been available in recent years. Of course everything is in shortage right now, but these seem to be available in 27x1-1/8 and 27x1-1/4
https://www.biketiresdirect.com/prod...ffiro-v-27inch
#5
Senior Member
If you learned in 2020 about the disappearance of 27", you will have a very interesting year 2050 when you learn about what **** show 2020 was.
Last edited by cb400bill; 12-30-20 at 05:33 AM. Reason: don't change the spelling of words to bypass the forum censor
Likes For HerrKaLeun:
#6
Clark W. Griswold
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: ,location, location
Posts: 14,619
Bikes: Foundry Chilkoot Ti W/Ultegra Di2, Salsa Timberjack Ti, Cinelli Mash Work RandoCross Fun Time Machine, 1x9 XT Parts Hybrid, Co-Motion Cascadia, Specialized Langster, Phil Wood Apple VeloXS Frame (w/DA 7400), R+M Supercharger2 Rohloff, Habanero Ti 26
Liked 4,552 Times
in
3,049 Posts
I guess I should break a whole lot of news to you:
The Soviet Union has fallen and they first elected Boris Yeltsin as their leader and since have had one other leader, Vladimir Putin
Freddie Mercury died in 1991
We had two different George Bush's as president and two wars against Iraq, one of the Bushes died and both wars were lost but eventually they did get the dictator of Iraq Saddam Hussein.
Nelson Mandela was released from prison and eventually became president of an Apartheid-free South Africa and sadly passed in 2013
A new music called grunge swept the nation and their arguably biggest star Kurt Cobain died in 1994 after beginning his career with the band Nirvana in the late 80s.
The Game Boy a portable gaming device with many different game cartridges was released in 1989 and has since had at least 8 different versions of it.
Movies can be watched not only on tapes but now also plastic discs with foil that shows on the bottom called DVDs and newer technology called Blu-Ray and even you can now use a pocket telephone to watch a movie that comes down from the clouds via hidden tubes all over the planet.
In 2008 Barack Obama became the U.S.'s first Black president after being a senator for a bit.
Donald Trump was given his father's money lost a lot of it in bad investments and properties including casinos much of it bearing his name, then was a T.V. show host where his job was to say "you're fired" then he made some inappropriate remarks against women and became President of the U.S.
The Soviet Union has fallen and they first elected Boris Yeltsin as their leader and since have had one other leader, Vladimir Putin
Freddie Mercury died in 1991
We had two different George Bush's as president and two wars against Iraq, one of the Bushes died and both wars were lost but eventually they did get the dictator of Iraq Saddam Hussein.
Nelson Mandela was released from prison and eventually became president of an Apartheid-free South Africa and sadly passed in 2013
A new music called grunge swept the nation and their arguably biggest star Kurt Cobain died in 1994 after beginning his career with the band Nirvana in the late 80s.
The Game Boy a portable gaming device with many different game cartridges was released in 1989 and has since had at least 8 different versions of it.
Movies can be watched not only on tapes but now also plastic discs with foil that shows on the bottom called DVDs and newer technology called Blu-Ray and even you can now use a pocket telephone to watch a movie that comes down from the clouds via hidden tubes all over the planet.
In 2008 Barack Obama became the U.S.'s first Black president after being a senator for a bit.
Donald Trump was given his father's money lost a lot of it in bad investments and properties including casinos much of it bearing his name, then was a T.V. show host where his job was to say "you're fired" then he made some inappropriate remarks against women and became President of the U.S.
Likes For veganbikes:
#7
señor miembro
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: Pac NW
Posts: 6,838
Bikes: '70s - '80s Campagnolo
Liked 6,971 Times
in
3,439 Posts
Likes For SurferRosa:
#8
I guess I should break a whole lot of news to you:
The Soviet Union has fallen and they first elected Boris Yeltsin as their leader and since have had one other leader, Vladimir Putin
Freddie Mercury died in 1991
We had two different George Bush's as president and two wars against Iraq, one of the Bushes died and both wars were lost but eventually they did get the dictator of Iraq Saddam Hussein.
Nelson Mandela was released from prison and eventually became president of an Apartheid-free South Africa and sadly passed in 2013
A new music called grunge swept the nation and their arguably biggest star Kurt Cobain died in 1994 after beginning his career with the band Nirvana in the late 80s.
The Game Boy a portable gaming device with many different game cartridges was released in 1989 and has since had at least 8 different versions of it.
Movies can be watched not only on tapes but now also plastic discs with foil that shows on the bottom called DVDs and newer technology called Blu-Ray and even you can now use a pocket telephone to watch a movie that comes down from the clouds via hidden tubes all over the planet.
In 2008 Barack Obama became the U.S.'s first Black president after being a senator for a bit.
Donald Trump was given his father's money lost a lot of it in bad investments and properties including casinos much of it bearing his name, then was a T.V. show host where his job was to say "you're fired" then he made some inappropriate remarks against women and became President of the U.S.
The Soviet Union has fallen and they first elected Boris Yeltsin as their leader and since have had one other leader, Vladimir Putin
Freddie Mercury died in 1991
We had two different George Bush's as president and two wars against Iraq, one of the Bushes died and both wars were lost but eventually they did get the dictator of Iraq Saddam Hussein.
Nelson Mandela was released from prison and eventually became president of an Apartheid-free South Africa and sadly passed in 2013
A new music called grunge swept the nation and their arguably biggest star Kurt Cobain died in 1994 after beginning his career with the band Nirvana in the late 80s.
The Game Boy a portable gaming device with many different game cartridges was released in 1989 and has since had at least 8 different versions of it.
Movies can be watched not only on tapes but now also plastic discs with foil that shows on the bottom called DVDs and newer technology called Blu-Ray and even you can now use a pocket telephone to watch a movie that comes down from the clouds via hidden tubes all over the planet.
In 2008 Barack Obama became the U.S.'s first Black president after being a senator for a bit.
Donald Trump was given his father's money lost a lot of it in bad investments and properties including casinos much of it bearing his name, then was a T.V. show host where his job was to say "you're fired" then he made some inappropriate remarks against women and became President of the U.S.
Imagine spending all this time and energy to be a d*ck to some guy trying to get back into this sport.
Quite the flex
Likes For Het Volk:
#9
#10
Clark W. Griswold
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: ,location, location
Posts: 14,619
Bikes: Foundry Chilkoot Ti W/Ultegra Di2, Salsa Timberjack Ti, Cinelli Mash Work RandoCross Fun Time Machine, 1x9 XT Parts Hybrid, Co-Motion Cascadia, Specialized Langster, Phil Wood Apple VeloXS Frame (w/DA 7400), R+M Supercharger2 Rohloff, Habanero Ti 26
Liked 4,552 Times
in
3,049 Posts
I can imagine you spending the time and energy to not have fun and not laugh. Granted it does take more muscles and work to laugh so I guess yes I did spend extra time but it was worth I laughed and had a good time. I am nice and relaxed, you should try it : )
To the OP no ill will. Laugh and enjoy life a little bit. Also there are still 27" tires out there but not in large numbers as it wasn't really ever a popular size. Schwalbe, Vittoria, Kenda, Specialized, Continental, Panaracer, CST, Michelin and potentially others I have forgotten all make those tires and some have or still do multiple tires in that size of varying quality. Granted with the pandemic they might be hard to find because everything is tough to get but they exist. QBP sells 17 different tires in ISO 630 all very much out of stock but will be coming back in eventually.
Likes For veganbikes:
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 15,929
Bikes: 2015 Workswell 066, 2017 Workswell 093, 2014 Dawes Sheila, 1983 Cannondale 500, 1984 Raleigh Olympian, 2007 Cannondale Rize 4, 2017 Fuji Sportif 1 LE
Liked 3,932 Times
in
2,053 Posts
I guess a lot of posters here only appreciate their own humor ... but hey .... lighten up. We're laughing at you.
Likes For Maelochs:
#13
Disco Infiltrator
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Folsom CA
Posts: 13,508
Bikes: Stormchaser, Paramount, Tilt, Samba tandem
Liked 2,150 Times
in
1,402 Posts
I have seen 27” tires at my Walmart in the last few years, but it’s a pretty bike-friendly Walmart in central CA. Bell brand, and all their replacement tires are folding bead for shelving reasons. I’m not claiming these are good, just available
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Mission Viejo
Posts: 6,006
Bikes: 1986 Cannondale SR400 (Flat bar commuter), 1988 Cannondale Criterium XTR, 1992 Serotta T-Max, 1995 Trek 970
Liked 2,277 Times
in
1,393 Posts
You will find tons of them on eBay.
It will also be a good source for older bike parts, although the pandemic has really cut into what is available.
John
It will also be a good source for older bike parts, although the pandemic has really cut into what is available.
John
#15
n00b
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 1,397
Bikes: Surly Karate Monkey, Twin Six Standard Rando
Liked 466 Times
in
273 Posts
you can most likely use a tube labeled for 700c tires in a 27" tire. just choose the appropriate width and valve stem type.
here's a handy guide https://www.sheldonbrown.com/tire-sizing.html
here's a handy guide https://www.sheldonbrown.com/tire-sizing.html
#16
Senior member
Just curious to know if anyone has tried folding tires on hookless rims and how that worked out. Serious question.
#17
Full Member
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, UK
Posts: 444
Bikes: Gitane Course, Paris Sport, Peugeot AO8, Peugeot Bretagne, Peugeot Premiere 85, Peugeot Premiere 86, Peugeot ANC Halfords Team Replica, Peugeot Festina Team Replica, Motobecane Grand Sport, Motobecane Super 15, Raleigh Pro Race, Raleigh Stratos, BSA
Liked 545 Times
in
98 Posts
I have let a few years go by and find myself wanting to get my bicycle back in shape for mostly just "sensible exercise". Just to start "moving"!!!!
Mine is (I believe) a late 70's Raleigh Record and it has 27" wheels and uses 27" x 1 1/4" tires. I started looking for new tires and ONE thing that I seem to have discovered concerns me.
Looking at the websites of local bike shops.... they do not have ANYTHING in 27".
Looking at place where one might commonly find bike tires & tubes (Thinking WalMart... places like that).... they do not have ANYTHING in 27"
I can find them in places where I have to order them..... but the real surprise was that local shops don't have them.
Did I miss a memo?
What happened?
Bob
Mine is (I believe) a late 70's Raleigh Record and it has 27" wheels and uses 27" x 1 1/4" tires. I started looking for new tires and ONE thing that I seem to have discovered concerns me.
Looking at the websites of local bike shops.... they do not have ANYTHING in 27".
Looking at place where one might commonly find bike tires & tubes (Thinking WalMart... places like that).... they do not have ANYTHING in 27"
I can find them in places where I have to order them..... but the real surprise was that local shops don't have them.
Did I miss a memo?
What happened?
Bob
My preferred tyres are Continental Ultrasport - not sure on delivery cost or time to the States, but the last pair I bought came from Deporvillage back in the summer, and they cost me £25 including delivery. Delivery to the UK was three days, and they have stock in now - https://www.deporvillage.net/contine...gid-tyre-black Conti also make Gatorskins and Supersport in 27 inch sizes, and Pasela make some 27 inch tyres.
700c tubes will fit fine, assuming you get the right valve type - a 27 x 1-1/4 tyre will fit a 700 x 32 tube.
Hope this helps - enjoy cycling, a Raleigh Record is a nice bike to ride!
Likes For ExPatTyke:
Likes For big chainring:
#20
Banned
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Lincoln Ne
Posts: 9,924
Bikes: RANS Stratus TerraTrike Tour II
Liked 1,057 Times
in
636 Posts
Your inability to find the tires you want is probably due to the bike boom the virus has created. Bike stores as has been pointed out on other threads are sold out of a lot of bike parts.
#21
This is a good question. For a bike of that era, it's important for the OP to find out if the bike has hooked or hookless rims, and how to deal with the latter if necessary.
#22
Disco Infiltrator
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Folsom CA
Posts: 13,508
Bikes: Stormchaser, Paramount, Tilt, Samba tandem
Liked 2,150 Times
in
1,402 Posts
The Bell tires above, folded, apparently have a "carbon steel" bead anyhow, so now you get to choose if it's the Kevlar or the folding that may or may not make a difference to hookless rims.
__________________
Genesis 49:16-17
Genesis 49:16-17
#23
Palmer
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 8,781
Bikes: Mike Melton custom, Alex Moulton AM, Dahon Curl
Liked 1,975 Times
in
1,135 Posts
I keep reading about the death of 27" (ISO630) [and now 26" (ISO559)!] tires. You can still buy ISO597s, guys and gals, and that size tire hasn't come on a new bike since the 1950s (and wasn't even common then). At least until a few years ago (and maybe still?), you could buy single tube tires and they've been obsolete since the early 1930s.
27s are widely available in discount brands. Fine quality 27" German and Japanese tires are available from Schwalbe, Continental and Panasonic. Specialized and Trek (Bontrager) both catalog 27s. Your LBS doesn't stock any 27s? Well, you gave the local cats a shot at your business. Now have some delivered to your house tomorrow from Amazon.
Last edited by tcs; 12-30-20 at 05:53 PM.
Likes For tcs:
#24
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Kips Bay, NY
Posts: 2,243
Bikes: Ritchey Swiss Cross | Teesdale Kona Hot | Haro Extreme | Specialized Stumpjumper Comp | Cannondale F1000 | Shogun 1000 | Cannondale M500 | Norco Charger | Marin Muirwoods 29er | Shogun Kaze | Breezer Lightning
Liked 1,049 Times
in
513 Posts
Several months ago, my bike shop owning friends were commenting on how 27" tubes and tires were impossible to source at wholesale due to The Current Situation. Then I was told to stock up by October, I don't think the supply chain has been improved since then. Maybe winter will give a slight breather; maybe not.
#25
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 6,319
Bikes: 2012 Salsa Casseroll, 2009 Kona Blast
Liked 209 Times
in
147 Posts
I have let a few years go by and find myself wanting to get my bicycle back in shape for mostly just "sensible exercise". Just to start "moving"!!!!
Mine is (I believe) a late 70's Raleigh Record and it has 27" wheels and uses 27" x 1 1/4" tires. I started looking for new tires and ONE thing that I seem to have discovered concerns me.
Looking at the websites of local bike shops.... they do not have ANYTHING in 27".
Looking at place where one might commonly find bike tires & tubes (Thinking WalMart... places like that).... they do not have ANYTHING in 27"
I can find them in places where I have to order them..... but the real surprise was that local shops don't have them.
Did I miss a memo?
What happened?
Bob
Mine is (I believe) a late 70's Raleigh Record and it has 27" wheels and uses 27" x 1 1/4" tires. I started looking for new tires and ONE thing that I seem to have discovered concerns me.
Looking at the websites of local bike shops.... they do not have ANYTHING in 27".
Looking at place where one might commonly find bike tires & tubes (Thinking WalMart... places like that).... they do not have ANYTHING in 27"
I can find them in places where I have to order them..... but the real surprise was that local shops don't have them.
Did I miss a memo?
What happened?
Bob