bmblood

Bought some new tubes and tires for some Raleigh Grand Prix/Super GP bikes my partner and I got for free and are repairing. We got two 27x1-1/4 tire kits, without realizing my wheels were smaller, at 27x1-1/8". Can I finesse these to fit or should I order a new kit?

Bill Kapaun

You should be good.

alcjphil

27 x 1 1/4 tires will fit your wheels. The tires will be slightly wider than 27 x 1 1/8 tires

squirtdad

your wheels or rims are 27 inch....so the 27 1 1/8 and 27 1 1/4 will both fit in this case the 27 is the critical number. 1 1/4 is just a little fatter then 1 1/8

ClydeClydeson

27x1-1/4" wide tires will fit and, in my opinion, are a better tire size for general riding. Just a wee bit fatter tire allows more comfort and control over rough roads or surfaces.

27x1-1/4" is very close in size to (but not compatible with) 700x32c, which is a perfect size for any non-competition road riding.

In the future, if you wish to modernize the bikes, the wheels can likely be replaced with 700C size wheels, which is the modern standard. There is no inherent advantage to one wheel size over another, just with 700C you have a much wider selection of tires and rims available, while 27" wheels are basically obsolete and have only a few tire choices available.

Bill Kapaun

Your first 2 statements are your opinion and may or may not be appropriate for the OP. Especially since you have no idea of their size/weight etc.
The 3rd may result in brake reach issues and needs to be researched for each specific bike.
I've got a 27" wheeled bike where the rear brake reaches a 700c, but the front doesn't.

ClydeClydeson

Bill Kapaun Yes, those are variables of which I am not certain, but I am familiar with old Raleighs (esp. Grand Prixs) and most of them can easily be swapped to 700C wheels. There is a possibility I am wrong, and I used the weasel words 'can likely', you'll notice.

As for 27x1-1/4 vs. 27 x 1-1/8, no. 32mm tires (1-1/4) are more versatile and robust, and better in pretty much every way, than 28mm tires (1-1/8), all other things being equal. Even lightweight riders on smooth roads will benefit from this change. THe only time this might not be true is for competitive road racing where a lighter tire with a smaller aerodynamic cross section is often desirable, and in the case of bikes with tight tire clearance that cannot accept a 32mm/1-1/4" tire.

Bill Kapaun

Again, your opinion.
"All other things being equal"- They seldom are.
I run 25mm's on my hybrid and I'm about 200. 32 & 40 on my "grocery getter" because I put up to 60 lbs. of "stuff" on the rear. Totally different purposes for each bike.

Besides, the OP just wanted to know if the tire they bought would fit. Not how to spend a lot of $ "upgrading".

ClydeClydeson

@bill kapun Your opinion that it's my opinion. Using 25mm tires on a hybrid is not a great way to say you know more than anyone about tire sizing.

I answered the question as asked, and then added what I thought was salient background and context that might not be immediately obvious to someone asking about compatibility of 27" tires.

And 'spend a lot of $ "upgrading"'? Again, read my original response closely. 'Likely will fit 700c', 'IF you wish to modernize'
Someone riding a 40 year old bike is going to be looking for parts sooner or later. And the parts to fit that 40 year old bike are not going to be the high dollar 'upgrades' but more likely less expensive 'replacement grade' or second hand parts.

Iride01 

Wheels, tires, rims. It makes a difference what you mean here.

Wheels can be and generally are thought of as the entire assembly of hub, spokes, rim and tire. In a conversation about tires, when wheel is mentioned, it'd be expected you are talking about the hub, spokes and rim assembly separately from the tire.

So many are assuming your meant tire when you said wheel. And probably they are correct.

But if your wheel is smaller, then what do you mean? the diameter? If so, then no 27" or 630 bsd tire will fit it.

If you meant that it is a narrower width on the inside across the bead seat where the tire fits, then you are probably okay going bigger. Any given rim width will support many different tire widths.

If none gave you this link, then read it. Lots to start you learning about bicycle tires....
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/tire-sizing.html

Bill Kapaun

Where in the hell did I say I know more about sizing?
I stated what works for ME to show that not one size fits all like your opinion states.
IGNORE LIST!

Russ Roth

Actually what you did was shoot down his very valid opinion with a lot of personal nonsense.
OP, when it comes to 27", all the sizes will fit just don't ever buy anything advertised as 27.5 which is a modern MTB designation. Clyde is right, the size will fit your wheels just fine and if you just bought the bike for tooling around and a little exercise you'll probably find the 1 1/4 width to be a better, smoother ride. I only rode 27" once all that was left was the basic tires and found that the 1 1/4 seemed to ride just as fast as 1 1/8 but with less road harshness, pretty much fit with the modern view towards going slightly wider on racing bikes for better speed and handling. Unless you're looking to really go fast, and you're riding a 40 year old bike that wasn't all that fast when new, don't worry about smaller tires. If you have a wheel failure, Clyde is also right that you will probably be better off going to 700c for a decent wheel though when I did it to my Grand Prix, I had to swap the brakes. I rode the hell out of that bike and loved it, despite not being the fastest and older, mine was a reasonably quick, smooth, and enjoyable bike that I commuted 15mi on daily for several years till I had to make room. Put the tires on and go enjoy the ride.

Geepig

Please allow responders to respond, because other people like me read these to learn something. Remember, if you have not asked the OP then your comment applies equally to yourself.

tcs

Among those few choices are 'handmade-in-Germany' Continentals, a category leading Marathon Greenguard from Schwalbe, and some top flight Panaracer Paselas out of Japan. Knobbies for cyclocross and gravel are available as are folding 27s to stuff in your dunnage for that cross country tour.

ClydeClydeson

Yes, there are a few options for tires left. Not so for rims or wheels or frames/forks, though. The size is obsolete.

tcs

27s (ETRTO/ISO 630mm) are available in just a narrow range of sizes - 1 1/8, 1 1/4, 1 3/8. However, from the manufacturer/supplier tire width is the most misstated dimension in cycling. Mounted and inflated, tires are quite often narrower than their labeled size.

Anyway, as others have stated above, you're golden.

tcs

Your claim is that there are no frame/forks that fit 700c that would accept 27s?

ClydeClydeson

tcs None that are made to accept 27s, although I am sure it is possible to put such a monstrosity together. For what reason someone would do this I cannot imagine.

Show me an example of a 700c bike converted to use 27" wheels and I will reconsider my opinion. I suppose some nice disc-compatible 27" wheels make the project possible, so show me a link to those too while you are at it.

Ironfish653

Easy, there; the OP asked for guidance, not a string of pedantic "if-then" assumptions. You'd think this place is full of mountain bikers, as much as y'all love to go off-piste and into the weeds around here, lol.

It's pretty common for 27" rims to be marked with the nominal size (27x1-1/4), rather than the ETRO (622-19) that you find on 700c wheels. Like a lot of beginner mechanics OP it trying to err on the side of caution and replace like-for-like, which is why they would ask a question like that.

Doubtful the OP has a magical, probably French rim that is smaller than a 27", but not a 700, on his mid-70s garage-sale Raleigh's.

Iride01 

Then if it's not helpful, you should just ignore my pedantic post. I thought it'd give the OP some food for thought so they could begin to search for their own sources of info.

I mean really, you are going to admonish me and not those having an argument amongst each other?

And even worse yet, you've provided little information useful to the OP's question.

Ironfish653

I haven't seen my bikes, or dry land, for that matter, in going on two months now. Snark is all I've got left.

Iride01 

Oh... well go ahead, be as snarky as you want then!

I've often wondered what I'd do about cycling if I were to start sailing the Caribbean and up the East Coast again for the extended times being retired now allows. But I sold the boat since the spouse only got on it twice in the over ten years I owned a boat.

Though I suspect you must have a career at sea, unlike me just being a recreational past time.

Ironfish653

The tire options are probably as good as they ever were; I mean, you didn't have UltraSports, or Marathons in the 70's, although the Paselas have been around for a dog's age. Everyone was riding around on what looks like Kenda 140s; the difference now is that you can't buy them off the shelf at Kmart anymore. (You get them next-day from @m@zon)
For most of the typical use a 27-era 'ten-speed' sees, there's no real benefit to the cost of a 700 conversion, as long as there's tires to be found.

Last year, when you could still buy bike parts, you could still get new production Wheelmaster 27s with 32h aluminum rims and the same 126 OLD, FW hubs that most of those bikes came with BITD.

Heck, you can still get '3-speed' 26x1-3/8" tires (571's)

Russ Roth

As you say, can't imagine any real reason to do this. But my gravel bike will take a 29x2.2 tire which means it should easily allow a disc wheel with 27 1 1/4 tire and even the 27" kenda cross tire as it does run out of space with width, not height. Both Velocity and Sun make decent rims that would build up nice, the why would really be the question though.

sovende

Let me be the first to “Welcome” the OP to great forum! Hopefully, the first few replies provided the info the OP needed. I’m guessing (since the OP is new to this forum) that they had no idea a simple question could lead to an opinion fueled “pi$$ing” contest of near Dumpster fire proportion! I do have to say that these contests are much more fun when you’re NOT one of the contestants.
At the risk of entering the fray, I will say that I have several bikes with 27” OEM wheelsets and have no intention of “upgrading” to another wheel size format. I’m glad that tires for 27” wheels have some level of availability but acknowledge it’s not going to last forever. The duration, frequency and intensity of my usual rides, coupled with numerous bikes, allows for tire longevity. To be fair (and honest), I do have several bikes that roll with 700c wheelsets and have nothing against them.