chris199708

Hey guys!

New to this forum and new to biking so apologies in advance for preschool vocab.

I have an old peugot road bike with 27 1/4” wheels and the rear wheel was slightly bent out of shape (enough to stop the wheel from rotating). If I'm looking to replace the rear wheel can I simply buy any 27 1/4” wheel and replace it myself (youtube tutorials etc.) by transferring the cassette to the new wheel?

Thanks in advance!

Cheers,
Chris

grayEZrider

Get a cheap spoke wrench and try truing the wheel first. Second option: buy a scrapped out bike with the same size (width) and number of gears. That will be cheaper and easier than trying to match up a french thread cassette (and if old it's probably a freewheel- different build and special tools needed). In any case, view a few of the u-tube things out there first before buying anything. It will save you a lot of trouble, money and painful trial and error.
If you avoid frustration it is actually fun!

WizardOfBoz

I agree with grayEZrider. First try to true the wheel.

ANY 27" wheel (with a rare exception) had the same bead seating diameter (630mm BSD). So If the rim's broken or is toast, you could have a new rim put on but this might be more labor costs than its worth. But it's doable. And you probably would get a better alloy rim and you'd save a compatibility headache. But if you're a rookie you'd want a bike shop to change the rim. If you do this, ask the shop about what rim width you'd want to be comfortable and compatible.

While any 27" wheel had the same diameter, there is one point of possible incompatibility if you just buy a new wheel and attempt to swap the freewheel. Your bike will likely have a freewheel and not a cassette/freehub. If it DOES have a freehub, then yes, it's complete plug and play. But the more likely case is that it has a freewheel that is threaded on. Most wheels you buy today will have an ISO/U.S.A. standard thread of 1.375" x 24 tpi (34.92 x 1.058 mm). There is a French standard thread that is 1.366" x 25.4 tpi (34.7 x 1 mm), and if your old wheel has this thread then your freewheel won't fit. So you'd need a new wheel and a new freewheel.

So:
1) True if you can, to save the rim, or
2) Have the LBS swap in a new rim (and probably spokes), and save the hubs and freewheel, or
3) Find an old, used 27 1/4" wheel with French thread, perhaps from a Peugot even. Remove your freewheel (you need a removal tool and a good bench vice securely mounted) and swap it onto the vintage wheel. Tres elegante.
3) Buy a new 27" wheel and buy a new freewheel that is compatible with the wheel threads and your shifting system (if your bike has 5 rear cogs, get a 5 cog freewheel).

CliffordK

Also check for broken or missing spokes. If you have a broken spoke, they can be replaced very cheaply.

Do you have a local bike co-op/recycler? They may have cheap used wheels that will fit and are generally cheap.

cny-bikeman

You can't count on a Peugot having a French threaded freewheel. I believe you can be sure it does NOT if the bottom bracket is English (cup does not say 35x1 or the pedals are a standers 9/16, or the stem is not 22mm. As I recall, the freewheels were only French if the rest of the bike was. Once the freewheel is off one can often find French thread markings on the back. Also, a standard English BB lockring will thread onto English freewheel threads.

Jon T

If your Peugeot has the Maillard Helicomatic gear cluster (as does mine), good luck finding a hub. Mine's still working fine after 33 years. I guess I'm not too hard on my bike.
Jon

chris199708

Thanks for the replies and help everyone! I think I found someone selling the exact wheel with cog that i need on Kijiji, luckily!

Cheers,
Chris