Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Classic & Vintage
Reload this Page >

Bianchi Europa Tire Replacement, Tire Size Question

Search
Notices
Classic & Vintage This forum is to discuss the many aspects of classic and vintage bicycles, including musclebikes, lightweights, middleweights, hi-wheelers, bone-shakers, safety bikes and much more.

Bianchi Europa Tire Replacement, Tire Size Question

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 02-16-22, 10:13 PM
  #1  
Basstar
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Aug 2021
Location: Southwest Florida
Posts: 77
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 41 Post(s)
Liked 26 Times in 14 Posts
Bianchi Europa Tire Replacement, Tire Size Question

I just purchased a red Bianchi Europa and am assuming it’s probably 1990’s vintage.

The wheel is shiny steel with a sticker showing 27” x 1 1/4”.

Can or should I install a 1 3/8” tire or stay with the 1 1/4”?

Im not even certain what tire size came originally.

ALSO: The bike currently has Presta tube valves and there is an “O” ring spacer of sorts in the rim, leading me to believe it originally had Schrader tube valves.

Should I continue with Presta or use the Schrader?

Thanks

Last edited by Basstar; 02-17-22 at 05:43 AM.
Basstar is offline  
Old 02-17-22, 12:14 AM
  #2  
merziac
Senior Member
 
merziac's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: PDX
Posts: 13,045

Bikes: Merz x 5 + Specialized Merz Allez x 2, Strawberry/Newlands/DiNucci/Ti x3, Gordon, Fuso/Moulton x2, Bornstein, Paisley,1958-74 Paramounts x3, 3rensho, 74 Moto TC, 73-78 Raleigh Pro's x5, Marinoni x2, 1960 Cinelli SC, 1980 Bianchi SC, PX-10 X 2

Mentioned: 267 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4512 Post(s)
Liked 6,385 Times in 3,670 Posts
Originally Posted by Basstar
I just purchase a red Bianchi Europa and am assuming it’s probably 1990’s vintage.

The wheel is shiny steel with a sticker showing 27” x 1 1/4”.

Can or should I install a 1 3/8” tire or stay with the 1 1/4”?

Im not even certain what tire size came originally.

ALSO: The bike currently has Presta tube valves and there is an “O” ring spacer of sorts in the rim, leading me to believe it originally had Schrader tube valves.

Should I continue with Presta or use the Schrader?

Thanks
1 3/8's if it fits, it should. Presta valves unless you have no presta capable pumps or inflators, you should. Some Coninental presta tubes come with the little collar adapters or you can get them separately.
merziac is online now  
Likes For merziac:
Old 02-17-22, 02:43 AM
  #3  
JSL
Newbie
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 32
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 12 Post(s)
Liked 8 Times in 5 Posts
Check the ISO (ETRTO) measurements on both the rim and the 1 3/8 tires. If I recall correctly, this was an odd size and didn't actually correspond to normal 27" measurements. Worth checking before a tire blows off
JSL is offline  
Likes For JSL:
Old 02-17-22, 08:03 AM
  #4  
T-Mar
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 23,223
Mentioned: 654 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4722 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3,036 Times in 1,874 Posts
27" and steel does not sound correct for the rims on a Bianchi Europa. I'd expect 700C and aluminum. Consequently, it sounds like a replacement. If it's the front wheel, I'd be concerned about possible frame damage due to a crash. Also, there's a possibility of the pads not having sufficient adjustment to align correctly with the sidewalls of the larger, 27" rims.
T-Mar is offline  
Likes For T-Mar:
Old 02-17-22, 10:00 AM
  #5  
Basstar
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Aug 2021
Location: Southwest Florida
Posts: 77
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 41 Post(s)
Liked 26 Times in 14 Posts
Not Original

Originally Posted by T-Mar
27" and steel does not sound correct for the rims on a Bianchi Europa. I'd expect 700C and aluminum. Consequently, it sounds like a replacement. If it's the front wheel, I'd be concerned about possible frame damage due to a crash. Also, there's a possibility of the pads not having sufficient adjustment to align correctly with the sidewalls of the larger, 27" rims.
These are not the original rims. I have a friend who specializes in vintage bikes. He had several wheel sets and I chose these.

They look amazing and he has the brakes aligned perfectly.

Thanks everyone
Basstar is offline  
Old 02-17-22, 12:13 PM
  #6  
T-Mar
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 23,223
Mentioned: 654 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4722 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3,036 Times in 1,874 Posts
Originally Posted by Basstar
These are not the original rims. I have a friend who specializes in vintage bikes. He had several wheel sets and I chose these.

They look amazing and he has the brakes aligned perfectly.

Thanks everyone
You may like the appearance but there will be a substabtatial degradation in performance. Besides adding significantly to the weight of the bicycle, the larger, steel rims will also not perform as well under braking, particulalry in the wet. Typically, cyclists switch from steel to aluminum rims and not the other way around.
T-Mar is offline  
Likes For T-Mar:
Old 02-17-22, 12:16 PM
  #7  
TPL
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 248
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 143 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 90 Times in 64 Posts
Any tire that has the number 630 on it will fit

1-3/8 is only 1/8 inch wider than 1-1/4 = 3.175 mm ( not a whole lot, typically )
TPL is offline  
Likes For TPL:
Old 02-17-22, 02:49 PM
  #8  
Basstar
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Aug 2021
Location: Southwest Florida
Posts: 77
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 41 Post(s)
Liked 26 Times in 14 Posts
Oops

Originally Posted by T-Mar
You may like the appearance but there will be a substabtatial degradation in performance. Besides adding significantly to the weight of the bicycle, the larger, steel rims will also not perform as well under braking, particulalry in the wet. Typically, cyclists switch from steel to aluminum rims and not the other way around.
My bad. I only received the bike yesterday and had not even had a chance to give it a good look over yet and was wanting to upgrade the tires. The rims are in fact aluminum not steel. I just remember they had a shiny appearance and thought they may have been steel but I was totally incorrect.

Thanks everyone for your insight.
Basstar is offline  
Likes For Basstar:
Old 02-17-22, 06:16 PM
  #9  
Bianchigirll 
Bianchi Goddess
 
Bianchigirll's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Shady Pines Retirement Fort Wayne, In
Posts: 27,858

Bikes: Too many to list here check my signature.

Mentioned: 192 Post(s)
Tagged: 2 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2930 Post(s)
Liked 2,926 Times in 1,491 Posts
Originally Posted by Basstar
I just purchased a red Bianchi Europa and am assuming it’s probably 1990’s vintage.

The wheel is shiny steel with a sticker showing 27” x 1 1/4”.

Can or should I install a 1 3/8” tire or stay with the 1 1/4”?

Im not even certain what tire size came originally.

ALSO: The bike currently has Presta tube valves and there is an “O” ring spacer of sorts in the rim, leading me to believe it originally had Schrader tube valves.

Should I continue with Presta or use the Schrader?

Thanks
Originally Posted by Basstar
These are not the original rims. I have a friend who specializes in vintage bikes. He had several wheel sets and I chose these.

They look amazing and he has the brakes aligned perfectly.

Thanks everyone
You just bought it without wheels? As noted 27” wheels and tires will be bigger than the original 700c so 27x1 3/8 might not fit in the frame.

Does it look like this one?


__________________
“One morning you wake up, the girl is gone, the bikes are gone, all that's left behind is a pair of old tires and a tube of tubular glue, all squeezed out"

Sugar "Kane" Kowalczyk
Bianchigirll is offline  
Old 02-18-22, 12:57 PM
  #10  
Basstar
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Aug 2021
Location: Southwest Florida
Posts: 77
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 41 Post(s)
Liked 26 Times in 14 Posts
Yep

Originally Posted by Bianchigirll
You just bought it without wheels? As noted 27” wheels and tires will be bigger than the original 700c so 27x1 3/8 might not fit in the frame.

Does it look like this one?


Yes. It looks like the red one shown here.

Is there a way to tell the size, year of manufacture, etc., by the serial number?

I decided to go with 1 1/4” tires.

Thanks
Basstar is offline  
Old 02-18-22, 01:55 PM
  #11  
Bianchigirll 
Bianchi Goddess
 
Bianchigirll's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Shady Pines Retirement Fort Wayne, In
Posts: 27,858

Bikes: Too many to list here check my signature.

Mentioned: 192 Post(s)
Tagged: 2 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2930 Post(s)
Liked 2,926 Times in 1,491 Posts
Originally Posted by Basstar
Yes. It looks like the red one shown here.

Is there a way to tell the size, year of manufacture, etc., by the serial number?

I decided to go with 1 1/4” tires.

Thanks
Its a ‘93. I’m not sure but you could just measure it.
__________________
“One morning you wake up, the girl is gone, the bikes are gone, all that's left behind is a pair of old tires and a tube of tubular glue, all squeezed out"

Sugar "Kane" Kowalczyk
Bianchigirll is offline  
Likes For Bianchigirll:
Old 04-14-22, 05:04 PM
  #12  
Basstar
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Aug 2021
Location: Southwest Florida
Posts: 77
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 41 Post(s)
Liked 26 Times in 14 Posts
Bianchi girl,

Do you know what mm axle width rims I need for the front and rear to fit between the front and rear forks?

Also, if I’m going back with 28mm tires as were standard when the bike was built what time width should I get?

Lastly this currently has 7 gears on the rear. Is there a specific rear hub I need?

Thanks
Basstar is offline  
Old 04-15-22, 06:16 AM
  #13  
Bianchigirll 
Bianchi Goddess
 
Bianchigirll's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Shady Pines Retirement Fort Wayne, In
Posts: 27,858

Bikes: Too many to list here check my signature.

Mentioned: 192 Post(s)
Tagged: 2 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2930 Post(s)
Liked 2,926 Times in 1,491 Posts
Originally Posted by Basstar
Bianchi girl,

Do you know what mm axle width rims I need for the front and rear to fit between the front and rear forks? in general most axle lengths were standard. I believe front hub stacking was 110mm so the axle was likely around 114. If the rear was 130 spaced then the axle is around 134.

Also, if I’m going back with 28mm tires as were standard when the bike was built what time width should I get? most rims around the same width.

Lastly this currently has 7 gears on the rear. Is there a specific rear hub I need? *** Any 7speed shimano hyper glidehub cassette will be fine. However an 8spd wheelset might be less expensive these days, but you’ll need a 4.5mm spacer for behind the cassette and be very careful with your inner derailleur stop setting.

Thanks
I hope this answers your questions
__________________
“One morning you wake up, the girl is gone, the bikes are gone, all that's left behind is a pair of old tires and a tube of tubular glue, all squeezed out"

Sugar "Kane" Kowalczyk
Bianchigirll is offline  
Likes For Bianchigirll:
Old 04-15-22, 12:57 PM
  #14  
Basstar
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Aug 2021
Location: Southwest Florida
Posts: 77
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 41 Post(s)
Liked 26 Times in 14 Posts
Originally Posted by Bianchigirll
I hope this answers your questions
Thanks so very much.
Basstar is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.