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

Can a 700c rim and tire fit a bicycle made for 700b rims and tires?

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.

Can a 700c rim and tire fit a bicycle made for 700b rims and tires?

Old 02-28-20, 11:32 AM
  #1  
Oliver Starley
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 11
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
Can a 700c rim and tire fit a bicycle made for 700b rims and tires?

I had the misfortune of buying a Flying Pigeon replica a few years ago, rod brakes and all, and despite multiple attempts to try to sell it, it just hasn’t happened, so I thought to make it more useful, I could buy a rim with a built in Shimano Nexus 8 speed hub, get the parts for the shifter and have a makeshift Dutch city bike. The tire size is currently my only concern. Information from Sheldon Brown’s site shows that rod brake bicycles used 28 inch or 700b rims and tires. The rims I’m looking at are still 28 inches but are technically 700c. Will 700c be able to fit? Will I have to find a 700b rim with an internal gear hub if any exist at all?
Oliver Starley is offline  
Old 02-28-20, 11:43 AM
  #2  
noobinsf 
Senior Member
 
noobinsf's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Oakland, CA
Posts: 3,291

Bikes: '82 Univega Competizione, '72 Motobecane Grand Record, '83 Mercian KOM Touring, '85 Univega Alpina Uno, '76 Eisentraut Limited

Mentioned: 57 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1088 Post(s)
Liked 1,204 Times in 700 Posts
It looks as though if your brake pads have 6.5mm of vertical travel down, then you should be able to make it work. 700b rims have a diameter of 635mm, while 700c are 622mm. That's 13mm difference, so 6.5mm each top and bottom. Whether it will practically work, I have no idea, but this the measurement that matters, and that you should check.

EDIT: Oh, rod brakes. What am I talking about? Others more knowledgeable will chime in shortly. Sorry, need coffee... I don't know the first thing about rod brakes...
noobinsf is offline  
Old 02-28-20, 11:45 AM
  #3  
alcjphil
Senior Member
 
alcjphil's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Montreal, Quebec
Posts: 5,869
Mentioned: 16 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1792 Post(s)
Liked 1,671 Times in 955 Posts
700B, also known as 28 x 1 1/2 is a fair bit bigger in diameter than 700C(635mm vs 622mm) for an overall difference of 13mm
alcjphil is offline  
Old 02-28-20, 11:56 AM
  #4  
bikemig 
Senior Member
 
bikemig's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Middle Earth (aka IA)
Posts: 20,505

Bikes: A bunch of old bikes and a few new ones

Mentioned: 178 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5877 Post(s)
Liked 3,445 Times in 2,066 Posts
27 inch will be closer in size to 700b than 700c. The ISO on 27 inch is 630; for 700b it's 635.

This is useful:

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/tire-sizing.html

Last edited by bikemig; 02-28-20 at 12:01 PM.
bikemig is offline  
Old 02-28-20, 12:51 PM
  #5  
Salamandrine 
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 6,287

Bikes: 78 Masi Criterium, 68 PX10, 2016 Mercian King of Mercia, Rivendell Clem Smith Jr

Mentioned: 120 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2317 Post(s)
Liked 597 Times in 430 Posts
It's feasible but IMO that's the hard way to do go. Adjusting them to a slightly smaller diameter is no problem, but might be a little difficult and tedious depending on your mechanical ability. A bigger concern is that not all rims are going to work well with rod brakes. The rims on those bikes are designed specifically for them.

A better option would be to relace the rear rim onto an internally geared hub. If you do it yourself, all you need is a hub of the correct width and number of spoke holes, and some spokes. If you have a bike shop do it, they tend to charge a fair amount these days as wheelbuilding is an increasing rare skill, but I think it'd still be less than buying a new set of wheels and paying a bike shop to readjust your brakes.
Salamandrine is offline  
Old 02-28-20, 02:28 PM
  #6  
63rickert
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 2,068
Mentioned: 44 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1090 Post(s)
Liked 329 Times in 245 Posts
700C rims for rod brakes do exist. Beretta from Italy. Yellow Jersey used to have them, don't know if he still has stock.

Flying Pigeon is basically a Raleigh DL-1 clone. I ride an Eastman DL-1 clone from Delhi. Lots of effort was required to make it a working bike. Of the various DL-1 clones I've seen, Flying Pigeons as imported to US in recent years are the worst. The difficulties working on them are extreme, the payoff uncertain. Better to start from scratch with a different bike.
63rickert is offline  
Old 02-28-20, 02:42 PM
  #7  
63rickert
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 2,068
Mentioned: 44 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1090 Post(s)
Liked 329 Times in 245 Posts
Thought I would add the original parts on my Eastman are the front hub and the seatpost. On a bike that started out as far better than any Flying Pigeon. Be realistic. The DL-1 ride is fantastic, billions have enjoyed it. You won't get to play if not ready for a whole lot of wrenching. Were I doing it over again I'd have started with a real Raleigh DL-1 from 70s or early 80s. They are around and offered for sale fairly regularly. All are low miles examples because getting them rideable is beyond most all of us.

DL-1 from 1960s or even 1950s can be found as well. They are lovely and should be kept largely original. You are not making a DL-1 into a daily rider and keeping it original.
63rickert is offline  
Old 02-28-20, 03:15 PM
  #8  
ThermionicScott 
working on my sandal tan
 
ThermionicScott's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: CID
Posts: 22,625

Bikes: 1991 Bianchi Eros, 1964 Armstrong, 1988 Diamondback Ascent, 1988 Bianchi Premio, 1987 Bianchi Sport SX, 1980s Raleigh mixte (hers), All-City Space Horse (hers)

Mentioned: 98 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3868 Post(s)
Liked 2,560 Times in 1,574 Posts
Ambrosio makes aluminum 700C rims for rod brakes: https://ambrosiowheels.com/en/rims/classics/via-veneto/
__________________
Originally Posted by chandltp
There's no such thing as too far.. just lack of time
Originally Posted by noglider
People in this forum are not typical.
RUSA #7498
ThermionicScott is offline  
Old 02-28-20, 04:26 PM
  #9  
repechage
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 20,320
Mentioned: 129 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3449 Post(s)
Liked 2,800 Times in 1,974 Posts
I would look for aluminum 28" x 1 1/2" rims- then buy the hub (keeping note on ratios... some of them are designed for 20" wheeled bikes) get it built up and swap same size. The brakes will work better too.
Probably going to have to find a European vendor for those rims.
repechage is offline  
Old 02-28-20, 04:28 PM
  #10  
repechage
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 20,320
Mentioned: 129 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3449 Post(s)
Liked 2,800 Times in 1,974 Posts
https://hollandbikeshop.com/en-gb/bi...m-gray-644901/
repechage is offline  
Likes For repechage:
Old 02-29-20, 05:51 AM
  #11  
clubman 
Phyllo-buster
 
clubman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Nova Scotia
Posts: 8,829

Bikes: roadsters, club bikes, fixed and classic

Mentioned: 133 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2287 Post(s)
Liked 2,028 Times in 1,244 Posts
Originally Posted by Oliver Starley
I had the misfortune of buying a Flying Pigeon replica a few years ago, rod brakes and all, and despite multiple attempts to try to sell it, it just hasn’t happened, so I thought to make it more useful, I could buy a rim with a built in Shimano Nexus 8 speed hub, get the parts for the shifter and have a makeshift Dutch city bike. The tire size is currently my only concern. Information from Sheldon Brown’s site shows that rod brake bicycles used 28 inch or 700b rims and tires. The rims I’m looking at are still 28 inches but are technically 700c. Will 700c be able to fit? Will I have to find a 700b rim with an internal gear hub if any exist at all?
Yes. We have the same rims in Canada, they look like British DL1 rims but they take 700s tires. Grab any 700 c tire and test it.
Personally, I wouldn't sink money into this bike, Take the loss and build or buy a different bike you will love.
clubman is offline  
Likes For clubman:
Old 02-29-20, 08:06 AM
  #12  
palincss
Full Member
 
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 450
Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 188 Post(s)
Liked 58 Times in 31 Posts
Rims made for stirrup brakes have the braking surface on the inner face of the rim, alongside the spoke holes. Rims made for 700C have the braking surface on the vertical sides of the rim. I realize Flying Pigeons go pretty slowly, but you do still need to have brakes.
palincss is offline  
Likes For palincss:

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


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

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.