27x1 1/4 to 700c Conversion

[froze]

Depending on where you live you should be able to find a really nice mid level bike used for the same price that you're going to spend for new rims and tires, and maybe new brake calipers if they can't adjust enough! Why go through that sort of expense for a bike worth $50? You're never going to be able to sell the bike with new wheels for what you paid to do that, no one is going to pay you $200 or more for that bike, it will be worth $50 with or without the new wheels. Forget it and move on, find a used bike and sell that Free Spirit, or give it to a neighbor kid.

[Victor Blake]

To convert your 1981 Free Spirit "Pinnacle" road bike to 700c wheels, first check your rear dropout spacing by measuring the distance between the two rear frame arms, it’s likely 120mm or 126mm, and you'll want to match the wheel's hub accordingly. Since 700c wheels are slightly larger, you’ll need to adjust the brakes down by about 4mm to ensure they align with the new wheels. Once you’ve picked the right wheels, make sure there’s enough clearance in the frame and fork for the larger size. Installing them is as simple as swapping out the old wheels, adjusting the brake calipers, and then test riding to make sure everything is aligned properly. If you're unsure about any steps, a local bike shop can help with the finer details.

[froze]

(08-18-2012, 08:56 PM)garrett01 Wrote:  I'd like to convert my 1981 Free Spirit "Pinnacle" Road Bike's wheels from 27x1 1/4 to 700c due to the more selection of tires.

I don't know much about bikes, so you will need to walk me step-by-step through the process of changing the wheels. I was told on another forum that I would need to move the brakes down 4mm.

When selecting the wheel, I'll need to know if it's 120mm or 126mm. How can I find it out?

How can I find out if my bike is compatible with a 700c wheel, what modifications I'll need to make?

Any help is appreciated. Thanks in advance.

You could convert, but the cost to do so would far exceed the value of the bike. There are actually some very nice tires for that 27x1 1/4 tire size, tires like the Panaracer GravelKing Slick Folding Gravel Tires that sells at a great price of under $40; then there's almost a flat proof and very long lasting tire called the Schwalbe Green Marathon Tire, a bit heavy but it depends on what you want a tire to do; there's the Panaracer Pasela Protite, Continental Gatorskin, Michelin Protek, those are all very good tires; there are others like Kenda, Sun, some genetic Chinese tires, but those are not good tires.