Have questions or want to discuss cycling? Join Now or Sign In to participate in the BikeRide community.

New: Take Part in the March Giveaway: Coming Soon


Swapping 27" wheels for 26" wheels.
#1
I have a fairly nice Raleigh with a bad 27" front wheel. Too far gone for truing. I have a nice spare 26" wheel set.
Can I replace the 27"wheels with 26" wheels. I'm thinking the brakes pads would need to be move 1/2 inch and as the replacement rear 26" wheel is a 3 speed Shimano hub, their would be no dersillers to set up. Am I missing anything that would derail my plan?
"Where ever we go, there we are"
  Reply
#2
(07-20-2015, 06:22 PM)elmore leonard Wrote:  I have a fairly nice Raleigh with a bad 27" front wheel. Too far gone for truing. I have a nice spare 26" wheel set.
Can I replace the 27"wheels with 26" wheels. I'm thinking the brakes pads would need to be move 1/2 inch and as the replacement rear 26" wheel is a 3 speed Shimano hub, their would be no dersillers to set up. Am I missing anything that would derail my plan?

The brakes would need to move down a little more than 1/2". These 26" wheels are somewhere between 33 and 40 mm smaller in diameter than the 27's. (Bike wheel sizing is weird, see here: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/tire-sizing.html)

The axle on the 3-speed wheel is probably about 1/2" shorter width than the current hub. If the bike's frame is steel, you are probably OK to just tighten it down like this, but it would be better to add a few washer to the axle of the new rear hub to take up some of that space.

The bike frame has to have what is called "horizontal dropouts". This means that the slot that the rear axle slides in to on the frame is roughly horizontal and not straight up and down. You need this to be able to adjust the chain tension since the new set up won't have a derailleur to take up the slack. I'm guessing your bike is fine for this, but need to check.

The rear gear on the new wheel may take a wider chain than the one that's on the bike now. If the chain doesn't fit easily onto the rear gear cog, you would need to get a "1 speed - 1/8" chain". Either way you'll need to shorten the chain.

If you don't have the shifter to go with the 3 speed hub, I think it will be stuck in the highest gear (not sure about that). May or may not be a gear you're happy riding around on.

Other than all that, should work out ok.
  Reply
#3
(07-20-2015, 06:40 PM)DaveM Wrote:  
(07-20-2015, 06:22 PM)elmore leonard Wrote:  I have a fairly nice Raleigh with a bad 27" front wheel. Too far gone for truing. I have a nice spare 26" wheel set.
Can I replace the 27"wheels with 26" wheels. I'm thinking the brakes pads would need to be move 1/2 inch and as the replacement rear 26" wheel is a 3 speed Shimano hub, their would be no dersillers to set up. Am I missing anything that would derail my plan?

The brakes would need to move down a little more than 1/2". These 26" wheels are somewhere between 33 and 40 mm smaller in diameter than the 27's. (Bike wheel sizing is weird, see here: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/tire-sizing.html)

The axle on the 3-speed wheel is probably about 1/2" shorter width than the current hub. If the bike's frame is steel, you are probably OK to just tighten it down like this, but it would be better to add a few washer to the axle of the new rear hub to take up some of that space.

The bike frame has to have what is called "horizontal dropouts". This means that the slot that the rear axle slides in to on the frame is roughly horizontal and not straight up and down. You need this to be able to adjust the chain tension since the new set up won't have a derailleur to take up the slack. I'm guessing your bike is fine for this, but need to check.

The rear gear on the new wheel may take a wider chain than the one that's on the bike now. If the chain doesn't fit easily onto the rear gear cog, you would need to get a "1 speed - 1/8" chain". Either way you'll need to shorten the chain.

If you don't have the shifter to go with the 3 speed hub, I think it will be stuck in the highest gear (not sure about that). May or may not be a gear you're happy riding around on.

Other than all that, should work out ok.
Thanks Dave. I will try it and if the wheels fit I will get the new chain. First. I have to get a front fork on the cheap.
I have a lead on one but have yet to see it.
"Where ever we go, there we are"
  Reply


Possibly Related Threads...

Forum Jump:

[-]
10 Latest Posts
2010 Specialized Hardrock
Yesterday 07:02 PM
Why do spokes break?
Yesterday 02:34 PM
Vilano Warning
Yesterday 02:13 PM
Scram Force Front Derailleur
Yesterday 01:55 PM
Hello from Connecticut USA
03-17-2024 02:57 AM
Bicycle Touring and Camping
03-17-2024 02:48 AM
New hip fracture, looking for some words...
03-17-2024 02:44 AM
Upgrading The Vilano Diverse 3.0 DriveTr...
03-16-2024 12:21 PM
Lectric One
03-15-2024 07:19 PM
PAS Level 4 and 5
03-15-2024 07:16 PM

[-]
Join BikeRide on Strava
Feel free to join if you are on Strava: www.strava.com/clubs/bikeridecom

[-]
Top 5 Posters This Month
no avatar 1. meamoantonio
23 posts
no avatar 2. GirishH
19 posts
no avatar 3. ichitan
18 posts
no avatar 4. ReapThaWhirlwind
18 posts
no avatar 5. Painkiller
17 posts