Cycling UK Forum

I want to find the correct wheel size for my old Bates bike (frame number 16664, cantiflex tubing, diadrant forks, Nervex bottom bracket) that I reckon dates from the early 1950s. It has 700c Maurice Woodrup wheels from the late 1970s that are great... but there is not enough clearance for the mudguards (the ones in the picture are cut out around the brakes...). So the wheels need to be a little smaller than 700cm standard road wheels. The Weinmann brakes aren't original and work fine on the 700c wheels - I want to get the wheels right before I start spending money on other gear.

well I think you can fairly confidently say it wasn't 27" rims.... but past that it might have been for sprints and tubs (same rim dia 622mm BSD as 700C), so not a very common brake drop at the time, or perhaps (more likely) 26 x 1-1/4".

The latter would be 597mm BSD, i.e. just 12.5mm more brake drop. So unless someone has a better idea I'd suggest that is the answer. Unfortunately it is a near-extinct rim and tyre size these days; 590BSD (26 x 1-3/8") or even 584mm would be a more practical choice in some ways.

[edit; this frame


http://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/bikes/bates-bar-damper-rb.html

#14483 from sept 1950 is almost a dead ringer for yours. It is on 597s. It occurs to me that the (typically wider) 590 and 584 fitments may give too small a clearance at the chainstays. If this is the case and you don't have 597s then one way out of it would be to fit skinny 590s. Schwalbe make these because it is a popular rim size for.... wheelchairs of all things.]

cheers

Thanks Brucey - I think you must be right about the 26 x 1-1/4 with a 597 BSD. I am working up to buying some second hand rims and getting someone to build me the wheels I need. I think the Weinmann 500s will have to go - but getting a longer drop on the brakes shouldn't be a problem. I reckon this was a 'Clubman' bike in Sheldon Browne's jargon. I've not seen any Bates bikes with sprints and tubs... Not keen to go that way! It would be nice to try the 590BSD 26 x 1-3/4 because they might be easier to find.

Thanks for the help!
Best
Tim

Hi,

650B seems the obvious answer. Lots of options as 700C has failed for MTBs and
its the new "big" size for MTBs as well as the new "small" size for road bikes.

Seems destined to become the size between road bike 700C and MTB 26".

rgds, sreten,