Gone but not forgotten is the 27″ wheel. It was the standard long ago, but now it usually turns-up when you dig your old Peugeot out the back of the garage.

Unfortunately, we do not carry replacement wheels and rims. This is because we encourage our customers to upgrade to new (and more widely accepted) standards, like the 700c wheel or 650B.

However, if you wish to keep your current 27″ wheel setup, then we recommend contacting our friends at Harris Cyclery →

Before upgrading, there are a few considerations:

• Drivetrain Evolution — Most 27″ wheels were mated to 5 or 6 speed freewheels. For modern 700c wheels, expect these to be 8+ speeds … therefore a drivetrain update is probably in order.
• Frame Spacing — Ensure that the rear width of your frame (between the drop outs) and the width of your drivetrain (over the locknuts) match. For the most part, cold setting / re-spacing / frame spacing / whatever you want to call it and dropout alignment is no big deal with the right tools. However, if the difference of your original spacing and target spacing is greater than 10mm, then proceed with caution. This change of spacing is doable, but keep in mind that chainline issues, wheel dishing, and drivetrain gremlins are a greater possibility.
• Brakes — A few issues to consider:

1. Most classic road bikes were built around 27″ wheels. Modern road wheels have adapted the 700c standard. In terms of wheel diameter, the difference is only about 8mm in diameter. However, this sometimes necessitates either a long reach caliper brake, or a “shorty” version of cantilevers.
2. Recessed brake nuts are now the standard. This simply means that the fixing bolt is inside of the brake bridge or steerer fork for a cleaner appearance. However, vintage bikes were often equipped with nutted style brakes. Fortunately, there are a few ways to get around this problem, or you can purchase new brakes equipped with nutted bolts.

Though a wheel upgrade can be a daunting challenge, the continued development of the 700c wheel size proves that there a number of good reasons to move away from the 27″ wheel.

And if you have any general questions about upgrading your wheelset, feel free to contact us with your questions. We are here to help.