27 inch tires make a comeback
On Jul 12, 2:10*am, "Mike Jacoubowsky" wrote:
The "story" isn't about 27" tires making some sort of a comeback. Rather, it's about people taking old bikes out of the garage and wanting to ride them again. A noble gesture, but most of these bikes are way past their shelf life, and usually aren't worth bringing back to life. You could spend a whole lot of money fixing up some of those old relics, and usually still not have something as practical or comfortable as a common hybrid.
The most-common issue with the Schwinn Varsity, as seen a couple times/week at the shop? People not understanding that the pressure listed on the sidewall of the tire relates to installation on a decent-quality rim with a hooked edge. The old Schwinns had smooth sidewalls on the rims, and a tire rated at 90psi will likely blow out at 60psi.
I understand your point about the rims, but I've known people who
resurrected old bikes and did absolutely fine. I know of a lighter
weight Schwinn (not Varsity) from about 1985 and a Raleigh road bike
from about the same era. Both had decent quality Sun Tour components
and are being ridden happily. Chains and cogs weren't even worn. I
believe the Schwinn didn't even need new tires.
If many components are beat up, I could understand your judgment. But
surely, many bikes get barely ridden before their owners lose
interest. Do you see problems with those being resurrected?
- Frank Krygowski
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