road wheels on an MTB?
Discussion
Now before I go and start fiddling in the garage I though it best if I ask on here first!
I fancy re-roling my steel framed Kona SS into more of a training machine, currently it's setup with 26" wheels and a low gear, not ideal for bashing out the miles.
Is it possible to simply slot a set of 700 wheels in instead?
Of course, if it ends up looking ridiculous I will quickly swap them back!
I fancy re-roling my steel framed Kona SS into more of a training machine, currently it's setup with 26" wheels and a low gear, not ideal for bashing out the miles.
Is it possible to simply slot a set of 700 wheels in instead?
Of course, if it ends up looking ridiculous I will quickly swap them back!
pablo said:
on the basis that road wheels are bigger than mtb wheels, there will be insufficent frame clearance and they wont fit 
road wheels are something like 28", mtb run 26....
Well you learn something new every day. I'd always assumed that 700c wheels were 29" and that 29'ers had crossed over from cyclocross. road wheels are something like 28", mtb run 26....
They'll probably fit - the outside diameter of a 700c wheel with 23mm tyres will be similar to that of a 26" wheel with 2"+ tyres, and most MTBs have a load of mud clearance too.
The issue is more getting road wheels with hubs that are the right spacing, and disc mounts (rim brakes will be no use as the rim will be in a different place) - easy enough if you're getting them custom made, a headache if you want to buy off the shelf or use some secondhand ones. And then every time you want to change you'll be swapping wheels, changing chain length, setting up brakes again.
I'd just go with 26" slicks and better gearing, although even that is still a hell of a faff compared to just buying another bike for the job.
The issue is more getting road wheels with hubs that are the right spacing, and disc mounts (rim brakes will be no use as the rim will be in a different place) - easy enough if you're getting them custom made, a headache if you want to buy off the shelf or use some secondhand ones. And then every time you want to change you'll be swapping wheels, changing chain length, setting up brakes again.
I'd just go with 26" slicks and better gearing, although even that is still a hell of a faff compared to just buying another bike for the job.
While it might actually clear the frame, road rear hubs are 130mm and MTB are 135mm.
If you run disks and a 135mm hub, then it might work. I managed to get a cyclocross wheel and 35mm tyre into a standard 26" HT last year. Clearance was really close though.
If you run disks and a 135mm hub, then it might work. I managed to get a cyclocross wheel and 35mm tyre into a standard 26" HT last year. Clearance was really close though.
Edited by matt-ITR on Monday 6th February 13:33
rhinochopig said:
Well you learn something new every day. I'd always assumed that 700c wheels were 29" and that 29'ers had crossed over from cyclocross.
700c rims and 29er rims are interchangeable: I've used my 29er singlespeed wheels from my MTB on my Cotic Roadrat - they're both the same rim diameter. I too have seen MTB wheels described as 28" (inner tubes mainly) and am damned if I know the exact reasoning.This is the previous incarnation of my Killi Flyer frame with 700c wheels.
(It's now a single speed on 700c)
Killi Flyer frame by Saracen by pdrawmer, on Flickr
Had to fit new forks, and search for long reach rear brakes, as the cantilevers wouldn't reach.
(It's now a single speed on 700c)
Killi Flyer frame by Saracen by pdrawmer, on Flickr
Had to fit new forks, and search for long reach rear brakes, as the cantilevers wouldn't reach.
pablo said:
on the basis that road wheels are bigger than mtb wheels, there will be insufficent frame clearance and they wont fit
road wheels are something like 28", mtb run 26....
I've got a Specialized Crosstrail thats marketed as a "hybrid", but really its a 29er (easier to market a hybrid?). 700c wheels are the same diameter as those on a 29er.road wheels are something like 28", mtb run 26....
Had the rear cassette changed on the wheels from my old Trek (700x25) so that I can use those as a set of road wheels for the Crosstrail.
A set of 700c wheels will likely not fit on a mountain bike unless there's a lot of space on the frame. If you have disc brakes, you've then got the challenge of getting a set of 700c wheels with discs - potentially awkward?
For more info on the sizing :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/29er_%28bicycle%29
a11y_m said:
I too have seen MTB wheels described as 28" (inner tubes mainly) and am damned if I know the exact reasoning.
It is because 29er wheels are not actually 29", they are nearer 28".The reason they were called 29er (coined by Gary Fisher I believe) is because the wheel + tyre = about 29".
It was basically a way of differentiating it from road bike wheels, whilst actually been the same diameter.
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