Question about middleweights bikes

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Rebel_56

Rebel_56

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i just bought the 57 columbia frame setup from tanksalot and I guess it's a middleweight. I collect balloon tires and am a lil uneducated on the middleweights. My question is I guess the bike takes a 26x1.75 tire. I was wondering if I could run a kenda k130 tire. It's a 26x2.125 tire but I've noticed they seem smaller with a lower profile then most balloon tires. I'm just trying to line up what I need for the arrival of the frame fork and fenders and I have two kenda on stock so if n e one knows let a greaser know!!!! Thanks.
 
If it were me in your shoes. I would try one. I know that may be difficult , But that way you will know for sure. Its funny, I bought a bike from a guy. He said. The tires rub a little. It was a Stelber middleweight and he had put 2.125 tires on both wheels. Man............. It would not even roll. He forced them in there. Was really rubbing on the fenders. It originally had 1.75 tires on it. I had a set of 1.75 tires. But these seemed a bit fatter. It all worked out and the bike looks good.
I like fenders on all my bikes. I see most of these Klunkers with no fenders. Looks like you could do it on them. But with Fenders, I Don't think so.
Just my guess because of my experience on my Stelber and on Middle weight Schwinn I had. It was mainly because of the fenders.
Good Luck.
 
Rebel_56 said:
i just bought the 57 columbia frame setup from tanksalot and I guess it's a middleweight. I collect balloon tires and am a lil uneducated on the middleweights. My question is I guess the bike takes a 26x1.75 tire. I was wondering if I could run a kenda k130 tire. It's a 26x2.125 tire but I've noticed they seem smaller with a lower profile then most balloon tires. I'm just trying to line up what I need for the arrival of the frame fork and fenders and I have two kenda on stock so if n e one knows let a greaser know!!!! Thanks.
Click to expand...

First off, congrats on that bike... I was eyeballing it, too... very nice. Second of all, some middleweights have enough clearance for 2.125" rubber AND fenders.... Schwinn middleweights seem to have more room, b/c they're running a larger diameter rim, but you never know til you try, or at least measure. Seems like most MWs can take a balloon without fenders; you just might have to add a link and run the wheel as far back as possible to keep from rubbing. Some other MWs just simply can't take a balloon at all without some frame mods or some sort of kludge to extend the drop-outs. Unfortunately, I don't have any direct experience with that particular frame... unless someone with the same bike (or very similar) can chime in quick, you might just have to wait til it arrives.

You're right about the k130; seems like most of the Kenda "balloon" tires are closer to being 2.0 than 2.125, but are decent rubber otherwise. And, being that you have some on-hand, you can mock it up as soon as that frame comes in...
 
Thankyou gentleman. Luckily I just scored a ladies schwinn from the 50s for $30 here in vegas with nice 26x1.75 tires on it so now I have both sizes to mess with.
 
Oh no, not another decimal vs fraction tire size thread haha


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
A 26x1 3/4" is basically the same overall diameter as a balloon tire, but with a 571mm rim and a 45mm tire, whereas a 26x1.75 fits on the same size rim as a balloon tire (559mm) but only has about 45mm of rubber wrapped around it. If a balloon tire rubs the fenders, then so will a 26x1 3/4.... but the 26x1 3/4" will probably clear the stays.
 
When I first got this "Goodyear" labeled frame something like 40 yrs ago, I found that my Carlisle knobbies fit with a little less than 1/4" side clearance near the back of the dropouts, whereas an old chain tread (I think it was a Uniroyal?) that I had would not fit at all. Both were marked as 2.125" There's currently a 2.0" "city" tire on it that looks like it belongs.
PTDC0045_zpsd858e197.jpg
 
So basically if I want to keep the fenders on (which I do cause it's all original paint) it sounds like I will need to run 1.75 tires. Does anyone know what wheel company columbia used in 1957 for a middleweight straight bar?
 
Pretty sure Westfield made their own wheels using New Departure Hubs. :39: I think they may have switched to Bendix at some point, perhaps someone else can confirm or repudiate my recollection.o_O:chicken:
 
Rebel,
I don't know if you found any tires that fit under your fenders, but seeing I had trouble finding tires narrow enough to fit my Snyder built '56 Hawthorne, thought I'd post a pic.

2-27-2015%20Hawthorne%20iso_zpsdw91csfh.jpg

I ordered a couple sets of 1.95 x 26 tires thinking for sure they would fit - but no, they were all too wide and rubbed. Turned out I had a pair of used 1.50 x 26 that fit with clearance. Worth it to keep the cool original fenders!
 
Bicycle808 said:
Horsefarmer, i totally agree; you did the right thing b/c those fenders look incredible.

@Rebel_56 , did you ever get this sorted out?
Click to expand...
Thanks! The old tires were very rotten but the old 1.75 x 26 tires seem identical to the much newer 1.50 x 26 tires I replaced them with. Does anyone know if current production 1.75x26 tires are wider or taller than 1950's vintage rubber?
 
Thankyou gentleman yes I did get it figured out. I spent a lil money trying to figure it out lol but it's all good now. So yea 2.0 were too tight 1.95 fit the rear but snug in the front 1.75 was a perfect fit. Not even 10 minutes after I finished putting the bike together I got an offer i couldn't refuse. We don't get many old bikes here in vegas so I made an abnormal profit on the bike. I hate selling I end up regretting it every time I sell but the dude threw me an offer that made my money back and the profit bought me 2 long spring prewar saddles for my 28 mead and my 39 westfield.
 

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