# Post WWI rims - what would they look like?



## chuckspeed (Aug 2, 2008)

gents - 

I'm thinking about building up a custom bike - patterned after the board track motorcycles of the Roaring 20's.  I
ll try and get a pic up of the design shortly; I've forgotten my Photobucket password!

Anyway - straight second, kinked top, straight stays, with geometry altered to keep the seat low to the top bar and still provide decent leg length.  skiptood drive, drop bars, 20's style tank, nickel plating throughout.  

Bike will be ridden in Key West, so all parts will be powdercoated and all hardware will be stainless - the elements are rough on a bike in the Keys!

Anyway - I'd like some advice on rims.  Want to run modern (clincher) tires (in white, of course) but want the rims to look the part.  pre-clinchers had a crown to the rim - looking like a parentheses - ) - in cross section.  Can I get a clincher rim which looks like that?

Alternately - what did early clincher rims look like? 

Thanks in advance, 

Chuck.


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## sensor (Aug 2, 2008)

if you can find some...*some of*the ccm's from the 30's had 28" wheels that were clinchers and had the same profile as the clad wheels
heres a link to one with the clichers that have the profile you want...
http://ratrodbikes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=7598&p=77687#p77687


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## chuckspeed (Aug 3, 2008)

promised a pic of the basic design:






did some research yesterday - I do like the 28" rims, as the proportions of the bike would be better - and I can run 2-1/2" rubber!  How difficult is it to obtain 28" rims and a 28" fork?


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## Andrew Gorman (Aug 3, 2008)

Indian and Chinese bikes still use 28" clinchers, usually set up for rod brakes so the profile might be a little flat.  There are some Raleigh rims set up for caliper brakes too.   See some pictures at:
http://www.yellowjersey.org/EASTMAN.HTML


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## kunzog (Aug 3, 2008)

I think you will have a harder time finding 28" tires than you will finding rims. Surely you will not find any 28  2 1/2 inch tires. I would go with 26 inch rims. Look at the balloon rims made by Worksman, they have that old vintage look like the ones on this bike:


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## chuckspeed (Aug 3, 2008)

Coker tire - 28x 2-1/2:




The geometry on the bike above is for looks - and being chugged around by the motor.  I want decent pedaling geometry; the distance from the top of the seat to the pedal at downstroke is 35-1/2" on my modern bike.  I can get there by moving the BB forward - and run 28" rims Top tube will be around 30" to the ground - just a wee bit higher than the tires.


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## kunzog (Aug 3, 2008)

I didnt realize you were considering antique motorcycle tires, kind of expensive at $264. each. If you go with the motorcycle rim those tires are designed for, the spokes are going to be quite a bit larger in diameter than bicycle spokes and you may have trouble finding hubs to match.  Also number of spoke holes may not be the same.


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## Andrew Gorman (Aug 3, 2008)

Schwalbe "Delta Cruisers" are available in cream, 28X 1 1/2".  A little skinny for a motorcycle, but fit on bicycle rims.  I noticed some white 26X 2.125 bike tires on eBay over the past couple weeks as well.  That is a sharp looking Excelsior!
Link to the Schwalbes below- the company said they'd be back in stock in a month or so.
http://www.schwalbetires.com/delta_cruiser_hs392


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## chuckspeed (Aug 3, 2008)

If I want the bike to be the way I want it, the m/c tires will be okay. 

I've built two motorized bikes - the last one using a repop roadmaster; put a workman wheel and drum brake on it 'cuz the coaster would not haul the bike down from 40 MPH

As for hubs - 32, 36 & 40 spokes are common for both m/c's and bicycles. May opt for singletubes - they're the same price as the m/c tires!



kunzog said:


> I didnt realize you were considering antique motorcycle tires, kind of expensive at $264. each. If you go with the motorcycle rim those tires are designed for, the spokes are going to be quite a bit larger in diameter than bicycle spokes and you may have trouble finding hubs to match.  Also number of spoke holes may not be the same.


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## sensor (Aug 3, 2008)

i wouldnt be concerned about the hole count on the hubs but the spoke gauge will be very different(dont know about the heavy duty hubs but im assuming theyd be mighty small too........) thatd be the first thing id look into
also cokers and universal tires arent actual single tubes theyre solid(ive got a set on my elgin)


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## chuckspeed (Aug 3, 2008)

first - I gotta get my hands on a set of rims.  the more I think about it the more I like the 28's.  my modern is running a 700C rim - about the same dimension as a 28.  

Agree on the spoke gauge - If I could find an old set of rims, the orig holes can be welded shut and smaller gauge openings drilled to match hubs.  

Well - gotta start lookin'!


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## suhrsc (Aug 4, 2008)

you might be able to cut motorcycle spoke nipples down to use as spacers for the bicycle spokes, then just make sure you run extra padding inside the rim to protect the tube


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