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Wooden Rims Questions

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TheWindrider

Finally riding a big boys bike
This is totally new stuff to me. I wrench, tune and restore vintage lightweight racer classics, so that at least isn’t new.

I measured roughly a 25” diameter rim size. Is this any kind of standard and are tires available? Are these the tubeless tubular/sewup style like the racers of my day?

I’m hoping tires and spokes are available somewhere?

thank you!
 
Robert Dean Tires
28 x 1 1/2" ribbed tread and 28 x 1-3/4” smooth tread tires for sale. They are $150-175 each includes shipping.
Robert Dean Sr.
628 Jefferson St.
Saint Albans, WV 25177
They are black, red or white, 4 ply , no name or size on side wall
Hours are 5 PM - 9 PM EST M-F and 9 AM - 9 PM Saturday. 304-722-3115

ED51117D-AB2D-446F-AAEB-F198C8F106F7.jpeg
 
You've got a good one there. Real old- 1900-1910s. Your bike from what I can see is a good candidate for a preservation job; not a restoration, but a preservation. I say that because it looks like it still has good salvageable original paint, nice straight wheels, and I think all of the nickel parts can still be carefully shined up pretty well again. So a full blown restoration is not appropriate. I would recommend a good cleaning, maybe some polishing, and new tires. Robert Dean tires are very good, but if you have a more fixed budget like me, you might can sometimes find some less expensive modern tubular tires on ebay, that have a sort- of vintage looking tread. They are usually sold using measurements in millimeters, and not inches, so Google's mm to inches webpage is useful when tire shopping for appropriate tires on a budget. Your bike originally came equipped with 28x1 1/2 inch tubular tires, glue on. They can be found both in black and cream, and I've taken some high proof nail polish remover to eat away the painted on logos on modern tubulars, and they can work and look effective when you do that. You can definitely make this bike a good reliable rider or show piece again. Good luck, and Merry Christmas!
 
Carolina Rambler, you have a trained eye. The bike is a 1898 Glenwood. Your recommendation for preservation is where I am going with this. The rims are very straight for poor spoke tension. Seatpost and stem are free, that’s a relief. Thank you for tire size and etc help. I have a 700 sewup from my Colnago I will stretch over a bare rim to check for size. The paint is quite nice in most places if I can remove the years of embedded lube and dust. Plating on the crankset may even shine a bit. This will be a ceremonial, Friday night townie. I want people to see it. I have a friend locally that relaces wheels and he may dive at the opportunity to do a woodie. Thanx for the tips!
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You've got a good one there. Real old- 1900-1910s. Your bike from what I can see is a good candidate for a preservation job; not a restoration, but a preservation. I say that because it looks like it still has good salvageable original paint, nice straight wheels, and I think all of the nickel parts can still be carefully shined up pretty well again. So a full blown restoration is not appropriate. I would recommend a good cleaning, maybe some polishing, and new tires. Robert Dean tires are very good, but if you have a more fixed budget like me, you might can sometimes find some less expensive modern tubular tires on ebay, that have a sort- of vintage looking tread. They are usually sold using measurements in millimeters, and not inches, so Google's mm to inches webpage is useful when tire shopping for appropriate tires on a budget. Your bike originally came equipped with 28x1 1/2 inch tubular tires, glue on. They can be found both in black and cream, and I've taken some high proof nail polish remover to eat away the painted on logos on modern tubulars, and they can work and look effective when you do that. You can definitely make this bike a good reliable rider or show piece again. Good luck, and Merry Christmas!
Will the 27.5” tubulars stretch out to fit these rims? If so, that would give me a few more choices. I’m not seeing a 28x1 1/2” or 38mm. The tires (rock hard) that were on the bike were 1 3/4”.
 
Hello! I don't know very much about the tubular tires, I've only dabbled in them some, and read up on them a fair amount. I bought a set of tires recently for a bicycle I am restoring; its not yet in operational condition to allow me to test how well these tires will work in function for sure, but I will show you a picture of the tire's logo, that I bought. I may be wrong, but it could actually be a 700c tubular. The fellow I bought them from said he used them in a few races, and then sold them to me used, at a good rate. I mounted them on my wood rim, and it fit snuggly even without glue {but glue should be used}. It fit so snuggly that it was a little hard to put on , and had a couple of light folds sort of form in places from stretching it. Once I pumped up the tire, the folds went away and it got nice and smooth, and looked to be in a usable condition. I would highly recommend, if you have a 700c tubular on hand already, to give it a try mounting it, and see how it looks. This will aid in tire shopping. The below pictures, show the tire I bought, and the bike I am working on. I will be doing a post on the bike later on sometime with more photos and whatnot. Hope this helps some; the friend of yours who does wheels may have further advice; thank you, and have a Happy New Year!

1577859315422.png

tire is about 1 1/4 inch wide, so slightly narrower that an original, but I am okay with that for my bike.
1577859674820.png


This is a circa 1915 Montgomery Ward Deluxe Flyer. Hope to complete it and ride it sometime in 2021. This bike was painted bright orange when it was new,
and its orange now, just the wrong kind. Right now its orange and brown from heavy rust, not from paint!


1577859991539.png
 
Last edited:
Hello! I don't know very much about the tubular tires, I've only dabbled in them some, and read up on them a fair amount. I bought a set of tires recently for a bicycle I am restoring; its not yet in operational condition to allow me to test how well these tires will work in function for sure, but I will show you a picture of the tire's logo, that I bought. I may be wrong, but it could actually be a 700c tubular. The fellow I bought them from said he used them in a few races, and then sold them to me used, at a good rate. I mounted them on my wood rim, and it fit snuggly even without glue {but glue should be used}. It fit so snuggly that it was a little hard to put on , and had a couple of light folds sort of form in places from stretching it. Once I pumped up the tire, the folds went away and it got nice and smooth, and looked to be in a usable condition. I would highly recommend, if you have a 700c tubular on hand already, to give it a try mounting it, and see how it looks. This will aid in tire shopping. The below pictures, show the tire I bought, and the bike I am working on. I will be doing a post on the bike later on sometime with more photos and whatnot. Hope this helps some; the friend of yours who does wheels may have further advice; thank you, and have a Happy New Year!

View attachment 1117038
tire is about 1 1/4 inch wide, so slightly narrower that an original, but I am okay with that for my bike.
View attachment 1117040

This is a circa 1915 Montgomery Ward Deluxe Flyer. Hope to complete it and ride it sometime in 2021. This bike was painted bright orange when it was new,
and its orange now, just the wrong kind. Right now its orange and brown from heavy rust, not from paint!


View attachment 1117041
What a cool bike!! Yes, my spare tubular (I have a Colnago that wears them) will stretch to fit, it’s just 21mm wide.
There is no hurry just yet. Thanks for posting your tubular for ideas. As long as they are the glue-on type they will stretch though sometimes you have to heat them a bit. Happy New Year!
 
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