26" vs. 700C rear wheel

The most common tire and tube size world wide is 559mm AKA 26" Something to consider if you plan to
travel with the bike.

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

Hi, Folks: I'm currently under the LWB spell and will be selling my beloved Haluzak as I cannot
afford to own both: The serial monogamy
vs. polygamy issue again. Alas, the wife will only tolerate one mistress at a time! I'm pretty
sure I'll be going with a Tour Easy EX, but I'm thinking of going with a custom 26" rear wheel
instead of the 700C (I'll be getting the rear disk brake) because of the wider range of tires
available. I just wanted some input on ride quality, speed, etc.--whatever your experience or
thoughts might be regarding the differences between the two. Should I just go w/the 700C?

I'm looking forward to full-on Geek status w/body sock and the works!

Thanks,

Scott

--
Cletus D. Lee Bacchetta Giro Lightning Voyager clee.orgclee.orgOpen ↗
- Bellaire, TX USA -

I'm pretty sure I'll be going with a Tour Easy EX,> HI Scott, The 451 front wheel on the SS is a
noticabely faster choice. (secret weapon that makes GRR faster than T.E.) Raising the nose has a
positive speed effect, if you have a zipper, (surely you will)?

Quoted message said:

but I'm thinking of going with a custom 26" rear wheel instead of the

700C (I'll be getting the rear disk brake) because of the wider range of tires available. I just
wanted some input on ride quality, speed, etc.--whatever your experience or thoughts might be
regarding the differences between the two. Should I just go w/the 700C?> After 11,000 miles on 700c,
I switched to 559 (26"😉 and am very happy with it. I am a tall rider, and I feel much more "dialed
in" on the bike,tucked a little lower behind the fairing, and a li'l less erect. It should be a bit
more aerodynamic too, giving me a faster top end, but I can't say for sure. Rear disc is a prob'ly a
good idea, just to eliminate squeal if nothing else. Oh, and make SURE you get a red one 🙂 Mark C,
Ti-Rush #33

Like everything about cycling it depends on what you plan to do. I do long self contained rides on
my Ryan and prefer the 26 because sturdier wheels and tires are more available. Loaded speed isn't
much of a concern but toughness is. I lost a LBS built wheel in Newfoundland, a 150 mikes from the
closest bike shop. I certainly would have given anything for a sturdier wheel then.

If you put a faring on a an Easy Racer, the 700 makes a lot of sense.

If you don't push the bike to it's limits and do leisurely rides around town or with a Tour Group,
then either is fine. If your conservative you'll probably pick the 26 if you like to zip then the
700 is the best choice.

Interesting, Most of the world's touring bicycles are 700C, not MTB 26" so why the stress over the
700 size? If thousands of people can tour all over the world using the 700C size, how come
recumbents will overload the wheel somehow? My rear 700C wheel uses a Shimano 105 36H hub laced to
a Mavic T520 double-walled hub with stainless steel eyelets. It has had no problems with
off-roading (I am fully suspended so why not?) no problems doing the Hotter N Hell rides each year,
handled rough roads in Korea and insane speeds in TX. The tire selection for 700C is so much larger
than 26" it is not even close! Touring tires, knobby tires, racing tires by the ton are in that
size. The reason that there are any street tires in the 26" size is due to the mountain bikes
popularity. Throw some street tires on it to gain speed and grip for commuting. The selection on
wider tires is not so good, tires 32mm and wider have less to choose from but I have found several
that work well. Choose what you choose but don't worry about the strength of the wheels. If you
want the strongest, just get a Tailwind and string up a set of 48-spoke wheels laced to
BMX/Freestyle rims with 13 gauge spokes.

John H Rollin' 622 in N TX

The 700c is an excellent and versatile choice for Easy Racer bikes. I've never had a problem with a
stock rear wheel that I can recall (in 15 years of riding). I'm an XL sized rider, tow trailers,
carry loads, and ride off-road. I'm currently running a 35c rear tire of what I consider mediocre
quality. So far I haven't even had a flat on this current set up.

In saying this, I must say that I'm considering experimenting with a 26" because I want a better
choice in fat tires, and slightly lower gearing and I generally prefer the 26. I believe that i'll
give up some performance in doing this.

Performance wise, the 700c/451 is a hot set up on an Easy Racer bike and offers a noticeable
difference.

Bob Bryant recumbentcyclistnews.comrecumbentcyclistnews.comOpen ↗

Quoted message said:

In saying this, I must say that I'm considering experimenting with a 26"

because I want a better choice in fat tires, and slightly lower gearing and I generally prefer the
26. I believe that i'll give up some performance in doing this.

OH Yeah, just do it Bob! How about some serious coast down comparison tests while you're at it?(good
article stuff). My set up (451x 559) is similar to stock performance wise, and the slightly lower
gearing seems to accelerate
(climb) a teeny bit better. An unexpected beni' is that the bike looks a bit sleeker with wheels
that are closer together in diameter.