My one-prior-owner 48 (Raleigh) Lenton Clubman is Veddy Proper British (http://retroraleighs.com/clubman-kohler.html, by Peter Kohl), down to the 4-speed Sturmey and the 26x 1/4 tyres This particular variety of 26" tire (597 mm) can be found everywhere (Schwinn EA-3), but apparently there are no quality tires except the Schwalbe from Harris Cycles (http://sheldonbrown.com/tire-sizing.html). With its present no-name inflatable rubber bricks, the ride has been truly awful, so I wanted to try something else before springing for new rubber.
So, on a whim I put her up on the stand tonight, and got out the tape measure. Lo and behold! The generic 700c (622) wheel fits in front, with ample fender clearance. The old steel brake has slots long enough to adjust for it. Even more incredible, the ASC wheel with a 27" rim (630) fits the back, too, although the brake would be happier with a 700c rim. With fixed gear ASC, I'm not goint to worry about this, especially since it also has fender clearance with a fat tire on the 27".
Ladies and Gentlemen, we're talking about serious wheel clearance here to span from 597 to 630 mm diameter at the bead, something I had only associated with Grant Peterson at Rivendell before this. The Empire strikes again!
harvey sachs
mcLean va