Well, Cousin Bob, that Butler is a great bike!
Aren't there some good tires available now? I've become enamored of a 1972 Peugeot UO-8 and planning a set of decent wheels for it. What I've seen in tires that looks to be supple and long(ish) lasting are a Pasela Tourguard and a Continental UltraGatorskin. Cheap and possibly decent includes the Michelin World. I don't think there are any Heinish (Grand Bois or Parigi-Roubaix) tires out there for 630. The World is said by some to be a modernization of the old high-pressure gumwall tires of the '70s. I haven't inspected any, so I can't really say.
But being a bike shop guy you're probably familiar with all of these. What sorts of tires are you looking for? I'd like to open my horizons.
On Sun, Dec 27, 2009 at 2:56 AM, <rdf1249@aol.com> wrote:
> I sold some Woodrups in the early 80s that fit 27", but I had one from the
> 60s that fit 700c. Same with several other bikes I have had from the 60s.
> Often the frames were nearly the same and you could use 26 x 1 1/4,
> tubulars, or 27" on the same frame depending on the brake reach.
> "Sprints" (or sewups or tubulars or "tubs") became common for racing in
> what, the 30s? So some bikes were made to fit them back then. My Geoffrey
> Butler (yes he was Claud's brother) road bike, made in late 50s or early
> 60s, came to me NOS with 60s era 27" wheels, though it had never been
> ridden. Good thing, because not only were the wheels impossibly out of
> dish, they didn't fit! The bike was made for sprints and 27" didn't fit!
> For now I have some 700c clinchers on it, but I have some nice tubulars all
> set to go on it with NOS 3-piece Gran Sport 32/40 hubs.
>
> Here is the bike if you have not seen it.
> http://www.flickr.com/
>
> That said, I like the feel of 27" on the bikes that need it too. Something
> a bit regal about a wheel that big. They roll really nice. Too bad there
> are no quality 27 x 1 3/8 tires these days.
>
> Message: 6
> Date: Sat, 26 Dec 2009 10:34:06 +0000
> From: kevin sayles <kevinsayles@tiscali.co.uk>
> Subject: Re: [CR] Long brakes,Short brakes and 700c...TIMELINE?
> To: Ken Freeman <kenfreeman096@gmail.com>, Bob Freitas
> <freitas1@pacbell.net>
> Cc: CLASSIC RENDEZVOUS <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
> Message-ID: <7B79F63E47524F359E29C5ED6717DC96@kevinPC>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>
> Hi Ken, Bob etc
>
> 'When did we changeover to 700c'.?.......this is one of those things that sort
> of happened without any conscious degree of thought.....its not like we thought
> 'wow, this frame wants 700c instead of 27s'.......I think framebuilders just
> adapt to the 'latest' trends without too much fuss, so I can't be sure when we
> at Woodrup's finally stopped making frames for 27s.
>
> Most of the frames that were shipped to the states, either via 'Ten Speed drive'
> or direct to the customer where based on what we termed 'fast touring' [often
> had a transfer saying Giro touring......which we realised later said tour
> touring!] these frames where made for deep drop brakes and 'fender'
> clearance.....as for 27s versus 700c.......
>
> I think Ken is right in saying early 80s......I'd say by 82 we were only
> building frames for 700c unless specified......this seems to fit in with when
> the first 700c clinchers came out...I know before 82 I was still riding 'sew
> ups' in Winter.
>
> What is interesting is who or what instigates these changes?.........who for
> example was the first to introduce allen key fitting brakes?..........who
> decided that having 3 guides for the brake cable on the top tube was a good idea
> [personally I hated it].....or hidden rear brake cable [another duff Idea]
> or who decided under the bracket cable run [though this was not uncommon on
> Hetchins, or Jack Taylors]
> I think? Dave Lloyd may have been instrumental in the trend for brazed on front
> changers?
>
> Anyhow, I take it Ken that 'cushy' is good regarding your handling of your
> Woodrup....though this is not to be taken that all Woodrups have this particular
> trait......I say this because I feel many of the folk on this list who may have
> a Woodrup are based in the US so will have the traditional fast touring
> geometry......but we didn't just make fast touring frames, anyone who has seen
> my personal bikes will know that.
>
> Time now to take such a bike out for a spin......having had a week off due to
> icey roads.
>
> Cheers
> Kevin Sayles
> Bridgwater Somerset UK
>
> cheers
>
> Bob Freeman
> Elliott Bay Bicycles
> 2116 Western Ave
> Seattle, WA 98121
> 206-441-8144
> http://www.elliottbaybicycles.com
> http://www.davidsonbicycles.com
>
>
>
--
Ken Freeman
Ann Arbor, MI USA