27" to 700c conversion

[TT Tandem]

I have a 1984 Miyata 610 that I would like to do the above switch. It has canti brakes.
I was wondering if anyone here has done this conversion and what brakes did you use?
Also is there a way to "measure" cantis to find one that will work?
Thanks!
BTW I have posted and read older posts in BF but thought maybe I would catch someone here!

[rodcad]

All I'm going to say is I tried it once with an old Trek. Spent a fortune trying this brake and that brake, none ever really lined up properly to my liking. I'd suggest just sticking with the 27's.

[Scuzzer]

I bought a cheap 80s mystery touring bike recently off craigs. The owner told me it took 700c wheels but when I got there the wheels were 27", I was bummed but the price was still decent for the Shimano MT-60 parts so I still brought it home. Turns out there was enough adjustment on the MT-60 cantis to easily swap the wheelset to 700 without any hassle.

I did measure the post the post distance on mine, it is 60mm front and 70mm rear. If it would help I can also measure axle to post dimensions.

[F150]

So long as they continue to make Panaracer Paselas, I wouldn't bother. Still running 27s on 3 bikes, all ridden for pleasure. With 1", 1 1/8" and 1 1/4" offered, as well as black and black/tan combo, I'd hope they have you covered.

I, too, ride a 520 and have fancied the thought, but then catch myself and put cash in the Merckx Fund envelop.

[25.4]

Can you elongate the brake-pad slot on the cantilever arm, with a round file?

Seems worth the experiment if you've got some cantilevers with enough material to remove at least 4mm at the bottom of the slot. Or just keep the 27" wheels.

[zmudshark]

What model canti's? Original?

If they are the original 981's, they will work with 700c wheels. The 981's have a vertical adjustment that allow them to work with 27" and 700c. I am using them on a Schwinn Voyageur that was originally equipped with 27" wheels, now with 700c, no issues.

[Frankwurst]

What model canti's? Original?

If they are the original 981's, they will work with 700c wheels. The 981's have a vertical adjustment that allow them to work with 27" and 700c. I am using them on a Schwinn Voyageur that was originally equipped with 27" wheels, now with 700c, no issues.

Just did the same with an older Trek. :beer:

[GuyGadois]

An older trek I bought had 27" wheel spacing (it didn't come with the wheels). I had a local frame builder, Tim Neenam add canti's. Works like a charm. I would think you could use the cantis and find adjustable brakes to fit 700's.

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7467/16164560396_cefd711dca_c.jpg

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7524/16164561976_4c16772011_c.jpg[/url]

[JAllen]

I'm another vote for rockin' 27s. Conti gatorskins are offered 27 1 1/4 and that is perfect for me. But I totally understand the itch to make that change. WAY more options in 700s. Funny thing is I would still slap gatorskins on whatever I had.

[zmudshark]

My 80's Schwinn(made for 27") with same brakes and 700X 35c Conti's:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-u8Scg8XMVlI/TXWG1bY8FSI/AAAAAAAAFcY/8jtsIRB3BTU/s912/P1010129.JPG

[pinkshogun]

So, I'm just a bozo on this bus, was never in love with cantis, but they seem to be a necessary evil to allow fatter tire clearance, esp with vintage steel. Picked up lightly-used CX70s to convert a 27" narrow-mount canti bike to 700C wheels, reading online that CX70s had lots of adjustability and good geometry to do that. Overall the operation was successful, so I can recommend trying this setup to ya'll in similar situations. Possibly pertinent/useless on-topic observations:

1. IME the CX70s stop really, really well. Solid feel, good modulation, quick stops. No performance negatives to report. The narrow mounts on this particular bike might help; the shoes, I'm sure, contribute (see below).
2. Dense I am, but AFAICT the "CX70s open wide" Riv thing is only due to the short stock brake blocks? Is there anything else special with the CX70 that they open wider than other cantis regardless of brake block length? O/W, use any canti you like & just switch to short brake blocks? And if the blocks hitting the stays/blades is what prevents wide opening, regardless of brake brand/type, if short shoes hit metal before the calipers fully spread their wings, well, you're hosed.
3. I always ditch one-piece/weirdo straddle link thingies for good ol' cable & straddle.
4. The CX70 cable-end receptor and cable anchor device is needlessly complex/weird. You do need a little more cable slack to extract the cable end.
5. I use almost exclusively aero brake levers, and lotsa brifters, so extracting the cable end is always difficult when brakes are adjusted to taste. I have two general workarounds:
*Curse and swear mightily, and be OK with light finger laceration.
*Adjust cable just a little loose enough to remove cable without cussing/laceration, and take up that little bit o' slack w/adjuster barrels. Helps to have a setup with adjuster barrels somewhere in the cable path. Gets the cable out w/o too much squishiness.
*Tektro, especially TRP levers w/QR buttons, are very helpful, that's what I use w/bar-cons.
6. I tend to favor longer brake shoes, for better braking, so even removing the straddle cable often doesn't clear the tire, especially with vintage narrow-mount setups.
*Canti bikes that might need to go into the car often might get short blocks up front, preventing my fellow club riders from hearing me swearing mightily, in public.
*Recently a big fan of Kool-Stop thinline dual-compound ATB shoes: thin, non-replaceable, but long and curved to follow the rim arc; have to be OK with a large screened ATB logo on your non-ATB machine.
*More recently found Kool-Stop thinline dual-compound BMX shoes seem identical to their ATB cousins, but are cheaper; the price you pay for saving $$$ is the even-more-declasse "BMX" screened on the shoes.
*The brake shoe length/type stuff above also applies, for me, to non-canti centerpull calipers that use canti shoes. I'm primarily talking Paul Components here. Short blocks up front for car bikes, long Kool-Stop thinline dual-compound ATBs in the back.