Advice on wheel size

[Tel]

Right then,sorry to be a pain but Ive tried a 26 wheel in front and back and the results are
front leaves 85mm from centre of brake bridge to rim
rear leaves 90mm

Ok. Look on this page: http://sheldonbrown.com/rim-sizing.html

A modern 26" MTB wheel is 559mm
Old 26" wheel is 597mm (if I've picked the right ones). Which sounds about right.
A 700c is 622mm.
A 27" is 630mm

so with the old 26" wheel your brake drop would have been
front 66mm, rear 71mm.

With 700c
Front 54mm
Rear 59mm

With 27"
Front 50mm
Rear 55mm

(worked out drop by difference in wheel size compared to 26" fitted divided by 2, would be good if someone else could verify those measurements)

If my above measurements are right then I reckon it was built with 26" wheels as they tended to have a relaxed geometry and 27" would have made it quite tight.

If my measurements are right then I'd go for 700c with some long reach brakes 47mm - 60mm'ish which are quite widely available and not unsightly. Or 27" with regular brakes...

Not really comfortable with you making a decision solely on my calculations or suggestions though!

 

[OrangeJase]

Youve all been a mine of information,your measurements make logical sense to me,Im gonna try a 700c with 130mm hub and see how that goes as Im assuming that the older 26" would be difficult to find?

 

[Tel]

Old 26" is not widespread 700c is!

 

[OrangeJase]

Bonus,a neighbour just brought me a frame with Weinman calipers and a nicish looking stem that he had in the back of his shed,its all covered in crap but its a Allegro Tempest made from Pheonix 101 tubing apparently,dont know if its any good but will be ok for donating its bits for this Sun

 

[Tel]

Good stuff!

Good luck with the wheels. I guess if they're not ideal they will defo come in handy for something else at some point.