26 x 1&1/4 Wheeled Bikes

[velomaniac]

Quick question for you roady gentlefolk.

From what era and what type of bikes were fitted with 26 x 1 & 1/4" (32-597) wheels ?

Basically I attempted to buy some 26 x 1 & 3/8" (37-590) wheels as I like classic british non racer type bikes and planned to get all the bits together slowly over time for a derailleur 5 speed version.
Unfortunately the ebay seller did not realise it was the slightly larger 597 wheels he had to offer. No problem ultimately as they were dirt cheap and function pretty well so I have decided to base my project around them.

So knowing what sort of frame/bike type might go well with the wheels would be good.

Cheers

 

[keithglos]

Re:

26 x 1 1/4 were popularly used from mid 1930s, certainly existed in 1970s, but from late 1950s were largely superceded by 27 x 1 1/4.

Keith

 

[torqueless]

Re:

My memory is that, through the sixties and seventies, 26" was the default wheel/tyre size for 'adult' bikes, which were roadsters with flat handlebars and usually a Sturmey Archer gear hub. Everything was steel. When I was a kid my Dad still had the Hercules roadster he'd ridden to work in the forties which was the same, except the head/seat tube angles were maybe a bit slacker.

As a rule, a bike with 27" wheels had a racing (unsprung) saddle, drop bars and derailleurs. A bike with 26" wheels had a wide sprung saddle, flat bars and a hub gear. If you ever saw exceptions to the rule, it was a safe bet that they hadn't left the bike factories that way.

 

[Sparrow]

Mine is a 1947 Dawes Courier, a light tourer/clubman style bike, drop bars and Sturmey Archer gears. It had 26 x 1 1/4" from new. Also offered with 27" One problem the OP will find that it is impossible to get Tan Wall tyres in that size. All blacks are available, from Schwalbe, for example.

 

[keithglos]

Re:

26 inches was the outside diameter, 1 1/4 was the depth of the tyre. So 26 x 1 3/8 rim was 1/4 inch smaller diameter.

Most commuter bikes from the late 1930s to the end of Raleigh production were 26 x 1 3/8.

Keith

 

[Blacktopdisciple]

I have had a couple of Raleigh Arena's (entry level five speed racer) in my shop with 26 x1/4 tyres. They were from the late seventies to very early eighties. Both had small sized frames.