I’ve just bought this.

It’s got Michelin 26 x 1 3/4″ tyres which are badly perished and the brake blocks are worn to a funny shape.
The BB and wheel bearings don’t feel to good, although simple adjustment and lubrication might cure that.

The tyres are the big thing, they look like they could burst at any moment, so where do I buy old style tyres, or is there a modern equivalent that looks right that I could use ?

Whole new world of niche and strange looking people…. Bit of looking and you’ll turn up a vintage bike jumble somewhere. I’ve been to the Ripley, Guildford one a few times – your bike would be considered new.

Try Jumbles

the old bicycle company

Do CRC not sell some tyres in that size? Sure they’re used on some cruiser bikes and a mate bought some by mistake once…

mail order from India/Netherlands/Denmark

I’m sure you’ve done it but googling suggests a few specialists I once had to resort to I think it was the
[websitewithoutactuallylinking] vintagecyclecomponents [/websitewithoutactuallylinking]
for my dads old bike

EDIT: I believe Raleigh actually still distribute some old and random sizes if you find a shop that can get their P&A and doesn’t mind trawling through the catalogues.

but that was at least 5 years ago.

2ND EDIT: oh oh oh .. try SJS also

Thanks for the suggestions.
I remembered after I posted that I’ve got a pair of 26×2.3 kenda Kiniption tyres that came on the tandem. I’ll use those for now at least.

These look like what I’m after.

There doesn’t seem to be much of a vintage bike scene in the way there is for cars, motorbikes and trucks.
I’ve seen adverts for a vintage bike jumble locally, but never been. I’ll have to look out for the next one.

Go on eBay and use bankrupt in your search.

There’s a dealer specialising in bankrupt and surplus stock. Always got something interesting.

Get the actual rim size of the sidewall – probably 571mm (or 650C) judging by the size you quote, and not the same as mtbs which are 559mm.

There’s actually plenty of NOS spares, plus rod brake bikes are still being manufactured in India.

You can recondition that bike mechanically for peanuts.

I remembered after I posted that I’ve got a pair of 26×2.3 kenda Kiniption tyres that came on the tandem. I’ll use those for now at least.

They won’t fit.

I was thinking about the old carrier bikes when I was out riding* so I thought I’d Just resurrect this thread.

I vaguely remember that those rims were different from the other 26″ rim sizes of the day (1 3/8″ and 1 1/4″).

I remember trying to build a bike with the fattest tyres possible about 40 years ago for bush bashing in Oz. I was trying to chase up a set of those rims because of the 2″ tyres, but they were described as an American size and not available there (in Oz).

If so, then it is likely that they may be the same as the current mtb sizes. Tyres wouldn’t be a problem then.

It’s worth checking – easy enough to do by running a tape measure round the circumference of the bead seat and comparing them to an mtb one.

If they are 559mm, I’d like to know.

*Planning a retro fatbike to make up for my shaming at the retro ride in Aviemore…

Edit: quick visit to Sheldon proved me wrong.

Likely source for the tyres for the bike on eBay

and another

Yeah, Sheldon was helpful as ever. If only there was similar source of information for mountain bikes. 😉

I ended up buying these off ebay.
I also bought some 26 x 1 3/8 tyres and Woods valve tubes for the vintage tandem.

Latest purchase though was a 1/2 x 3/16 chain for the delivery bike. I bought a 1/2 x 1/8 chain first by mistake, before realising it’s bigger than that. The only 3/16 chain I could find was a motorbike/scooter one. It looks huge, the internal width is right, but the plates are twice as thick as the old one.
Oh well, it does the job, it just looks odd. 😕

From Tim at http://www.theoldbicycleshowroom.co.uk/

Trip to India.

I’ve got one of these in pieces.

Just about everything is still available, though I could do with a decent’ish 40 hole rim to build onto the SA hub. Tyres are still being made.

What size rim?

What size rim?

26×1 3/8″ old Westrick? no side walls for rod brakes

If you’re not in a hurry I may have a reasonable one available soon.

I’m putting stainless rims on my old Humber. If the inside of the old rim is ok I’ll send it to you. Chrome on outside is reasonable but not perfect.

Nice one, the inside of mine is very very poor. I did think about stabilizing it with some sort of converting chemical?