I had the pleasure of having lunch today with a group that included Fred Clements, the head of the National Bicycle Dealers Association (NBDA). On the walk over to the restaurant here in San Juan Capistrano, I was picking his brain for feedback on what he’s been hearing from his constituents about the price of gas and it’s effect on their businesses. He said that it’s been mostly positive with strong interest in hybrids and cruisers. Then he added that he’d heard a curious thing from one of the biggest bicycle parts distributors in the US: sales of 27″ tires are through the roof this year. That can only mean one thing, in my opinion: people are pulling their old 10-speed bikes from the 70′s and 80′s down from the rafters of their garages or out of their basements and trying to get them back into riding shape – 27″ being the dominant wheel size for those bikes.
It’s been a while since I worked in a shop, but I believe that the 27″ inch size is just a bit larger in diameter than the 700c that is the current road bike standard. I’m sure the quality of 27″ tires is much better now, but it seems like all the 27″ tires I remember replacing at the shop ages ago had sidewalls made of cheap gum rubber that had totally dry rotted.
Any bike retailers out there reading this seeing many older bikes that haven’t seen action for awhile coming in for rejuvenation treatments to become commuters?
I’ve shod several bikes in the past month with new 27″ tires and have had to re-order tires (not too bad for out in the sticks where I am). Conti makes a nice 27″ tire as does Panaracer with their Pasela.
Along the same lines – 26×1 3/8″ tires and tube sales are up too!
That’s kind of amazing. I’m seeing a ton of old 70s road bikes out there these days — I never thought about how that would translate into sales of odd tire sizes.
Lot’s of old bikes being converted to single speeds. Better quality 27″ tires are selling well. I’ve always sold Cheng Shin gums, but now the Vittorias and Continentals are flying off the shelf.
It’s crazy here in SF. If the hipsters aren’t riding a fixed gear they are busting out their dad’s Peugeot or Centurion and riding that around. We sell heaps of 27″ tires. Mainly the Vittoria Zaffiro or the Schwalbe white wall.
How about the Kenda 27 X 1-3/8 tires? Why aren’t more 1-3/8 tires available since the bike trail thing is surging and 1-1/4 road tires are so poor for that application?
I’m one of those guys looking for a good 27″ tire in colors! Resoring a vintage Vita Sprint. I can tell you in Ohio on bike trails 1 in 4 is a 27″. Especially around OUS campus. Same is true in Boston – in Cambridge it is probably closer to 1 in 3. And prices for good 27″ bikes have double or tripled in the last 18 months. The days of picking one up for $40 are gone. Rarely under $100 and $200+ for a nice vintage is pretty common. I hope the tire manufacturers wake up and start offering 27″ versions of all their road tires. Why plop down $250+ for a new set of wheels, and other $100 for long reach calipers when all we really need is a good $40 27″ tire??
I am restoring an old schwinn letour and it is hard to find the color walls i want for the tires. Well not hard more of inpossible. I just bought 4 tires for two of my other road bikes but i still got 4 more bikes to get tires for besides my two letours but i do not have the money for those yet.