27x7/8 tyres

[DTD]

Following a discussion on another forum I'm looking for a pair of tyres for an old Brian Rourke road bike – they are of a size that hasn't been made in years, but they occasionally come up on eBay or when a bike shop's closed or when someone has had a clear out.

The size is 27x 7/8th " – not the much more common 27x 1 1/2 or even 27x 1" – in other words they have very little depth to them and will fit the frame. A 27x1 1/4 barely fits without rubbing and the brakes won't line up.

I have seen 27x1" Panaracer's – but I'm not sure if these would fit, so don't want to buy a pair on spec… If anyone's got an old knackered one I could borrow?

At the moment the only solution has been to fit a 700c wheel on the back and a 27" on the front, which works and doesn't look too bad, but isn't ideal.

Thanks for any links or suggestions.

 

[raleighnut]

700c on the front as well, keep the 27" wheels for originality/resale value (with original bike if sold at a later date).

 

[albion]

Extremely unlikely that the frame was not for 1" tyres.
Considering declared widths very often no not match actual widths you might even find some 1 1/4 fit.

So how do you know the original was 7/8?. Maybe only the 1 manufacturer ever made them

 

[DTD]

The original tyres (Michelins) and wheels (Weinman) were on it – both unusable.
I bought a cheap set of new 27" wheels (Weinman) and a pair of gum wall tyres (Scwalbe 27 1 1/4") so might as well keep them.
700c on the front will need new brakes – the bike shop reckoned they'd need to be almost BMX stylee to fit.
God I hate bikes. (Sometimes).

I will try and find a 27x1" to see if it fits, as albion says