How durable are 630 x 32mm wheels?

[Chris S]

I recently bought an old Emmelle racer for spares. It didn't take much to make it rideable again so I'm thinking of using it. It uses 630 x 32mm tyres which are noticeably thinner than the 590 x 38mm tyres on my other bike. The 38mm tyres are ideal for bouncing over speed bumps and potholes which are scattered along my usual routes.

The front tyre on the Emmelle needs replacing. Would 630 x 32mm tyres be up to the job or am I likely to damage the wheels? I don't know if thicker 630mm tyres are available but they would probably be expensive if they were. This will just be a spare bike so it's not worth spending money on.

 

[si_c]

Be fine, it's an old 27" style wheel but perfectly durable. You can still find replacement wheels if needed on ebay, but they're low end rims and hubs.

Depending on your brake clearance you may be able to swap in regular 700c wheels in their place if needed - you need about 5mm additional drop available on the pads to account for the difference.