QUICK QUESTION: What does the "c" in "700c" Stand For?
Joel Meulenberg
I looked in the FAQ, but no luck. Does anyone know what the "c" in "700c"
(as in tire size) stands for? Even the guys at the local bike shop don't
know. It's been bugging me and my friend.
TIA,
Joel Meulenberg
Jeffrey L. Bell
According to my Sutherlands, there are tires sizes 700, 700A, 700B, and 700C.
It's just the third letter of the alphabet for the third variant.
700 was the largest rim, and 700C was the smallest rim of the four.
It may have been that they were measuring the outside diameter of the
tire, and letter designated the width, or maybe the tire height.
(Any bike historians out there?)
The popularity of 700C was helped along by the fact that it is the
same diameter as a tubular wheel, so you can keep a set of clincher
wheels for training and swap without adjusting the brakes too much.
-Jeff Bell
Joshua_Putnam
>I looked in the FAQ, but no luck. Does anyone know what the "c" in "700c"
>(as in tire size) stands for? Even the guys at the local bike shop don't
>know. It's been bugging me and my friend.
Purely alphabetic, distinguishing various obsolete tire sizes
with approximately 700mm outer tread diameters, e.g. 700A, 700B,
700C. See also 650-series tires, 650A, 650B, etc. The wider a
tire is for a given outer diameter, the smaller the diameter of
its rim.
These days it makes a lot more sense to go by bead seat diameter
and width, as in ETRTO tire designations.
--
Jo...@WolfeNet.com is Joshua Putnam / P.O. Box 13220 / Burton, WA 98013
"My other bike is a car."
New & used bike parts for sale: finger Joshua...@WolfeNet.com for list.
Scott Yu
Joel Meulenberg (meul...@river.it.gvsu.edu) wrote:
: I looked in the FAQ, but no luck. Does anyone know what the "c" in "700c"
The c represent the rim size. Back a long time ago, they had wheels that
measure 700mm in diameter regardless of tire size. So the profile (height)
of a narrow tire is smaller than the profile of a wide tire. To keep the
outside diameter the same, they used different size rims. 700A had
narrow tires, 700B had a medium width tire, 700C had a wide tire, and 700D
was just something GT created as a cross between a 700C with a narrow
tire and 26" mountain bike tire.
Scott
Tullio
Joel Meulenberg wrote:
>
> I looked in the FAQ, but no luck. Does anyone know what the "c" in "700c"
> know. It's been bugging me and my friend.
>
>
> Joel Meulenberg
It's part of the international tire sizing conspiracy. 700C is to
differentiate it from 700, 700A, and 700B which are all
non-compatible sizes.
Todd
Tullio's Big Dog Cyclery
LaSalle, IL
e-mail: tul...@TheRamp.net
David Tan
Jeffrey L. Bell <jlb...@presto.eecs.umich.edu> wrote:
>In a previous article, Joel Meulenberg <meul...@river.it.gvsu.edu> wrote:
>>I looked in the FAQ, but no luck. Does anyone know what the "c" in "700c"
>>(as in tire size) stands for?
>
That's "700C" with a capital "C". "700c" is a Shimano term that actually
describes the rim, not the tire; the "c" stands for "circular". "700c"
replaced their very short-lived "700b" (the "b" stands for "bio-something-
or-other"--those with longer memories might know), which was somewhat
non-circular. Sounds weird, but supposedly it smoothed out your pedal
stroke (I've never tried it myself); of course it was only used in the rear.
Anyway, "700b" died a quick one, despite positive reviews from _Bicycling_,
while "700c" has stuck.
Dave Tan
Peter
>
>That's "700C" with a capital "C". "700c" is a Shimano term that actually
>describes the rim, not the tire; the "c" stands for "circular". "700c"
>replaced their very short-lived "700b" (the "b" stands for "bio-something-
>or-other"--those with longer memories might know), which was somewhat
>non-circular. Sounds weird, but supposedly it smoothed out your pedal
>stroke (I've never tried it myself); of course it was only used in the
rear.
>Anyway, "700b" died a quick one, despite positive reviews from _Bicycling_,
>while "700c" has stuck.
>
>
>Dave Tan
I think you are referring to S's Bio-pace oval (elliptical? where's my
dictionary?) chain-rings which were suppose to help you torque through the
dead spot (ie, pedals at 6 & 12 oclock). It had nothing to do with the
wheels as they *have" to be round.
I had a bike with those things in 88. They were terrible. (Ducking to avoid
blasts from bio-pace fans.) You had to kiss good-bye you nice smooth
pedalling style and go ka-chung, ka-chung.
Definetately an item belonging in Mr. Shimano's Hall of Shame.
Peter
Todd Simchuk
1981 or so?
dpoleshuck
My hybrid Miyata has 28 x700 Hutchinson Kevlars.
My commuting road Raleigh has 27x1-1/4 Specialized Armadillo Kevlars.
If I do the math the 1-1/4 should be wider(?) but the 28s clearly wider.
Any explanations?
Thanks
Richard Hennick
In article <4r610n$g...@news.con2.com>, pole...@admin.con2.com (dpoleshuck)
writes:
Specialized seem to consistently overstate the size of their tires, perhaps
so that they can be advertised as a lighter weight compared to others of
the same nominal size. I have a Specialized 700c-28 which is actually only
25mm. wide, and a 700c-32 of theirs which is actually only a 28.
If you want a more honest representation, look carefully for the ETRTO
designation which should be moulded into the tire. A true 28mm. tire will
show as 28-622 for 700c. A 27x1 1/4 tire will be a 30 or 32-630.
The width of the rim will also have some effect on the width of the tire;
your hybrid likely has wider rims than the road bike.
--
it's so easy to slip it's so easy to fall | "easy to slip" l. george
and let your memory drift and do nothing at all | little feat/sailin' shoes
all the love that you missed all the people that you can't recall *
do they really exist at all? | ric...@mindlink.net
David Tan
In article <DtqL8...@dowco.com>, Peter <sama...@dowco.com> wrote:
>In article <4r1k1b$r...@laurasia.ems.psu.edu>, t...@essc.psu.edu says...
>>
>>That's "700C" with a capital "C". "700c" is a Shimano term that actually
>>describes the rim, not the tire; the "c" stands for "circular". "700c"
>
>dictionary?) chain-rings which were suppose to help you torque through the
>dead spot (ie, pedals at 6 & 12 oclock). It had nothing to do with the
>wheels as they *have" to be round.
Well...
1) AFAIK, the explanations given for the terminology "700c" are correct.
2) AFAIK^2, Shimano has never made rims of any sort, and I very much
doubt even Shimano would suggest non-circular rims.
3) AFAIK^3, Biopace chainrings are not elliptical, mathematically
speaking, but they are definitely not circular (I also hate them)
4) I think maybe I should have signed myself "Joe King"...no, that's
taken...how about a smiley or two :)
Dave Tan
Geoffrey Levand
>Joel Meulenberg wrote:
>>
>> I looked in the FAQ, but no luck. Does anyone know what the "c" in "700c"
>> (as in tire size) stands for? Even the guys at the local bike shop don't
>> know. It's been bugging me and my friend.
>>
Clincher, as apposed to 700 sew-up.