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I've got an old Raleigh road bike (must be 70's), not sure what model. The bike's in bad shape so gave it a spruce up, new cables, brake blocks and chain.
The tyres are completely perforated and the side walls degraded. I bought some 700c tyres, but they don't fit. The tyres are too small by a few cms. I can't see any sizes on either the rims, tyres or inner tubes, so I'm not sure what to replace them with.
Where can I source the tyres from? Also not sure what width they are.. I want to go as wide as possible to make it comfortable. What's the max size I can run?
Probably 27 x 1 1/8 or some similar old imperial size. You should be able to work it out from this
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/tire-sizing.html
Old skool bike shop should be able to get you some tyres the right size
Cheers. I seem to have tracked it down to;
- 27" x 1 1/4"
- 28" X 1 1/2"
27 x something was the common size for "racers" back in the 70s. IIRC 28x1 1/2 is the size used on 50s roadsters.
There is a also 26 x 1 1/4 (nothing like 26" mtb)
Just measure the diameter or circumference of the rim and lookup here:
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/rim-sizing.html
700c exact size (ETRTO) is 622mm
27in is 630mm (not 27.5/650b!)
28 X 1 1/2 is 635mm
It's one of those. Look at the tyre markings. 🙂
That sounds familiar I had the same problem resurrecting a Falcon (much the same) from the early 80s. Eventually it died because a spoke broke drive side, axle was bent, freewheel seized on - sold for spares..
Bit of closure-
Tyres were 27x1 1/4
I've spent a few pounds replacing cables, chain & brake blocks. Tidied the bar tape and polished the saddle. It's a hack so I wont be spending anymore on it.
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Loving the thumb shifters on the handle bars 
That's a cut above the average condition, is that original paint??
The wheels look decent too, great find
Bike tyre sizes are great fun:
28" = 29" and both are smaller than 27"
There are two sizes of 20", and they're 2" different.
there are also two sizes of 16", again almost 2" different.
18" is only 6mm bigger than 16", and both are smaller than 17"
Etc... 😉
It is more complicated than that. Some 28" (700B) rims are actually larger than 27", others are smaller!
How long until 750C wheels are marketed for reduced rolling resistance?
I was simplifying - there are way more than two 20" sizes 😉
Nice looking and quite good quality frame
Didn't know that RE 18" being smaller than 17" Ben, means we should change our name since we're named after a Raleigh Eighteen that should have been called a 'Raleigh We Just Made a Number Up'
Excellent odometer on the front,click,click,click 🙂
Bike belonged to a mates Grandad. He bought it from new. Apparently he'd ridden stages of the TDF many times over the years, as well as long rides in the UK. He packed riding in many years ago and it was gathering dust. None of his family wanted it, so I liberated it. It'll certainly be put to good use.
Frames in okay condition. There's a couple dents and some corrosion. I wire brushed a few bits and sprayed it. I had to clean off years of filth; road muck and dust. Came up nicely. The odometer is addictive! I can't work out what units it measures in though. It ticks along nicely, but it's certainly not in meters.
Hack bike ? it`s531 the best tubing ever !