# 700c tandem wheel conversion



## cisco32

I just bought a 2001 KHS Tandemania Comp but it is setup as a mountain bike with 26" wheels and tores. I want to convert it over to a road setup but my question is will 700c wheels fit on it? I measured my road bike wheels and the mountan wheels on it and they are the same height so am I good to go? Thanks.

here is a link to it
http://www.bikepedia.com/QuickBike/...001&Brand=KHS&Model=Tandemania+Comp&Type=bike


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## Camilo

cisco32 said:


> I just bought a 2001 KHS Tandemania Comp but it is setup as a mountain bike with 26" wheels and tores. I want to convert it over to a road setup but my question is will 700c wheels fit on it? I measured my road bike wheels and the mountan wheels on it and they are the same height so am I good to go? Thanks.
> 
> here is a link to it
> http://www.bikepedia.com/QuickBike/...001&Brand=KHS&Model=Tandemania+Comp&Type=bike


I've heard of people doing this. I think an issue is brakes. There's a guy on the bikeforums.net tandem forum who is in the process of doing this and he said he'd report shortly (haven't seen it though). You probably know this but you can get street tires in 26 as small as 1" which is 25 mm. I believe fairly decent tires are available too.


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## JCavilia

*26" slicks*

If you're looking to make it roll better on the pavement, the simplest thing would be to switch the tires. As Camilo said, you can get skinny high-pressure slicks for those wheels (though you probably don't want too skinny on a tandem). I doubt 700C wheels would fit, and if they did the brake reach would be radically different (higher by more than an inch), so you'd probably need new brakes. 

It really wouldn't make sense, or be any advantage, to switch wheel sizes, when the frame is designed for the 26" size.


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## cisco32

You guys are spot on, the brakes will not work, I tried. but, i would like to start saving some weigt. These wheels weigh a ton! Well, so does everything else on it! Does anyone make a 26" tandem wheel that does not weigh so much? Its tough going from a 16lb bike to a 50+lb bike even with two people. Thanks.


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## My Own Private Idaho

You might be able to fit 650C or 650B rims on this bike. There isn't a huge difference in wheel size there.


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## DA07079

cisco32 said:


> I just bought a 2001 KHS Tandemania Comp but it is setup as a mountain bike with 26" wheels and tores. I want to convert it over to a road setup but my question is will 700c wheels fit on it? I measured my road bike wheels and the mountan wheels on it and they are the same height so am I good to go? Thanks.


I've got an older KHS tandem w/ 26x1.5 high pressure slicks. It's very nice. (Of course, this is a bike we keep in South Florida -- no hills -- so weight isn't much of a problem.)

If, once you've ridden the bike with 26" slicks for a while, you and your stoker love tandeming but want more performance or less weight, then I think you'll want to move up to a lighter (more expensive) bike with road geometry.


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## adimiro

DA07079 said:


> If, once you've ridden the bike with 26" slicks for a while, ... you'll want to move up to a lighter (more expensive) bike with road geometry.


This is sound and wise. Wouldn't spend $$ on anything except maybe the slick 26" tires mentioned. Save the pennies for a real 700c tandem when you are ready.


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## GeoCyclist

*700 C wheels an expensive upgrade!*

I have been riding a Santana Rio mountain bike tandem for the last 9 years. I have way more miles on this bike with road slicks than mtb tires. After moving from Turkey (MTB 90% of the time) to Japan (road 100% of the time), I looked into converting my Rio to a 700 C pair of wheels. As mentioned previously the rim brakes will not work. The only option (if your fork will fit a 700C) is to convert front and back to disc brakes. Disc brakes is not a cheap conversion, and this will not address the difference in frame geometry between MTB and Road tandems. I did convert my front drive train to road triple, and this was well worth the $$$ spent. I also changed from wheelsmith to Velocity deep dish wheels. The wheel change came after I broke a wheelsmith rim during an offroad adventure; yes, you can really catch some air on a tandem!

Last summer my wife and I toured Burgundy on a Santana Sovereign rental. I have since given up any illusion that converting a MTB tandem would achieve a good road tandem. I am now in the market for a high end road tandem for next summer. I would be interested if any posters have experience with Paketa Magnesium tandems (sub 26 lbs models).

I would be interested to hear if MBI has been happy with his new Santana IsoGrid frame? Would appreciate any review that you have about the frame and components (Wheels, drivetrain).


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