# Light road bike frame that can accommodate 700 x 32 tires?



## bdm (Jul 24, 2017)

I'm looking for light road bike frames that can accommodate 700 x 32 tires. I want a bike I can use to get around town that's also decent on climbing rides. I bought a cyclocross bike thinking it might do the trick, but I hate the disk brakes. (And it's really heavy.) I read somewhere that Rivendell bikes might work. Any other suggestions? Thanks.


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## SantaCruz (Mar 22, 2002)

bdm said:


> I'm looking for light road bike frames that can accommodate 700 x 32 tires. I want a bike I can use to get around town that's also decent on climbing rides. I bought a cyclocross bike thinking it might do the trick, but I hate the disk brakes. (And it's really heavy.) I read somewhere that Rivendell bikes might work. Any other suggestions? Thanks.


Referencing Rivendell, you should define what you mean by "light".

With steel frames as a standard, look for something from the '70s'. No disc brakes, drop-out adjusters, tolerances for 32mm tires on 'club' bikes. Crank in the DO adjusters and slap on your tubular 25s for race day. Spread to 130 and install 10 or 11 speed drivetrains. But hardly light by today's standards.


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## bdm (Jul 24, 2017)

I think their Roadeo is sub 20 lbs fully built. That would make me happy. But the lighter the better. I used to race a Klein quantum pro...Back then, that would have been my yardstick for light, but I'm a bit more lenient these days.


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## Lombard (May 8, 2014)

You won't find any new bikes with rim brakes that can fit 32mm tires. That is just the way things are going. That's not to say these bikes can't be fast.

The new Cannondale Synapse Carbon and the Trek Domane have room for 32mm tires. Not to mention there are gravel bikes under 20 lbs. that have room for 35mm+ tires.


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## Jay Strongbow (May 8, 2010)

Budget? Seven Redsky would be great but not cheap.


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## SantaCruz (Mar 22, 2002)

Pics of my '81 Holdsworth Special (DB 531) with 33knobbie on rear, 30mm on front (both tubulars). Haven't weighed it with these wheels/tires.

With 23mm tires on lightweight tubular wheels this 59cm frame and fully chromed fork comes in at 21.5lbs. Cost of frame & fork = $150.


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## duriel (Oct 10, 2013)

With 32mm tires, your either going to have to go with canti or disk breaks, or PITA wheel changes with rim brakes. Don't really understand the hate for Disks.


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## SantaCruz (Mar 22, 2002)

duriel said:


> Don't really understand the hate for Disks.


I'm not a hater, but for most road applications discs are unnecessary, heavy, expensive, more difficult in set-up, etc. For the right situation discs are better - mtn biking, steep mountain downhills, extended riding in the rain or deep mud, etc.

Let's not have another disc brake debate.


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## Herbie (Nov 12, 2010)

Actually there are a few choices

Canti. Which have been mentioned 
Center pull. See Paul Components for the high end
Tektro extra long reach. I have these on two bikes. With kool stop pads they work well enough for me. I don't have any mountain terrain 

I strongly suggest you check out bicycle quarterly and compass cycles. This right up their wheel house

One advantage of disc brakes is that they can generally be combined with either 700c or 650B wheels. Since the 650b is slightly smaller, they often can allow a wider tire

I converted an old frame last year. Instead of being limited to 28s, I have 38s mounted


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## Steve B. (Jun 26, 2004)

bdm said:


> I'm looking for light road bike frames that can accommodate 700 x 32 tires. I want a bike I can use to get around town that's also decent on climbing rides. I bought a cyclocross bike thinking it might do the trick, but I hate the disk brakes. (And it's really heavy.) I read somewhere that Rivendell bikes might work. Any other suggestions? Thanks.


What c-cross bike ?. Disc brakes don't add a whole lot of weight.

Bunch of steel road bikes can take 32's and would use 57mm long reach side pull brakes. 

Soma Smoothie ES, possibly a Surly Pacer, Rivendells,


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## SantaCruz (Mar 22, 2002)

Lombard said:


> You won't find any new bikes with rim brakes that can fit 32mm tires. That is just the way things are going. That's not to say these bikes can't be fast.


This statement is not true. 
Checked Surly and Soma who both offer roadies, rim brakes and wide tire clearance. Without checking, I'm sure there are many, many others. But not light, by today's standards in CF race bikes.


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## duriel (Oct 10, 2013)

Herbie said:


> Center pull. See Paul Components for the high end
> Tektro extra long reach. I have these on two bikes. With kool stop pads they work well enough for me. I don't have any mountain terrain.


Who is Paul?
Do the Tektro get around a 32 tire with the quick release?


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## Lombard (May 8, 2014)

SantaCruz said:


> This statement is not true.
> Checked Surly and Soma who both offer roadies, rim brakes and wide tire clearance. Without checking, I'm sure there are many, many others. But not light, by today's standards in CF race bikes.



Interesting. Soma looks like they make some retro frames.


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## marathonrunner (Sep 7, 2016)

There are tons of these. Look at every single bike in Paris Roubaix. BMC Gran Fondo. Specialized Roubaix. Felt F-1 (good luck finding one though). Trek Domane. Focus Paralane. Cannondale Synapse. 

I have a 61cm BMC Gran Fondo 105 with disk brakes (my gravel racer) and it weighs 20 lbs set up to ride paved roads, not exactly heavy. And it's aluminum. And it fits 40mm tires.


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## factory feel (Nov 27, 2009)




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## bdm (Jul 24, 2017)

Hey, thanks everyone for the suggestions. Looking forward to checking out the possibilities. (And, as for the brakes, hate is too strong a word...I just have a personal preference for caliper brakes.)


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## Herbie (Nov 12, 2010)

duriel said:


> Who is Paul?
> Do the Tektro get around a 32 tire with the quick release?


Paul Component Engineering . Expensive parts, but very high quality. Small company 

The tektro 559 fit around 32's with fenders on my Salsa Casserole. I also decided to convert an old frame to 650B this year. Wanted to do it on the cheap, so used these brakes to get the reach. Not the best brakes in the world, but more than adequate here in the flatlands


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## velodog (Sep 26, 2007)

Custom Bicycles from Waterford Precision Cycles


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## Jay Strongbow (May 8, 2010)

Herbie said:


> Actually there are a few choices
> 
> Canti. Which have been mentioned
> Center pull. See Paul Components for the high end
> Tektro extra long reach. I have these on two bikes.


Here's another good option: https://store.velo-orange.com/index.php/grand-cru-long-reach-brakes-noir.html

Plenty of room to spare with 32mm tires.


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## velodog (Sep 26, 2007)

Jay Strongbow said:


> Here's another good option: https://store.velo-orange.com/index.php/grand-cru-long-reach-brakes-noir.html
> 
> Plenty of room to spare with 32mm tires.


There are also ton's of Mafac brakes out there to be had, which will easily handle 32mm tires. I put a set on my wives bike that I converted from 27" to 700c and mounted 32mm tires and had room to spare. probably room for 35mm tires.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_od...afac+racer.TRS0&_nkw=mafac+racer&_sacat=57262

Or a set of Compass center pulls, or Mafac Raids, and have room for 42mm tires and fenders. or larger tires with no fenders.

https://www.compasscycle.com/shop/components/brakes/compass-centerpull-brake-with-backing-plate/

Etriers de freins velo Mafac Raid.1970's brake calipers. Randonneuse. 650B.


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## Keoki (Feb 13, 2012)

factory feel said:


>


Nice!!! lol


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## mikivuckovich (Aug 20, 2014)

*Canyon Endurace*



bdm said:


> I'm looking for light road bike frames that can accommodate 700 x 32 tires. I want a bike I can use to get around town that's also decent on climbing rides. I bought a cyclocross bike thinking it might do the trick, but I hate the disk brakes. (And it's really heavy.) I read somewhere that Rivendell bikes might work. Any other suggestions? Thanks.


In case you’re still looking, the Canyon Endurace road disc bike accepts 32c tires.


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

mikivuckovich said:


> In case you’re still looking, the Canyon Endurace road disc bike accepts 32c tires.


It's been almost 2 years and pretty much every disc brake road bike now takes 32mm or larger tires...I kinda doubt he's still looking.


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## Lombard (May 8, 2014)

I think he was looking for a non-disc brake bike that takes 32mm tires. I don't think one exists anymore.


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## Hiro11 (Dec 18, 2010)

Accepting disc brakes will really make this a lot easier. Pretty much any endurance road bike (many of which manufacturers will happily sell you as a frame) will accept 32mm tires. For example, my '19 Defy Advanced Pro 0 can actually fit 35s (despite it being advertised as only fitting 32s) with some room to spare. Another huge set of options are gravel bikes. Everyone is making these with a wide variety of geometries and niches they're trying to hit. The less adventure-y gravel bikes like the Checkpoint can easily keep up on a group road ride and can fit massive tires. The new Salsa Warroad might be right up your alley as well.


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## Lombard (May 8, 2014)

Hiro11 said:


> Accepting disc brakes will really make this a lot easier. Pretty much any endurance road bike (many of which manufacturers will happily sell you as a frame) will accept 32mm tires. For example, my '19 Defy Advanced Pro 0 can actually fit 35s (despite it being advertised as only fitting 32s) with some room to spare. Another huge set of options are gravel bikes. Everyone is making these with a wide variety of geometries and niches they're trying to hit. The less adventure-y gravel bikes like the Checkpoint can easily keep up on a group road ride and can fit massive tires. The new Salsa Warroad might be right up your alley as well.


Another good entry is the Cannondale Topstone. It comes with 40mm gravel tires, but if you want to do mostly road riding, you can easily put 32-36mm slicks on it and it will cruise just fine with the roadies. It looks like it even has a threaded BB! :thumbsup:


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

Lombard said:


> I think he was looking for a non-disc brake bike that takes 32mm tires. I don't think one exists anymore.


When you get bigger than 28mm it's usually not the frame that limits your choice, it's the rim brake calipers.


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## Bremerradkurier (May 25, 2012)

Hampsten Strada Bianca would fit the bill for big tires and caliper rim brakes, but far from cheap.

Strada Bianca – Hampsten Cycles


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## nayr497 (Nov 8, 2008)

Just fit 43 mm Panaracers on my cross bike (with v-brakes). I've also fit 38 mm Panaracers on my two commuter bikes, which have fenders. They're also both cross frames with v-brakes.

My three road bikes (LOOK, Casati, Tommasini) with caliper brakes can only fit 28 mm tires. My Campagnolo Delta calipers on my Tommasini limit the tire size, not the frame itself.

I'm loving life on the fattest tires possible these days:thumbsup:


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## velodog (Sep 26, 2007)

Bremerradkurier said:


> Hampsten Strada Bianca would fit the bill for big tires and caliper rim brakes, but far from cheap.
> 
> Strada Bianca – Hampsten Cycles


Or the Max with room for 35mm tires.

MAX – Hampsten Cycles

And while not cheap, $2700\2800 hand made steel frame is fairly reasonable.

A call to Roland Della Santa may be another option. I've heard that he'll build a road bike with room for 32's, probably race geometry. $2000 for his 
Corsa Speciale. 

https://www.dellasanta.com/build

There are bikes being built with room for larger tires and caliper brakes, you just gotta be willing to shop for something other than the main stays(Giant, Trek, Specialized, blah, blah, blah).


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## velodog (Sep 26, 2007)

nayr497 said:


> I'm loving life on the fattest tires possible these days:thumbsup:


Words to ride by.


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

velodog said:


> Or the Max with room for 35mm tires.
> 
> MAX – Hampsten Cycles
> 
> ...


Betting you'd have to deflate the tire to get the wheel out of those brakes.


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## velodog (Sep 26, 2007)

cxwrench said:


> Betting you'd have to deflate the tire to get the wheel out of those brakes.


Velo Orange Grand Cru Long Reach or Tektro R559 are dual pivot long reach brakes that'll work or Dia Comp 610's are center pull that's work. Or there are plenty of Mafac racer center pulls to be found that'll easily clear 32's and if larger tires are wanted old Mafac Raids or new production Compass center pulls will easily work with 42mm tires and fenders. Maybe larger tires without fenders. No deflating of tires with any of the center pulls and probably not with the dual pivots mentioned here either.

All these brakes will mount same as any other caliper brake on the fork crown and brake bridge. 

Or with braze on mounts there are still cantilever brakes and V brakes


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## velodog (Sep 26, 2007)

cxwrench said:


> Betting you'd have to deflate the tire to get the wheel out of those brakes.


If I woulda been wise to large volume tires when I got my Della Santa I would have gladly had it built with clearances for 32's, happily deflating the tire to get the wheel on or off the bike if needed be.

But, alas, I was happy on 23's at that time so didn't think to go for larger clearances. I think about that every time I ride it on those 25's which are about as large as will fit.


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## velodog (Sep 26, 2007)

cxwrench said:


> Betting you'd have to deflate the tire to get the wheel out of those brakes.


Don't think so.

Reno Rambler: 2017

See the July,2,2017 link in the archives.


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## Lombard (May 8, 2014)

cxwrench said:


> When you get bigger than 28mm it's usually not the frame that limits your choice, it's the rim brake calipers.


Looking at my 2014 Synapse Carbon, I see what you're saying. I'm using 28mm tires and right now, the closest clearance is the chain stays. However, there isn't exactly a football field of clearance under the rear brake caliper either.


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## Bremerradkurier (May 25, 2012)

velodog said:


> Don't think so.
> 
> Reno Rambler: 2017
> 
> See the July,2,2017 link in the archives.


Looks like Campagnolo tension release at the lever combined with a second one at the caliper-that'll do it.


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

velodog said:


> Velo Orange Grand Cru Long Reach or Tektro R559 are dual pivot long reach brakes that'll work or Dia Comp 610's are center pull that's work. Or there are plenty of Mafac racer center pulls to be found that'll easily clear 32's and if larger tires are wanted old Mafac Raids or new production Compass center pulls will easily work with 42mm tires and fenders. Maybe larger tires without fenders. No deflating of tires with any of the center pulls and probably not with the dual pivots mentioned here either.
> 
> All these brakes will mount same as any other caliper brake on the fork crown and brake bridge.
> 
> Or with braze on mounts there are still cantilever brakes and V brakes


Nice! Good to know :thumbsup:


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## Lombard (May 8, 2014)

velodog said:


> If I woulda been wise to large volume tires when I got my Della Santa I would have gladly had it built with clearances for 32's, happily deflating the tire to get the wheel on or off the bike if needed be.
> 
> But, alas, I was happy on 23's at that time so didn't think to go for larger clearances. I think about that every time I ride it on those 25's which are about as large as will fit.


I don't think V-brakes will work with STI shifters. Will the shifters pull enough cable for V-brakes to work properly?


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## PBL450 (Apr 12, 2014)

velodog said:


> Words to ride by.











This.


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## velodog (Sep 26, 2007)

Lombard said:


> I don't think V-brakes will work with STI shifters. Will the shifters pull enough cable for V-brakes to work properly?


I'm not much of a cantilever or V brake kinda guy so I'm not really sure, but I am a centerpull kind of guy and know that they work with my Campagnolo 11spd shifters. Maybe nayr497 knows, he's running V brakes. Centerpulls mount higher on the fork reducing the chance of brake judder that can be had with cantilevers.


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## velodog (Sep 26, 2007)

nayr497 said:


> Just fit 43 mm Panaracers on my cross bike (with v-brakes). I've also fit 38 mm Panaracers on my two commuter bikes, which have fenders. They're also both cross frames with v-brakes.
> 
> My three road bikes (LOOK, Casati, Tommasini) with caliper brakes can only fit 28 mm tires. My Campagnolo Delta calipers on my Tommasini limit the tire size, not the frame itself.
> 
> I'm loving life on the fattest tires possible these days:thumbsup:


What kind of brake levers you using with those V brakes? Lombard wants to know if STI has enough cable pull.


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## velodog (Sep 26, 2007)

PBL450 said:


> View attachment 324936
> 
> 
> This.


But nobody makes caliper brakes that'll work with that wheel\tire combination.


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## Lombard (May 8, 2014)

velodog said:


> I'm not much of a cantilever or V brake kinda guy so I'm not really sure, but I am a centerpull kind of guy and know that they work with my Campagnolo 11spd shifters. Maybe nayr497 knows, he's running V brakes. Centerpulls mount higher on the fork reducing the chance of brake judder that can be had with cantilevers.


I know cantilever brakes work with STI shifters.


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

Lombard said:


> I don't think V-brakes will work with STI shifters. Will the shifters pull enough cable for V-brakes to work properly?


Normal size mtb V-brakes don't work well w/ road shifters. Some of the 'mini-V's will. Road levers generally have too much leverage and not enough cable pull. There sort of the opposite of what a V-brake needs.


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## Lombard (May 8, 2014)

cxwrench said:


> Normal size mtb V-brakes don't work well w/ road shifters. *Some of the 'mini-V's will.*


Got it!



cxwrench said:


> *Road levers generally have too much leverage and not enough cable pull.* There sort of the opposite of what a V-brake needs.


This is what I've always understood.


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## Bremerradkurier (May 25, 2012)

Do the pulleys with the extra cable loop like QBP's travel agent actually work for road lever/V-brake setups?


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## rudge66 (Apr 1, 2019)

Well well... Looks like we're back into "*the do all be everything bike"
*


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## rmsmith (Feb 15, 2007)

I have a Serotta Legend TR that was designed around Ultegra 57-mm long reach calipers, 700 x 28c tires with fenders, a 45-mm rake fork, a 50t chainring and a 25t cassette. 

The move to 700 x 32c tires was drastic, e.g., needed a 50-mm rake fork, a 48t chainring, a cassette with a 28t and better gripping brake pads. 

FWIW, road bikes work best with a cassette in 1-tooth increments to maintain cadence. Gravel and tour bikes use wide ratio setups with 2 or 3 tooth increments per step.


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