How do I measure my wheels?

[J-Dog]

Sorry to ask such a basic question but I think I need to get a new back wheel for my bike.

How should I measure it to get the right size, I can't see any markings on it?

Thanks.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Hi J-Dog
More info needed, what kind of bike, what age, what size tyres currently fitted, how many rear gear cogs and what make!

Sorry, it helps to know this stuff, there are a lot of bike wheels out there!

 

[J-Dog]

Well I don't know much about bikes.
Its the rear wheel.
Thin tyres.
Its a fixed wheel single speed but I think it had gears before it got converted.
I want a new wheel as I want to go to unfixed wheel.
No idea of the make I'm afriad!

 

[Steve Austin]

is it a MTB or roadbike?

 

[J-Dog]

I think it might have been this in a past life.

 

[Will1985]

Is there any writing on the tyre wall to give us a clue?

I'm not au fait with freewheel to fixed bodging and if it is reversible.

 

[J-Dog]

Can't make anything out. There is some text but its not legible.

I'll just get the tape measure out and have a rough stab at it and then try and find a single speed rear wheel. Can't be that hard can it?

 

[Will1985]

Measure the outside diameter of the wheel without tyre. Sheldon_Brown is your cycling encyclopaedia.

 

[J-Dog]

Thanks. Do I measure to the edge of the rim or stop at the rims?

 

[Will1985]

The edge of the rim.

 

[J-Dog]

Thank you. Now I just have to find somewhere that sells single speed rear wheels!

 

[Will1985]

Or a fixed wheel - they can have the same hub, but you thread on a freewheel sprocket instead of a fixed sprocket. Or get a flip-flop hub from Planet X.

What size was it? 622 or an older size?

 

[Steve Austin]

thats a bog standard 700cc wheel with a OLN of 130
You can get a lovely wheel handbuilt by Harry Rowland from here

 

[J-Dog]

I have a fixed wheel already and was hoping to move to unfixed.

A flip flop hub would be ideal but I doubt I could fit it myself as I'd had to respoke the wheel?

 

[Steve Austin]

if you want a flip flop hub, you'll need a new hub. you could rebuild your current wheel, but you'll need new spokes as well. so the easiest solution is to buy a whole new wheel with a flip flop hub.
visit brick lane bikes, tell them what you want and they will build it for you.
lovely job