Is 700c Equivalent to 26 Inches or 27 Inches?
2 Answers
700c wheels are 2 inches (50.8 mm) larger in diameter than 26-inch wheels. 700C refers to wheels with a rim size of 622mm. The original 700C wheels used 35C tires, resulting in an overall wheel diameter of approximately 700mm when including the tire. The 'C' stands for millimeters. When replacing wheel hubs, pay attention to the Center Bore (CB): This refers to the size of the hub's center hole. Although hubs with different center bore sizes than the original can be installed using adapters, this is not recommended for safety reasons. When replacing wheel hubs, pay attention to the Pitch Circle Diameter (PCD): For example, a hub with a PCD of 5x120mm means it has 5 lug bolts arranged in a circle with a diameter of 120mm. This value should also match the original specifications.
I've ridden bicycles for many years and studied various sizes. The 700c rim diameter is 622mm, which is an international standard size, not directly equivalent to 26-inch or 27-inch. The 26-inch size is commonly used for mountain bikes with a rim diameter of about 559mm; the 27-inch size is an old road bike standard with a 630mm rim diameter. If you want to know the actual correspondence, 700c is more like a variant of 29-inch wheel diameter, suitable for modern road and hybrid bikes. The key difference is that the combined size of the rim and tire determines the riding experience—700c is more stable and faster on roads, while 26-inch is more agile on mountain trails. Don't just rely on nicknames; checking the markings on the tire, such as '700x32c', is the most accurate. Different tire models can affect the overall diameter, so using millimeter units is more reliable for specific comparisons.
