There have been a number of questions about the maximum tire size clearance the Rambouillet but in my experience a 38mm will fit but by that point the front end geometry, which is so attractive and defining of the F&F changes enough that even a dullard such as me can tell that the bike handles better with 32mm tires. Essentially, while riding the 38s I felt that it was good to have the extra loft for all the things I'd hit as I struggled against the bike to steer clear of them.
My 2002 64cm Rambouillet had 33.3mm tires on Velocity Synergy rims and I immediately put plastic fenders over them for a long ride inspiring picking the bike. They had some rattling under the original Shimano "groupless" calipers I attributed to flex of the plastic's unsupported spans. Those calipers were the pinnacle center mount caliper clearance on the market at the time. I found the underside of the calipers lost some of their resting clearance profile as they closed on the rims for braking and rattled a set of Honjo aluminum fenders I tried secondhand from another lister. Ever open to ways to reach the best combination of better riding tires under fender I got my first set of Rene Herse (nee Compass) Stampede Pass EL tires and a set of Paul Racer center mount brakes and I believe I have reached the Rambouillet nirvana after 20 years of fooling around with it. What my Ram doesn't offer with these brakes over correctly sized fenders and these really nice tires I used as the basis for my custom 650B Coast Rando. My recommendation is supported and tempered by a recent revisit, wondering if a high quality supple set of 38mm RH Barlow Pass tires might shine through the pneumatic trail that they inflict. They didn't, still feels 'off" from the intersection of handling and ride at 32mm. I've kept this bike on those Velocity Synergy rims the whole time (thanks, Peter) so that variable isn't at play. Some tire sidewall labeling varies from a caliper readings, I never got too ruffled by that while out in the weeds of the tire marketplace. Pictures of OE brakes and Paul Racer calipers over fenders and 32mm Stampede Pass tires <https://photos.app.goo.gl/73ZLQBWinF7Cupw48> Andy Cheatham Pittsburgh On Wednesday, March 29, 2023 at 12:07:58 PM UTC-4 cdres...@gmail.com wrote: > I know this has been covered before but still not quite sure what the max > tire size is for a Rambouillet. Mine is a 2003 and right now I run 700x25 > with plastic fenders. When I replace those tires with larger ones but it > looks pretty tight to go no more than a 28. Herse has the Chinook (28) and > the Cayuse Pass (26). > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/1a574aaf-403d-4e26-8af5-6151013061een%40googlegroups.com.
