Any experience out there with 451size wheels and tyres?

[mzjo]

For a while I have been concerned about the risk of damaging the 500A front wheel on the Dino and not being able to find an equivalent replacement (particularly the rim). I currently have the only 28 section tyres which are Hutchinsons and a bit "utilitaire". There is enough drop on the brake caliper to fit a 406 rim but that would mean also downsizing the rear wheel from 622 to 584 to compensate (or accept a worsening of a not especially aerodynamic rider position) and the rear brake does not have the drop available that the front does.

A bit of searching and enter the 451 BMX size. It looks like there is enough space under the mudguard to accommodate  a 5mm increase in wheel size, there is very little weight on the front wheel so no need to go bigger than 28 section and a shorter brake caliper shouldn't be difficult to find (present one is nominally 57-75mm drop). And I don't need to worry about the match with the rear wheel size.

Has anyone had any experience of this size? This is new ground for me. It looks like Durano or Minits Light in 28 section would be suitable tyres but I have no ideas on reasonably cheap rims.

[Mr Larrington]

In the olden days 451 was the default small wheel and the only lightweight tyre was the IRC Roadlite, which was made of paper.  I managed to avoid having anything to do with them.  In the very old days people used to have to grind the knobs off racing BMX tyres.

[tatanab]

On a small wheeled utility machine I use 451.  Rims are Sun CR18, so not exactly cheap at £30 plus.  Tyres are the Durano in 28 you mention. 

[fd3]

I'm sure someone otp sold a 451 wheel recently, maybe if you have a search on the for sale section you could hunt them down.

[PaulM]

I recently sold a 451 front wheel to Kevin at D-Tek. It had a Hope hub, CR18 rim, Durano tyre and was barely used, having been build by SJS cycles. I used it for maybe 60 miles on the front of a Metabikes. Suggest you contact him to see if he wants to sell it on.

[mzjo]

In the olden days 451 was the default small wheel and the only lightweight tyre was the IRC Roadlite, which was made of paper.  I managed to avoid having anything to do with them.  In the very old days people used to have to grind the knobs off racing BMX tyres.

Ah but I date from the very very old says before the invention of BMX. I always knew I was a dinosaur, now I have the proof!!

I recently sold a 451 front wheel to Kevin at D-Tek. It had a Hope hub, CR18 rim, Durano tyre and was barely used, having been build by SJS cycles. I used it for maybe 60 miles on the front of a Metabikes. Suggest you contact him to see if he wants to sell it on.

Yes i am going to have to get in touch with Kevin (on other matters related to Radius bikes) but normally Hope hubs are outside my price range and I am toying with the idea of a dynohub to replace the bottle dynamo (if Shimano do them in 28 drilling, i think they do for small wheel applications).
Also I am in the wrong country, post could be unnecessarily expensive. However with the number of BMX riders in the town (Limoges boasts 3 tracks in the agglomeration) my LBS might be able to sort out a rim or even a complete wheel.
Thanks for the information everybody, that advances the plans nicely.

[Bear]

How Do All,
I had a similar problem with my Peer Gynt, which used the same 28 x  500a / 440 size wheel/tyre. I use the Sun Rims CR18 451 polished rims and 451 x 28 Durano tyres. and the differnce in size is minimal, I think 5mm diameter overall? so the brakes on my bike had plenty of adjustment for size change. the rims and tyres are available from various sources.

I think the rims I originally bought from wiggle/CRC searching for 20" rims as they advertise the 451 CR18 as a 20" BMX rim.
you can also find them and the tyres at the links below and other places.

http://www.wrhpv.com/ukshop/tyres/451/index.html

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/rims-20-451/

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/tyres-20-451/