Upgrading my Reynolds 531 vintage road bike from tubulars to clinchers — what wheels do I need?
I recently got my hands on a gorgeous vintage road bike Reynolds 531 steel frame, Dura-Ace brakes, Mavic tubular rims, probably late 70s/early 80s. It’s in great shape and I want to ride it regularly, but the tubular tyres are killing me. Getting a puncture on the road basically means you’re done no easy roadside fix.
I want to swap to clincher wheels (normal rims that take a standard tyre + inner tube) so I can actually fix punctures like a normal person.
Here’s what I need help with:
The frame has vertical (bolt-type) rear dropouts typical of the era, what rear axle spacing should I be looking for? (Likely 120mm or 126mm need to confirm)
The brakes are vintage Dura-Ace dual-pivot — will modern 700c clincher wheels work with the existing brake reach, or do I need to check clearance?
I want to keep the classic look silver/chrome rims preferred, nothing too modern-looking
Anyone done a similar conversion? What did you go with? Any pitfalls to watch out for?