Moped Rims and Wheels, 36 hole, 16" 17" 18" 19"

[hillzofvalp]

It s actually a bike from 1995 that I do not own.. I would like to find something similar to this: a vintage sport moped with fairings to protect the electronics

[RallySTX]

Good luck with that idea, I consider myself lucky to have what I got. It fits my needs every way but one, no rear suspension, but a soft seat and alert riding style should keep it together. I can't wait to get some batteries, and finish it. A lot of guys in your interest range are buying older sport bikes and moding them. With the power of a cromotor and lipo batteries, full suspension, and all weather electronics really enhance useability. Me, I just wanna ride again, so my needs are small. A little help from JRH and Farfle, and I'll be stylin!!
Brian L.

[johnrobholmes]

I got the prototypes and they look really sweet and are two ounces lighter than the steel versions I have been using. The only issue now is that I am starting an Ebike business here in my town and now I have to choose between business and rims. So if you want rims made, post up and I will do a KickStarter for preorders and supporters of the concept if there is enough interest. I would need about 42 rims paid up front at $70 each so that I could afford the manufacturing run. Regular price will be at $90 once they land.

What say you people?

[grindz145]

70 for the rims only correct?

[johnrobholmes]

Yep. I would do a run of 17's x 1.6" first. Mostly black, and some reds.


More than likely I could get enough interest in the classic moped community to pull it off. My main concern is the ebike people though, as we need different hole angles for the larger hub motors.

[grindz145]

I'd be in for 2, I'd use them eventually. Especially if you provide spoke recommendations and lengths to make it easy for mechanical dum dums like myself. I could possibly see putting in for more for a kickstarter campain...

[hillzofvalp]

I wAnt two black.. But I want to see pics first

[johnrobholmes]

Which is one thing I need to get on. If you have seen the rims recumpence got made, they have the same finish. Polished al, then anodized. it looks really slick in person.

[binlagin]

Hey JRH,

I sent you a msg through your website yesterday enquiring about some moped rims and spokes.

I'm just making sure you got it and it didn't get caught up in a spam filter! Sorry for being impatient

Thanks,
Ben

[hillzofvalp]

Could you get them with 11 or 12 gauge compatible drillings? What about a 1.75-2" rim?

[johnrobholmes]

We have been looking at 1.4 and 1.6" wide extrusions. For the sizes of tire available a 1.6" seems to make the most sense. I would make the rims to fit 13 through 11ga spokes, probably quarter inch rim holes. Those spoke thicknesses will be proper to mate with the rim strength.

Now that the storefront is rolling I can start moving on the rims again. What sizes would people want? 16 and 17" seem to be the most popular around here.


I have also considered doing a custom 26" MTB rim with angled eyelets so we won't have spoke breakage at the nipple/ rim juncture. It would be one or the other though, we couldn't do both motorcycle and bicycle type rims at the same time without financial aid.

[ohzee]

Im about ready to send a HT3525 to you to be built up for my phasor. Personally I want something that's going to take a nice wide tire
and be tougher then a normal bicycle rim, but I want it to be as close to a 26" rim as possible. I am just not sure what fits that bill.

Glad the storefront is going well. Wish you were closer id stop down.

Found my answer from earlier in the year.

A 19 will be closest to 26" size without getting nutty on the tire weight. A 21 with a 2.5" tire would be right there, but I don't of of any tires like that.

[hillzofvalp]

John, what would you say are compatible moped/motorcycle tire sizes for this rim? I would like to do a 100/80-17 or even 120/100-17 if possible for the rear

[sigimem]

A 19 will be closest to 26" size without getting nutty on the tire weight. A 21 with a 2.5" tire would be right there, but I don't of of any tires like that.

Actually a 21" rim is used on most Dirtbikes you should get a 21" 2.75 tyre easily and a narrower one as well.
I don´t know how popular these (dirt)bikes are at your place but I would guess a DT 50, 80 (125) or a MTX 50, 80(125) would use such a tire.

[RallySTX]

I have a 9C 20 incher I want desperately to send your way. The cash aint there yet, but I want a 4 inch chrome rim and cooling mods done on it.
Brian L.

[hillzofvalp]

To answer your question, I think 17" and 16" make the most sense, though the MB-5 I am building originally had 18" rims. I would love a 1.6" wide.

I am lacing this rim to a cromotor so I would assume it would have to have angled eyelets. Please let me know if you are going to order more rims, the possible colors (black please), and time tables.

Thanks (and thanks for the 1 hour podcast too, finally answered some of my questions about Holmes operations)

[spinningmagnets]

Although I support rear disc brakes and/or regen on the high-power builds / cargo-bikes...some builders may wish to still keep V-brakes on the rear of their bike. "Problem Solvers" has a $19 V-brake cable adapter for extra-wide tires, and I thought this thread might be the best place to list it for future reference.

edit: Concerning the post below, Thanks, Chalo, for clearing that up!

http://problemsolversbike.com/products/ ... le_carrier

[Chalo]

Although I support rear disc brakes and/or regen on the high-power builds / cargo-bikes...some builders may wish to still keep V-brakes on the rear of their bike. "Problem Solvers" has a $19 V-brake cable adapter for extra-wide tires, and I thought this thread might be the best place to list it for future reference.

http://problemsolversbike.com/products/ ... le_carrier

Umm, that's not for V-brakes. It's for cantilever brakes.

And it's not for wide tires-- it's for modifying the straddle cable angle to make it more compatible with short-pull levers (like drop bar levers).

Sheldon Brown, not surprisingly, has an article that explains the purpose of a wide yoke, along with almost everything else you need to know about setting up cantilever and linear-pull brakes.

The only thing you can do to make V-brakes more compatible with wide tires is to use brakes with the longest arms available, and then space the pads as necessary so the brake arms don't rub on the tire.

For what it's worth, cantilevers (as opposed to V-brakes) allow the use of much wider tires:

[RallySTX]

Nice pic Chalo!
Brian L.

[hillzofvalp]

What is the status on this order?

[johnrobholmes]

Hasn't happened yet, I got slammed up in christmas electronics rush and have been working on tooling in my spare time to streamline productions to free my hands a bit. Getting a few spare hours to work on rims just hasn't been possible. I have been noticing that builds are becoming relatively standardized with moped rims though, almost all hubs are either X5 or cromotors on the rear, and the front DMR hubs are the choice. I would make the rims specialized to have best nipples angles for these hubs. Any other suggestions? I will put this on my urgent list so I don't keep forgetting about it when regular production distracts me.

[hillzofvalp]

I would love a larger rear rim than 1.6". Most of us who use cromotor want to put a scooter or motorcycle tire on. Most motorcycle tires are available in 110-130 widths which are best suited to rims larger than 2.5" wide.

I'm looking at the pirelli sport demon and would even comsider running a front 110/70-17 in the rear.

Which brings me to another point.. 17" is the rim size of choice when picking out "narrow" motorcycle tires... Offers way lArger selection.. Also looks cooler and is easier to lace.

[johnrobholmes]

2.5 huh? I can't run in too many directions at once, but a run of 17's in 1.6 and 2.5ish width would be possible. What about the front, would you still want narrow?

[hillzofvalp]

I would run narrow if it was a bicycle front. On my mb-5 I would prefer 3" rear, 2.5" front.. But I wouldn't mind 2.5" front and rear. A custom drilled 3.5" 17" rim would cost around $300 if I were to go straight to Buchanan spokes... But I prefer whatever it is you have to offer if it is cheaper and lighter.

I have been told at the original 1.4" MB-5 rim will take a 90-110 sized tire. It probably will balloon up a bit and not look as cool or corner as intended.

I'm going to run the original mb-5 mag wheel in front to start. I would order two rims probably to have an extra for future front wheel build.

[Farfle]

I would be interested in a 2.5x17 front wheel aswell