EM3ev alex wheel build watch out

rider95 · Oct 10, 2014

I bought my kit from Paul with the Alex rim laced to my hub after only some very easy paved bike path rides less then 50mi I notice I had broken a spoke in my Brand new Alex rim then a few days later another I checked the spoke they were all lose to the point I had to take the wheel in to the bike shop . There wheel builder looked at it and showed me that the rim and spokes were laced wrong said the wheel would never hold up , I would always be breaking spokes suggested a Down Hill rim a MTX33 $140 dollars later and about 50mi all on the trails not a sign of spoke loosening . I E-mailed Paul 2 weeks ago about this no reply as of yet

gogo · Oct 10, 2014

Pictures of both wheel builds? So you broke a spoke and continued riding? Did you check spoke tension either before or after the first spoke broke? Did your wheel builder suggest you check spoke tension on his build, or to bring it in after a few miles for him to check?

Some more information would help us learn from your experience.

Avitt · Oct 10, 2014

rider95 said:
There wheel builder looked at it and showed me that the rim and spokes were laced wrong said the wheel would never hold up , I would always be breaking spokes

Would you please proved the details of what was wrong with the lacing?

I have over 1000 relatively high speed street miles on my 700c MAC 10 front wheel, and I have barely had to make any adjustments. But if something is fundamentally wrong with the build, I'd like to know about it.

wesnewell · Oct 10, 2014

Alex makes lots of rims. Without knowing which one you chose, it's hard to compare. The SR MTX33 looks like a decent rim, but no better than the Alex DX32.

Ypedal · Oct 10, 2014

If it was laced 1 cross ( very likely ) the bike shops scoff at this, but it's really not a problem in real life hub motor considerations.

I bet the rim was fine, but the spoke quality can vary a lot.. again. i ASSUME this is likely what happened, spokes stretched, run loose and unchecked and then broke..

rider95 · Oct 10, 2014

He showed me that were the spokes lay across the hub some had a small gap and some didn't said the wheel would always be breaking spokes . I don't know I just want to ride this wheel frailer cost me my Labor day trail ride the new rim and wheel build has been great so far after about 50mi of hard trail riding.

cal3thousand · Oct 10, 2014

Paul uses good rims, but the build quality isn't the best (in my book). He still uses cheap 12G spokes and nipples. The only thing quality is the rim and motor.

rider95 · Oct 10, 2014

Yes the Alex rim looks fine and can be reused I am sure its who Paul has building his wheels and or the spokes the guy uses , and I have E mailed this to Paul with no reply from him . So if you have a wheel from him at least one that was just recently received keep an eye on it I am a big aggressive off road rider so the down hill rim works better for me.

arkmundi · Oct 10, 2014

http://sheldonbrown.com/wheelbuild.html

Flange thicknesses vary, but the spoke's elbow should be snug against the flange. If it is not, the spoke's tension will try to bend the spoke at the elbow -- a frequent cause of spoke breakage.

You solve this problem by sliding a small washer onto each spoke before inserting it into the hub. Most spokes will accept a 2 mm (metric bolt size) or #2 (US bolt size) washer. Brass washers are best. These are not commonly available through bicycle parts suppliers, but they can be purchased over the Internet, for example here, or at a hobby shop. Some hub/spoke combinations need two washers per spoke. Other combinations need washers only on the spokes that run from the inside of the flanges, or need two washers on inside spokes and one on outside spokes.

I'm of the opinion that a quality wheel build is a time-consuming process where attention to detail will determine the result. While deferring your build to others (EM3ev, your bike shop, etc) has its advantages, this incident may suggest the alternative, of building your own wheels. Since it is in reach of the backyard mechanic, its an option some may want to take.

EM3ev alex wheel build watch out

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