how to lace a motorcycle rim to a bike front hub ?

[kelvinscott76]

hey guys i'm considering buying a 18" by 2.40- 3 inches wide motorcycle rim for my front fork but since i have never laced a motorcycle rim to a bicycle hub im thinking the spokes might be too big if i use motorcycle spokes when trying to lace it to a front hub of the bike and also if i use a bicycle spoke and nipple it might be also too small,so i need some help,suggestion or link of where to buy a wide rim i can lace to a bicycle front hub or if there is any special hub that i could use as a front hub with a wider hole that can fit a motorcycle spoke .......thanks in advance

 

[NeilP]

First update your profile, so your place of residence comes up on the LHS of your posts. I can tell you where I bought new 17 inch alloy rims for my next build

http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=45880


but that is in the UK..not much good if you are in the USA. So let us know where you are.

But if you order a custom rim, then you can get it drilled for what ever size nipples you have for the spokes you are using.

Get the hub first, and try with a selection of spokes to see what is the largest diameter spokes you can get in the hub holes.

Then go the the spoke suppliers website ( I use Newsonsportec, not the best spokes, but good for over 7000 miles so far on my last build ), see what the size nipples are for the spoke size you decided on

order your rim with the holes drilled to the size suitable for the spokes and nipples you have decided on.

Decide on lacing pattern, and order the rim.

Once the rim arrives, measure the ERD..and then order the spokes)

 

[MattyCiii]

I have a tiny bit of experience in this.
Here: http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=40312&hilit=+motorcycle#p589055
and especially here: http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=37207&hilit=motorcycle&start=50#p589891

I used bike size spokes, not motorcycle. Probably the only way to do it right. Moto spokes would require very high tension that the bicycle hub might not be able to handle. I've ridden this bike now for about 6 months, top speed 30 mph, aggressive acceleration and lots of jarring potholes and the wheel build is doing just fine.

 

[wesnewell]

You can buy rims up to 100mm wide here.
http://www.niagaracycle.com/search.php?search_query=dhl

 

[chisixer6]

try johnrobholmes, he does large rims and thick spokes

http://www.Holmesbikes.com

 

[NeilP]

Thinking back, I actually drilled my hub flange slightly to take magrinally bigger spokes. Will get details later for you, as I am not near computer with the details or photos on.

 

[Chalo]

You can use cupped washers (for instance Belleville spring washers) to support the nipple heads with some self-aligning effect in a larger hole.

Using a motorcycle tire on a bicycle will make it unnecessarily heavy, harm its ride quality, and diminish the responsiveness of the steering. On the plus side, you might gain some stability at higher speeds, and you'll decrease the likelihood of punctures.

As wesnewell points out, it's easy to get very wide, strong rims in bicycle 20:, 24", and 26" sizes (16", 20", and 22" in moto-speak), which are pre-drilled for bicycle sized spokes. Bicycle tires in those respective sizes are lighter, more supple, less expensive, and faster than motorcycle tires of any kind.

 

[NeilP]

Sort of depends on how much power you run and long you expect the rim to last.

My first rim lasted 500-1000 miles, till someone else dented the rim. Next rim lasted 6000 miles, till it started to split , not at the eyelets but the inner wall. It was downhill MTB rim, still perfectly round, but side walls were peeling off, and that was a disk brake bike.
The bike runs 84 volt, about 80 -100 amps max, averaging around 2 or 3 kW.

So you can find bike rims, but even the HD MTB ones are ok, for average power levels. At higher power, bike tyres start seperating, side wall rips off the bead.

 

[johnrobholmes]

use 13ga spokes with oversized nipples for a balanced wheel. We have various sizes of nipples available that get used as needed. In the past week we have built 4 front wheels using standard MTB hubs, 13ga spokes, and motorcycle rims from 16 to 19".

Thicker spokes won't allow for proper tension without blowing out your hub. Better to have a spoke break than have the hub pull apart.

 

[kelvinscott76]

use 13ga spokes with oversized nipples for a balanced wheel. We have various sizes of nipples available that get used as needed. In the past week we have built 4 front wheels using standard MTB hubs, 13ga spokes, and motorcycle rims from 16 to 19".

Thicker spokes won't allow for proper tension without blowing out your hub. Better to have a spoke break than have the hub pull apart.

hey john im interested in your wheel and i have sent an email to your website about it pls reply me as soon as possible

 

[Bluefang]

Ummm, all you have to do is get the spoke length right. I laced a DH bike hub with a 19" motorbike rim with the standard 13awg spokes. I just used 2 stainless steel washers to give the spoke head the right hole to be in. Its my rear wheel on the link in my signature. It comfortably handles 14kw power input and hitting large pot holes with no suspension.....nothing has to be perfect as long as it works

FYI If you go with 21" motorbike rim, spokes designed for a 26" bike wheel will lace up almost perfectly in terms of length etc. May need a few extra washers but i did not on one i did before.

 

[NeilP]

What was the exact size of the 19 inch rim you used ?
what was the J DOT number..or what ever it is called 19 x ??