Hub motors with solid rims?

[greenmountainski]

Does anyone have a solid rim setup? I am sick of tightening spokes with my Crystalyte 7240 system. I am running a 24 inch rim. If anyone knows anything about solid rims and information would be great!!

Kind regards.

 

[neptronix]

Having to constantly tighten spokes is a wheel build quality problem, not something inherent in all spoked wheels.
I haven't adjusted the spokes on my 26" MAC wheel built by cell_man ~2 years ago for about a year and a half.

That being said, the magic pie comes in 16"-20" sizes in a cast rim, but that's the only non-spoked hub motor i know of.

 

[greenmountainski]

So do you think it is worth going and talking to Electric Rider about it? I hate to have the bike down for the two weeks it would most likely take.. but it sucks that I have SO much play left to right. I can move the hub a good inch left to right in the center of the rim. I've tightened the spokes a few times now too.

Thanks for the help!

 

[NeilP]

Having to constantly tighten spokes is a wheel build quality problem, not something inherent in all spoked wheels.
I haven't adjusted the spokes on my 26" MAC wheel built by cell_man ~2 years ago for about a year and a half.

That being said, the magic pie comes in 16"-20" sizes in a cast rim, but that's the only non-spoked hub motor i know of.

Same here..with my home built wheel. not tightened a spoke in 12 months at least.

A mate had a pre built wheel from electric rider, he trashed it within a few months..kept snapping spokes. had it re built be a local bike shop and has had the same thing happen again.

With any e-bike ( or wheel in general) you can't really jsut ride it and not do anything to it for the first few weeks, then fix loose spokes as they happen. if you do that then chances are that damage to the other spokes has already been done. You should be checking and tightening spokes from the first (very short) ride..half to quarter of a mile..then check..then a mile or so and check

If after teh first few checks no issues, then ok, if so find loose spokes then keep checking every few miles. till the wheel stabilises. then check at least every day for the first few weeks. Till you are sure teh wheel has settled down.

Someone that has built their own wheel will naturally do it.but those that buy a ready built wheel are less likely to check..

 

[greenmountainski]

Thanks! I saw a thread on here somewhere about a guy who took two heavy duty rims and epoxy'd them together to make a wider rim. I was thinking about doing this and respokeing everything. It is very annoying when you get the wabbles going 20 mph.

 

[liveforphysics]

You need thin spokes stretched very tight.

Wheels made with cheap thick spokes laced to bicycle rims are doomed from the start.

 

[amberwolf]

I can move the hub a good inch left to right in the center of the rim. I've tightened the spokes a few times now too.

If you can move it that much it must just flop around while riding. It sounds like either the spokes are the wrong length or are laced in the wrong pattern for the length they are cut to.

 

[dogman dan]

Best bet might be to send the motor to Holmes Hobby for a good rebuild with better spokes and rim.

Plus, learn to tune your wheel before it gets that bad. That much play indicates to me that you ignore it way too long.

 

[iperov]

solid mag wheels 26" (teny wheels) + GNG

 

[Chalo]

Does anyone have a solid rim setup? I am sick of tightening spokes with my Crystalyte 7240 system. I am running a 24 inch rim. If anyone knows anything about solid rims and information would be great!!

Your spokes are too loose, too thick, or most likely both.

If you get your spokes tight enough, they won't loosen. The thicker your spokes are, the tighter they must be. Use 14/15ga butted spokes with at least 100kgf tension, and you'll not have any more problems with spokes loosening. Use 12ga spokes (like many hub motor wheels do) and you'll never get them tight enough without ruining your rim; you'll have to glue the nipples on.

Keep in mind that when a mag rim gets bashed out of true, it generally can't be fixed. And if the rim is flat-spotted, bulged or otherwise damaged, it can't easily be replaced like the rim of a spoked wheel.

 

[miro13car]

I never touch spokes on both my Alexrim wheels for years
On TForce bike wheels Alexrims stay solid
On Eplus Alexrim wheels spokes stay thight as rock, never any need for tightening

 

[Chalo]

Alex rims are, in my opinion, the best available for what they cost. But Alex makes a wide range of rims, from very cheap and expedient single-walled rims to elaborate deep section rims with double eyelets. Most of their basic, not-very-strong rims are labeled "X Rims" rather than Alex.

The Alex DM24 would be en excellent first choice for anybody building an e-bike with 20", 24", or 26" rims. The DM18, Adventurer, and G6000 models are good choices for 700c wheels.

 

[amberwolf]

Most of their basic, not-very-strong rims are labeled "X Rims" rather than Alex.

Like these?
http://www.endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=603710#p603710

 

[Chalo]

Most of their basic, not-very-strong rims are labeled "X Rims" rather than Alex.

Like these?
http://www.endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=603710#p603710

"A-Class" wheels are package wheels made by Alex Rims. Notionally a premium product line, they have some sorta-kinda proprietary features like peculiar spoke counts. A-Class wheels were an attempt to cash in on the boutique wheel phenomenon started by Campagnolo and Rolf and continued by Mavic, Bontrager/Trek, Spinergy, Roval, etc. I don't think it worked out for them, because the folks at Alex are too pragmatic and are disposed just to make good stuff that works well.