Breaking Spokes

[recumbent]

When you guys mention "29mm to 39mm" rims, do we measure the outside roughly, with a vernier caliper? Or do we measure the inside bead-seat part of the rim?

Because I'm building my etrike, and the wheels are only about 30mm outside measurement, with 1.95 inch tires. :? I think i'll upgrade as soon as the tires wear-out.

 

[wesnewell]

Some rims refer to outside width while other refer to inside widths. For instance, the Weinmann DH39 is 32mm inside and 39mm outside, while the Alex DX32 is 32mm inside and 39mm outside. That's why you need to check the specs on the rim. Almost any bike will take a 39mm outside width. Some will take more than that. You need to see what size your bike will take, but unless you have special circumstances, the 39mm rim is good for tires 2.0-2.7"

 

[ev tocak]

i dont see how they could snap like tht other than being notched or vandalised previously

 

[Chalo]

i dont see how they could snap like tht other than being notched or vandalised previously

Flawed metal or localized corrosion.

 

[miro13car]

meh i hate bicycle wheels - their frigging pain and totally unreliable it's always the wheels that have issues
not much you can do but invest in quality parts and maintain/true it - but after a while you get tired of it- as its time consuming
building it properly also seems like a skillset

Generalizing like that is just plain wrong.
I own and rode thousands of kilometers on rear DD 1000W hubs ebikes/2 of them/ and never have any issues, never broke, never tensioned spokes.
ON both bikes - Alex rims with DT Swiss spokes.
But it is just me, I do not jump curbs , maybe 50% of my riding are gravel roads, 50% asphalt/winter ravaged asphalt it is/, I am 66kg .
So there is difference who , how heavy?, potholes?, jumping curbs? when we talk about spokes and rims.

 

[Chalo]

Plus, many here think they can use minimum priced components and get premium results. Sometimes that's possible, but usually not.

The components that come laced to your Chinese hub motor from the factory are probably more trouble than they are worth. Certainly they have not been assembled with any degree of care or thoroughness.

 

[Voltron]

Had a reply buried up there higher... but yes... cheaply made spokes will break at the middle....or the ends... or anywhere. We sell a lot of cheap beach cruisers at my shop, and have seen customer wheel come back with breaking spokes, and I have been able to take a bad one and start breaking inch long pieces off with my fingers, like a piece of uncooked pasta, on a less than 3 month old wheel. There will be 8 or 10 mixed in with the other good one on the same wheel sometimes.
And heres your basic wheel machine....