26" Wheels on High Power Ebike (8,000w-10,000w)?

DotScott

DotScott

1 W
Joined
Feb 6, 2016
Messages
52
Hey everyone,

So I just ordered my QS205 50H V3 but it doesn't come with spokes or a wheel... so I have to build this myself.

I plan on running anywhere from 7,000w up to 10,000w peak (96.6v max charge battery with up to 100 amp peak output).

I've been asking around about which 26" wheel to get but people keep telling me to get a 19" motorcycle or moped wheel "like they have"... But I really don't want that. I know it would give me more torque (and slower speeds) but... I'm more interested in speed than torque. Plus I already have all the other parts for 26" wheels besides the spoke and actual wheel (I have a stock of 26" tubes, multiple types/styles of 26" tires, tire armor, etc).

Can anyone suggest a setup (spoke gauge, wheel brand and wheel model) for a 26" wheel for this thing (no other sizes, just 26")?

I have pretty hefty 26" tubes and tires that I think can handle higher speeds (will test thoroughly before riding though) and I think with something like 12-10 gauge spokes and a strong wheel, it'll do ok.

I already know the spoke sizes, just looking for a good, strong 26" wheel to purchase. Anyone else out there riding with a similar setup?

PS. If this has been discussed before, please point me to the post! I couldn't find one.


Thanks in advance!
 
I began running 10+ kw 10 years ago on bicycle wheels, double today and still on bicycle wheels.

Lace your motor single cross in a pro DH rim if you go 26. Older models of racing rims are still available 36h. 14 ga SS spokes, I like DT Swiss, with flange and nipple washers. Long nipples does help maintaining the wheel.

I ride 3 inch tires, Duro wildlife or other big mud tire for dirt, Duro Beach Bum on the street.

The weight of motorcycle wheels is a severe performance penalty. Maybe good for those who are living in a region where they do flats every 2nd day but, that is some 20 lbs extra to your bike, because of rims, tires, and extra cells.
 
MadRhino said:
I began running 10+ kw 10 years ago on bicycle wheels, double today and still on bicycle wheels.

Lace your motor single cross in a pro DH rim if you go 26. Older models of racing rims are still available 36h. 14 ga SS spokes, I like DT Swiss, with flange and nipple washers. Long nipples does help maintaining the wheel.

I ride 3 inch tires, Duro wildlife or other big mud tire for dirt, Duro Beach Bum on the street.

The weight of motorcycle wheels is a severe performance penalty. Maybe good for those who are living in a region where they do flats every 2nd day but, that is some 20 lbs extra to your bike, because of rims, tires, and extra cells.
Click to expand...

This is like... EXACTLY what I was looking for. You're my hero!!! Awesome information, exactly what I was hoping to hear. Will begin my search for the wheel :D THANK YOU!
 
https://forums.mtbr.com/downhill-freeride/best-downhill-rim-415521.html

https://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?p=4079272#poststop
 
DotScott said:
I already know the spoke sizes, just looking for a good, strong 26" wheel to purchase. Anyone else out there riding with a similar setup?
Click to expand...

Don't buy the spokes until you measure the ERD (effective rim diameter) of the rim you are planning to use. Different 26" rims require different spoke lengths with the same hub. You can use an online spoke length calculator to calculate the spoke sizes.

https://www.ebikes.ca/tools/spoke-calc.html
 
Quick search on ebay, found a MTX39 in 26’’ 36h
51rqIDfc4tL._SX425_.jpg

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Sun-Ringle...961689&hash=item5d8d31b459:g:~D4AAOSwcoFdGWIq

I ride the Double Track, similar earlier version of pro DH Sun rim
render_rim2.php


I like this one too. No name, bang for the buck big DH rim.
jsr46-1kFGnHyQcHGXSm_600x600.jpg

https://classic-cycle.com/all/1115/alu-rim-26-inch-46mm-black-matte?c=419
 
Bigger diameter and lighter wheel is far better for even the simplest offroading. Make sure the inner width of the rim is 30mm+, preferrably 35mm and get a big fat tyre, 2.6-3.0.
 
IMG_20190510_100713 (1) (Medium).jpg

moto tires & rims aren't that heavy. my bike here has 26" front and 17" rear. here are the weights:

17" x 1.2" alu rim: 680 grams
17" x 2.5 knobby tire: 1950g
17" tube: 420g

26" rim: 800g (jetset downZ)
26" tire: 1250g (specialized butcher DH 2-ply)
26" tube: 270g (maxxis freeride)

17" TOTAL WEIGHT: 3050g
26" TOTAL WEIGHT: 2320g

just 730g more w/ 17" moto. but massive improvement in durability, puncture protection, tread life

but if you really want 26" check out the rim i'm using jetset downZ 40mm width
 
exe said:
Is there a reason not to use even wider rims like 67mm?
Click to expand...
I ride 68mm rims on my street bike, with street hog slicks. They are giving a large contact surface, ideal on pavement.

In the mountain we need more thread digging than contact surface, with rims no more than half tire width, ideally 1/3.
 
MadRhino said:
Quick search on ebay, found a MTX39 in 26’’ 36h
51rqIDfc4tL._SX425_.jpg

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Sun-Ringle...961689&hash=item5d8d31b459:g:~D4AAOSwcoFdGWIq

I ride the Double Track, similar earlier version of pro DH Sun rim
render_rim2.php


I like this one too. No name, bang for the buck big DH rim.
jsr46-1kFGnHyQcHGXSm_600x600.jpg

https://classic-cycle.com/all/1115/alu-rim-26-inch-46mm-black-matte?c=419
Click to expand...

Man I love this forum and all of the helpful people in here. I appreciate the help a lot!! Thanks for the info, links etc. everyone! I ended up going with the Sun Ringle MTX39 26" 36h Presta Black rim and 12g spokes. Just waiting for it all to arrive so I can start assembling.

This will be a brand new experience for me (building my own wheel). Luckily I also have a Park Tool Spoke Tension Meter - TM-1 that I got a while back, which I assume will come in very handy for this :) I'm excited to get this thing put together! :D
 
You should get some interesting values with 12 ga spokes. Never tried mine on anything "bigger" than butted 14/15 and AIR, the numbers were 20 - 30 on whatever scale they use. Just used mine to keep tension even throughout the wheel after I built it, then did final truing.
 
I build motor wheel tighter, the reason why I drill the rim to match spoke angles and assemble with washers, rim and flange.
 
MadRhino said:
I ride 68mm rims on my street bike, with street hog slicks. They are giving a large contact surface, ideal on pavement.

In the mountain we need more thread digging than contact surface, with rims no more than half tire width, ideally 1/3.
Click to expand...


narrow rims like 1/3 tire width are not great for mountain applications, especially w/ low pressures. poor stability, will literally fold over
 
Overclocker said:
MadRhino said:
I ride 68mm rims on my street bike, with street hog slicks. They are giving a large contact surface, ideal on pavement.

In the mountain we need more thread digging than contact surface, with rims no more than half tire width, ideally 1/3.
Click to expand...


narrow rims like 1/3 tire width are not great for mountain applications, especially w/ low pressures. poor stability, will literally fold over
Click to expand...

I ride tubeless with Cush Core inserts. 25 PSI, 36mm wide rim, 2.8 or 3.0 tire. Just perfect. My 68mm rims with 3 inch tires are very good on the street at 20 PSI, but in the trails I have to slow down to avoid washouts.

I will not argue. Choice of wheels and tires are personnal. If you were a fellow rider I'd say follow the leader. :twisted:
 
I've had 26" DH rims and 10kW into a shimano cassette hub for about 10 000 km so far.
No issues. It's unbelievable that the hub has not disintegrated yet. Last crash bent the wheels, maybe moto wheels would've been fine in the same crash.

Durability and life are a lot better with the moto wheels so (to me) the choice is in how much you ride.

i'd say the line is somewhere here:
weekend warrior - fine with bike setup
everyday rider - go with the moto wheels
 
Real life is sometimes far from theory. Trails are very different at different places and different weather. I have a mix of hard pack where my 68mm rims are doing good, muddy with roots where they are absolute shit as compared with my 36mm. Overall, I do my trail faster on 36mm rims than 68mm. Maybe 46 or 50mm would be better but each time I was ready to lace a wheel, they weren’t available 36h. I have been speeding those trails a very long time on 32mm Mavic rims and 2.7 Kenda Nevegals before I started building ebikes, winning most of the time.

When I started using Cush Core inserts and ride tubeless, my average time did improve, mostly because of faster cornering in the root gardens.

This is not opinion, it is fact based on timing. Yet it is in one trail network with its particular surface and configuration. In some other trails, other results could happen. Yet I know no mtb racer riding wider than 50mm, and the new carbon racing rims are all between 36 and 50 mm.

On my old Trial motorcycles, I had 4’’ rr tire on 1.6’’ rims, and 2.75 fr tire. I wouldn’t ride those on ebike because of weight. One need to ride particular adverse conditions, to accept the weight penalty of motorcycle wheels.
 
Do 19 rear and 26 front. Run a small 2.00-2.75 tire on the back. Get all the benefits of motorcycle wheels in almost the same form factor. You’re gonna want it for when you move on up to 15kw in the back
 
A larger diameter wheel on a high power rig doesn't necessarily get you more speed. The route to higher speed is with a smaller wheel and higher voltage. I run smaller wheels than almost anyone else (between 19" and 20.5"OD depending on my tire selection), but at top speed so far of 182kph (and it had a bit more to give with more road) I ride what is probably the fastest hubmotored 2 wheeler on the planet. All 5 of my current rides have small wheels, and all are fast enough that I don't ride around at full throttle, and they're all likely to be faster than your 26" bike wheel bike ends up. It's electric acceleration that I love, and smaller wheels always give you better acceleration.

The only way I'd build myself another ebike with bicycle wheels is if I ever started doing some offroad riding where the unsprung weight penalty was unacceptable. Of course that would have to be a mid-drive.

I'm not much on maintenance...just charge and ride. Even the much more frequent need to put air in bike tires is an issue to me, and I certainly don't want to go back to fixing flats.
 
Yep. Street performance does require downsizing the wheels.

In mountain trails, large wheels are flowing so much better. Power and top speed are useless when the bike can't handle speeding on the rough. It is not that easy to tune a heavy bike to ride good on rough terrain, and wheel size does help a lot. DH racing is now on 29, which I had predicted a decade ago, and I wouldn't be surprised to see them on 30 in another 10 yrs.
 
I completely understand the need for larger diameter wheels for trail riding (on bad streets too). That's why I'm going with 21's for my offroad build. The combination use tires I got end up with over a 27" OD, but that means mid-drive. I think the reasons MadRhino has so much success offroad with a hubbie are that he's got the knowledge and experience to properly tune the suspension to deal with the unsprung weight, and he must be a light weight guy.
 
John in CR said:
I think the reasons MadRhino has so much success offroad with a hubbie are that he's got the knowledge and experience to properly tune the suspension to deal with the unsprung weight, and he must be a light weight guy.
Click to expand...

Or it could be something as primal as the girl in his avatar is waiting at the finish line...
 
E-HP said:
John in CR said:
I think the reasons MadRhino has so much success offroad with a hubbie are that he's got the knowledge and experience to properly tune the suspension to deal with the unsprung weight, and he must be a light weight guy.
Click to expand...

Or it could be something as primal as the girl in his avatar is waiting at the finish line...
Click to expand...

LOL, but hubbies don't care about girls except that they're lighter on average. Electric motors only care about gearing (wheel diameter in the case of hubmotors) and all up load unless you're talking about flat terrain. It's mountainous here, so I don't have the luxury of flat terrain except down at beach level.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

neptronix
    • Like
Mini Hiryuu - Mid power ebike
2
Replies
28
Views
983
neptronix
neptronix
M
    • Like
1,500 lb eTrike???
2 3
Replies
66
Views
2,149
Diggs
D
K
First Hub Wheel Build
2 3
Replies
61
Views
3,848
dgc
dgc
LewTwo
Houston TX, Free stuff (gone, FuzzyWuzzy)
Replies
7
Views
538
FuzzyWuzzy
FuzzyWuzzy
T
Meridian Tricycle Rear Wheels
Replies
0
Views
352
TricycleMichael
T
Back
Top