Rear wheel, spokes and bearings

toytime · #1 (**permalink**) 03-22-2008, 07:11 PM

About once a month I have rear wheel issues and today I found a second broken spoke. I have also found that "stock" bearings and hubs can't handle the output of an engine. Don't get me wrong, I use it all winter and understand that it needs servicing but I get every problem you can think of. One time my axle broke in half and to be honest, I'm thinking that my bearings may be wearing out as well. I tighten things up and two days later it will wobble a bit.
Can anyone tell me if I should get parts and have a bicycle repair shop put it together for me and what parts I would use? (thick spokes, hub, bearings)
Would I be better off just buying a brand new "heavy duty" wheel and what name brand would that be?

**CRUISER** · #2 (**permalink**) 03-22-2008, 08:12 PM

i was having spokes break all the time. the rear sprocket i had was 5 hole. i went to a nine whole and they stopped breaking. not sure which sprocket your kit came with but thats a whole lot cheaper then a new wheel and spokes. standard wheel is 14 gage spokes and they say 12 is great. none of the bike shops around here carry 12ga

deacon · #3 (**permalink**) 03-22-2008, 10:32 PM

When I need a new wheel I go to the thrift shop and buy a bike its a darn sight cheaper.

**Bikeguy Joe** · #4 (**permalink**) 03-23-2008, 06:17 AM

Bearing wear and problems with spokes are attributed to a few things- If the bike and rider are heavier, ridden more frequently or on rougher surfaces, you will get more wear and breakage.

How old is the wheel you have?
What co./country manufactured it?

toytime · #5 (**permalink**) 03-23-2008, 08:10 AM

I am over two hundred , have used the wheel for about 9 months with the motor, I do go on snowmobile trails that are gravel/dirt trails and I use it as my only form of transportation, every day.
Just the thought of removing those rusty fine threaded bolts that hold the sprocket in place worries me and that is why I wanted to get a really good wheel that would last me another year or so. I just find that these wheels were not made for going 30 mile an hour down dirt roads.
I'm laughing as I write this because I guess what I am saying is that I should have bought a motorcycle....lol.
I guess I'll just go to the overly priced bike shop in town and ask for a mountain bike rim and suck up the fact that having down time is a fact of life.
I guess it may not have helped my spokes any by leaving the outer rubber off so that my sprocket was able to move inwards enough to allow me to eliminate the idler gear.
It could also be that I over tightened the bolts as the spokes break at that area where the sprocket is.

**Ilikeabikea** · #6 (**permalink**) 03-23-2008, 12:32 PM

Sometimes just writing it out makes you discover what the problem is. Seems like I do lots of that with these motorized bicycles. I bet that will solve your problem....................

**RedB66** · #7 (**permalink**) 03-23-2008, 04:19 PM

I have heavy duty rims on my stretch that I purchased from Revolution Cycles on Ebay. I inquiried about another pair and he has a set for $50 including shipping. He doesn't have them listed but you can contact him and ask him to email a picture if you are interested. They are heavier. He refers to them as 1020 or something like that , I call them 12 guage. I must say that I have not had any problems with Revolution Cycles but.......one of our members had some issues with a motor mount.

toytime · #8 (**permalink**) 03-23-2008, 04:40 PM

Thanks, I will have a look. That seems like a great price.
I found this today and have provided a link. I think you could spend a day looking around.
There is even a bicycle generator for a light and the generator never touches your tire.
I'm not sure if this spoke idea would make it stronger and it looks like it would take hours to make:

Twisted Spoke Bicycle Wheel Lacing - flowers! - Instructables - DIY, How To, art, ride

This is very interesting as well..who would have known you should not use a magnet on ball bearings as they magnetize and "draw" metel bits?

Properly pack/adjust bicycle hub bearings: Inspect the bearing surfaces - Instructables - DIY, How To, ride, tech

**Norman** · #9 (**permalink**) 03-23-2008, 07:23 PM

Toytime nice links on your post very good information.
Thanks
Norman

**fairracing31** · #10 (**permalink**) 05-11-2008, 04:59 PM

I've been having this problem for a long time now, and it happened again today. After about 50-60 miles I break a spoke, and it's the very same spoke over and over again. I have re-laced my wheel several times and I have even taken to a bike shop three time's thinking I've been doing something wrong. My wheel is not bent and it is true. The spoke alway's break's right at the hub. I have no ideal what could cause the same spoke to break and alway's around the same amount of miles.
I alway's check before everyride and have not seen any problems to cause this before it happens. Any ideals?