Strengenthing my new cruiser

GoldenMotor.com

ferball

New Member
Apr 8, 2010
598
2
0
NH
Somebody recommended aluminum wheels earlier, from my understanding, rim brakes will eventually wear down your rims, and aluminum wears much faster than steel, and given that one would expect to brake more after attaching a motor (higher speeds more braking) wouldn't aluminum wheels be a bad idea with rim brakes on these things? Not looking for a fight like MTB vs Cruiser just looking wondering....
 

GearNut

Active Member
Aug 19, 2009
5,104
11
38
San Diego, Kaliforgnia
All my BMX racers had aluminum rims. I never, ever came close to having the brake pads wear them thin. If fact the weirdest thing I did was use WD40 to clean the aluminum rims and after a few questionable stops, wow! It actually improved the stopping power. It makes absolutely no sense to me at all but it was recommended to me and it works.
 

bottledViolence

New Member
Jan 4, 2011
20
0
0
albany ny
Somebody recommended aluminum wheels earlier, from my understanding, rim brakes will eventually wear down your rims, and aluminum wears much faster than steel, and given that one would expect to brake more after attaching a motor (higher speeds more braking) wouldn't aluminum wheels be a bad idea with rim brakes on these things? Not looking for a fight like MTB vs Cruiser just looking wondering....
it probably doesnt wear down much at all since the brake pads are rubber
 

lowracer

New Member
Oct 17, 2008
1,319
2
0
Charleston, SC
I rode & raced MTB's for awhile & once had a rim wear clean thru & blow the tube. The rim had to be replaced. In real dirty conditions, the grit on the pads & rims wears away at the aluminum.
-lowracer-
 

Saddletramp1200

Custom MB Buiilder
May 7, 2008
1,451
83
48
Houston, Texas
Ok, rim bakes are worthless. Except when there adjusted to work. Joe or Jane Hung Chow don't care if You live or die. They build these bikes as cheap as they can. The pads never line up with the wheel. Some of the pad does. Use a wrench and very slowly use it on the arm of the brake to mate the pad with the rim. Easy does it. If you can afford Disc brakes, most of us can't, Get them! Keep your rims clean! Your riding a bike @ 30mph that was designed for 10! I have seen the bolt that holds the brakes to the frame snap. As for the pads wearing thru the wheel. Possible, The Titanic might rise to the surface too, but I doubt it. And the best thing of all is, (drum roll please) If you are not sure of something, Slow Down!.duh.
 

Basses5

New Member
Nov 10, 2010
8
0
0
Kansas
Not sure if it was mentioned here but if you are using the chainstay mounted tensioner. I suggest thru-bolting it to the chainstay keeping the tensioner in place.