Anyone Using Moped Wheels?

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Goat Herder

Gutter Rider
Apr 28, 2008
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svejkovat sorry I missed in your post that you were talking to me. Here you go https://www.google.com/search?q=lar...QsAQ&biw=916&bih=536&sei=COEZULGCDIbArQHW-IF4 and yes I love the tire profile on my machine. This machine that I currently have them on will accommodate some pretty wide tires. Not every bike's frame geometry will clear the frame with these puppies as they are huge. ''Girthy''

Sorry this picture does not show their girth very well. Been a long time since I took any more picts of my machine this is all I got. Mebbe I will get better picts some time? The link I gave you should satisfy your curiosity I think? http://motorbicycling.com/picture.php?albumid=840&pictureid=4334

My only gripe about these rims is tires that I personally would like to have seam to be slim pickings for me. These rims have been great tho really do like them!

This image depicts my profile exactly as there are the same tires i am currantly running.
 
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How about something like these?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Mot...Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item2a139c6cb9

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Mot...Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item27bde0c71d


https://www.denniskirk.com/michelin...-00m-17-blackwall-tire.p541777.prd/541777.sku

I've read that quite a few builders use moped hubs and lace them onto bicycle wheels.

They might not look cool (short 21.5" wheels in 24" fork/26" tall frame). However, they come assembled with short tough spokes.


They can work with $15 Michelin 2.25 x 17 motorcycle/moped tubeless tires rated @ 93mph.

Thoughts?
Hey; I was just doing a websearch for moped hubs, and came across this. I don't know if I'm too late for you, but I'm looking for the hubs... not to use a moped wheel, but to lace moped hubs, into (say, for example) a front & rear worksman heavy duty clincher rim. The spokes ought to be thick enough... or is this a bust? either that or simply buy some worksman wheels, front & rear drum brakes, with single speed rear freewheel. Anyone know what the largest tires that'll fit into a worksman wheel? I have had the 3" Dyno flame on them, successfully, beyond that, I do not know...

-Mac-
 

chainmaker

Well-Known Member
Jan 19, 2010
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If you have the coin a worksman set front and rear drums should be ok for all but some big HP, If you need the extra stopping of a moped hub try a motobecane hub they are spaced at 135mm though. If you can find an AMF Roadmaster moped hub they are the narrowest of the moped hubs out there. Sportsman flyer can set you up with a Primo set of wheels like you are looking for just drop Sportscarpat a PM tell him what you need and he will set you up.
 

feelyx

New Member
Jun 30, 2012
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sac. ca 95821
Here is what my moped hubs and wheels look like.. I used 11ga spokes from husky 36$, hubs from ebay 40$ for the pair, rebuilt them with cartridge bearings and new brake pads 60$, rims from ebay 40$ for the pair, paint 36$(duracoat for fire arms). more pics of the rims in a boardtracker thread feelyx flyer....
 

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chainmaker

Well-Known Member
Jan 19, 2010
2,634
69
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Ma USA
Here is what my moped hubs and wheels look like.. I used 11ga spokes from husky 36$, hubs from ebay 40$ for the pair, rebuilt them with cartridge bearings and new brake pads 60$, rims from ebay 40$ for the pair, paint 36$(duracoat for fire arms). more pics of the rims in a boardtracker thread feelyx flyer....
What size rims are those?
 

atombikes

New Member
Feb 14, 2010
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Northern VA
Here is what my moped hubs and wheels look like.. I used 11ga spokes from husky 36$, hubs from ebay 40$ for the pair, rebuilt them with cartridge bearings and new brake pads 60$, rims from ebay 40$ for the pair, paint 36$(duracoat for fire arms). more pics of the rims in a boardtracker thread feelyx flyer....
So $212 for awesome wheels. Not bad at all. I am using a Puch moped rear hub and a Aria drum front hub laced to a set of BikeWorldUSA steel wheels/12 ga spokes. Since this is my first wheel build, I am going to try to cheap out on some cost by reusing the spokes and do a 4 cross lacing pattern, and probably just clean everything using a 50/50 lemon juice/vinegar solution. I think I will have around $140 total in my wheels when I'm done.

I just tore down the Puch rear hub last weekend, the bearings/races and drum pads look servicable as-is.

The Puch moped wheels use 36 .105 (12 ga) spokes, just like most heavy duty bicycle wheels.
 

atombikes

New Member
Feb 14, 2010
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Northern VA
Feelyx, those rims you painted; I read on your thread that you used some special gun paint. Were the rims chrome when you first started out, and if so, how did you prep the chrome for paint?
 

feelyx

New Member
Jun 30, 2012
140
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sac. ca 95821
Feelyx, those rims you painted; I read on your thread that you used some special gun paint. Were the rims chrome when you first started out, and if so, how did you prep the chrome for paint?
I glass beaded the hubs, and the rims I used a 4-1/2" grinder with a fine sanding disc. Turned out pretty good.
 

feelyx

New Member
Jun 30, 2012
140
1
0
sac. ca 95821
So $212 for awesome wheels. Not bad at all. I am using a Puch moped rear hub and a Aria drum front hub laced to a set of BikeWorldUSA steel wheels/12 ga spokes. Since this is my first wheel build, I am going to try to cheap out on some cost by reusing the spokes and do a 4 cross lacing pattern, and probably just clean everything using a 50/50 lemon juice/vinegar solution. I think I will have around $140 total in my wheels when I'm done.

I just tore down the Puch rear hub last weekend, the bearings/races and drum pads look servicable as-is.

The Puch moped wheels use 36 .105 (12 ga) spokes, just like most heavy duty bicycle wheels.
Yes I could of saved about 30$ by going with the original bearings, but I wanted to double stack the bearings inside the hub for some extra strength. I have 4 cartridge bearings in each hub.
 
That's what I"m going for... takes a bit longer, searching junk yards, and such; I'm looking for moped wheel parts, with 36h hubs. There are actually a set of moped rims out there that were at 21" but 1977 mopeds doesn't have 'em in stock... I think they're about 26+" with the 85mph rated Michelin tires mounted... Your wheels look great! Thanks all for the advice; very much appreciated. My frame hasn't even been started yet, so I'm in no rush! but as the lady at Worksman told me; .105 spokes are not 12 gauge, they're 10 1/2 gauge. Apparently they make a few different wheels; Industrial Heavy, Med, and recreational... so their spokes range from .12, .11 & .105 (as ya'll know, small the gauge, the thicker... 10 gauge shotgun is a helluva lot more shoulder pain than a 12!
 

feelyx

New Member
Jun 30, 2012
140
1
0
sac. ca 95821
That's what I"m going for... takes a bit longer, searching junk yards, and such; I'm looking for moped wheel parts, with 36h hubs. There are actually a set of moped rims out there that were at 21" but 1977 mopeds doesn't have 'em in stock... I think they're about 26+" with the 85mph rated Michelin tires mounted... Your wheels look great! Thanks all for the advice; very much appreciated. My frame hasn't even been started yet, so I'm in no rush! but as the lady at Worksman told me; .105 spokes are not 12 gauge, they're 10 1/2 gauge. Apparently they make a few different wheels; Industrial Heavy, Med, and recreational... so their spokes range from .12, .11 & .105 (as ya'll know, small the gauge, the thicker... 10 gauge shotgun is a helluva lot more shoulder pain than a 12!
Yes my spokes measure .105 and husky calls them 11ga. My hubs are Franko Morini's took some time but I found them with 17" rims and just cut them out and threw the rims away as they were pretty rusted, (they looked like carp so the cheepo price). I found the 21" moped rims at 129$ apiece used and thought they are too expensive. So I picked up some old school heavy duty rims and then paid 129$ per Simplex Service Car tire...LOL

EDIT* I just mic'd mine and they are .118 close enough to 11ga for me
 
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Pardon my confusion; Apparently cycling uses American Steel Wire Gauge (SWG), not American Wire Gauge... and the two differ greatly. 12 gauge in AWG is 0.0808 but in SWG it's 0.1055, so yeah, .105 is 12g. But the worksman site does state that they also have a .11g spoke (.120) in their super mover trike wheels; those suckers must look even more like moped wheels than my worksman slicks did! Any way, pardon my confusion... and thanks for helping me get straight on this. In any event, they're tough as nails wheels! Worksman rims, with 11g spokes, laced to moped drum brake hubs... how's that sound?
 

bairdco

a guy who makes cool bikes
Aug 18, 2009
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i'm building a wheel now, well not right now, but probably this weekend for superharry's four stroke.

26" worksman rim, .120g spokes and an Atom drum brake moped hub with a 36t drive sprocket and a 23t (maybe it's a 22, don't remember) freewheel.

the freewheel was rusted stuck but i un-stuck it and polished all the corrosion off the hub today.

i'll post a pic when it's done.
 

bairdco

a guy who makes cool bikes
Aug 18, 2009
6,537
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living the dream in southern california
not sure. my 16's with the pirellis are 21.5" tall. i'd guess his are 22-23" tall.

tires make a big difference. my pirellis are basically slicks. the 17's on my honda ct90 have these big ass michelin trail tires, and they're probly 24" or taller. i keep forgetting to measure them.

if you want some crazy tires, look up shinto. i think they make a z rated 17...