What is going on...? (Another HELP ME thread)

[MysterySandwich]

Some people on this forum may not agree with me, but I feel that any bike is only as good as its mechanic. Now allow me to clarify that. Some bikes have weaker frames or substandard quality of parts. There is not much that can be done for a bike with poor structural integrity. If a frame is junk, its. junk. mechanical components can ALWAYS be upgraded, so there is no reason to go out and spend $200 on a brand new bike just because you are having problems with your wheel. You can get a heavy duty coaster wheel for around $50. I may be getting ready to have my rear wheel trued up in a couple days, depending on my $$$ situation. If I do, I plan on removing the sprocket before having the wheel trued and reinstalling it after. I will take pictures of each step and post it as a detailed tutorial. I know that others have written tutorials, but it sounds like you need detailed pictures and instructions. Even if you do buy a new bike, you will still need to know how to properly install your rear sprocket. But it will save you a ton of $$$ if you upgrade your wheel and learn how to do things properly. Its true that you get what you pay for, but you also get out of something what you put in. Learning how to do things the right way and putting in a little extra effort will save you a ton of money in this hobby.

I see eye to eye with you, shoulder to shoulder, but it's not just the rear wheel, (I was actually thinking of buying the heavy duty wheel set from Venice) I also wanted to put hand brakes on it, which the bike mechanics told me would be really difficult for my particular bike, I'm also doubting the strength of my frame (again $30 off CL)

 

[Mike B]

I wasn't telling you to give up, I was suggesting a motor & drive type that is much easier to mount and operate.

You are the one smashing the crap out of stuff with a hammer, 'cause you don't know what you are doing.

Compared to happy times, friction drives are ~10% of the effort and skill needed for installation & operation.

Have Fun!

 

[bigbutterbean]

I see eye to eye with you, shoulder to shoulder, but it's not just the rear wheel, (I was actually thinking of buying the heavy duty wheel set from Venice) I also wanted to put hand brakes on it, which the bike mechanics told me would be really difficult for my particular bike, I'm also doubting the strength of my frame (again $30 off CL)

If you have a front or rear fender, you can easily add a handbrake. A bike mechanic told me the same thing about my first bike. In my ignorance I listened to him. When I built my second bike, I finally figured out that cantilever (rim) brakes can be installed front or rear by using the holes in the frame that the fenders are bolted to. as far as frame integrity, telling us what you have will help a lot. just because you paid $30 for it on craigslist dont mean its junk. tell us what it is and someone here can tell you if its a good frame. your local bike shop can order you a cruiser rim with 12gauge spokes and either a histop coaster hub or a shimano clone coaster hub for around $50. they can probably order you a front rim with 12gauge spokes for less than $50. Venice offers some quality heavy duty parts, but he isnt the only game in town when it comes to heavy duty bicycle parts. shopping local will save you the shipping charges. even ebay and amazon have certain items with free shipping. I had some problems when I built my first bike, and even ruined a rim due to improper installation of the sprocket. I didnt give up trying to learn how to do it right. I didnt even know about this forum or how many different dealers there are. I bought a replacement wheel through my local bike shop for around $40. Then I had an accident and my rim got ruined again from the wreck. I went on ebay and found a heavy duty coaster wheel for like $45. I was completely on my own back then and I still got my bike on the road without spending a ton of money, even though i went through two rims.