I need a tougher rear wheel...

[huskie69]

I got myself a Haibike Sduro Trekking 5 back in July and I've since commuted ~50 miles a day for most of the time I've had it.

About 4 weeks into it, I noticed a massive wobble in the rear wheel which quickly got worse and by the time I got home, the tyre was skimming the frame on each revolution. I took it to my LBS so they could true it. They told me the wheel was out of true but the real problem was the tyre - it had developed some kind of warp/bulge (hard to explain). I swapped the front and rear and got hold of a new tyre.

There was still a slight wobble in the rear after fiting the new tyre but nothing major. That is until about another 4 weeks. I decided to throw the tyre away (they were both originals - Michelin Protek Cross 700 x 42c - that came with the bike) and get a new "eBike approved" Schwalbe marathon plus. It seemed fine but now my 4 weeks are once again up and once again the wheel is wobbling. I'm not sure if this is something I'm just going to have to live with (replacing my rear tyre every month) but it doesn't seem right.

Would a wheel tha's not true cause a tyre to become mis-shapen?

I think I do need to look at getting an alternative rear wheeel. My current wheel consists of XLC Disc Hubs on Rodi Black Rock Rims. Maybe they're just not strong enough? I often have aout 10-15kg on the panniers, the bike itself is at least 23kg, and then I weigh ~95kg - there's a lot of weight going through the rear wheel and perhaps it's just not strong enough to cope with the load?

Are there ultra-strong wheels I can get hold of that can take these kinds of weights comfortably without coming out of true?

 

[Nealh]

It sounds to me that the wheel needs rebuilding form scratch re-truing and spokes re-tensioned (even new spokes), unless the rim is made of cheese it should not start to buckle unless spoke tension is lost. Take the tyre off and just give the LBS your wheel and ask them to rebuild it for you from scratch, hopefully re-treued and laced it will be ok.
I'm no expert wheel builder but all my wheels I self build, true and tension give me little in the way of problems even using cheapish Exal rims off ebay.
Go around your wheel and ping all the spokes on one side do they sound the same and then do the same on the other side, Although each side may have a slightly different tension you should get a nice ping/ring from them without any dull twangs.

 

[huskie69]

Thanks Nealh - would a buckled wheel also cause increased tyre degradation (to the point where it casues a pronounced bulge?)

 

[Nealh]

I think the tyre bulge is due to other factors such as kerbing/pothole or more then likely a manufacturing flaw. The other possibility is that if the side walls are poor/weak/thin etc, then they may have become stressed.

One of my first wheels I ever built I used spokes a tad to long, the wheel held up for about 30 miles then a couple spokes snapped and then a couple more. The wheel became so loose and out of true that the buckled/wobbly wheel had my bike swaying at the back side to side by a fair few inches at low speed, I did manage to limp home as centrifugal forces helped at higher down hill speed.
The tyre suffered no issues and was reused and still in use on another bike.

 

[huskie69]

I think the tyre bulge is due to other factors such as kerbing/pothole or more then likely a manufacturing flaw. The other possibility is that if the side walls are poor/weak/thin etc, then they may have become stressed.

One of my first wheels I ever built I used spokes a tad to long, the wheel held up for about 30 miles then a couple spokes snapped and then a couple more. The wheel became so loose and out of true that the buckled/wobbly wheel had my bike swaying at the back side to side by a fair few inches at low speed, I did manage to limp home as centrifugal forces helped at higher down hill speed.
The tyre suffered no issues and was reused and still in use on another bike.

I steer clear of potholes, never curb it. The roads are very smooth.

It seems to consistently require tyre replacement every 4 weeks - putting on a new tyre seems to abate the issue at least temporarily. Can't afford to keep getting new tyres, and not 100% there tyres are at fault! My LBS isn't that "great" and I can't imagine them carrying out a complete wheel rebuild (and it'll probably cost less to get a new one anway, they charged £25 just to "true" it the last time it was in)!

 

[RobF]

Fifty commuting miles is hard use for any bicycle.

But your overall load isn't that high, and you should get good wear from a Marathon Plus, which is a famously tough and long lasting tyre.

I would contact Spa Cycles in Harrogate, outline the proposed use, and ask them to build a wheel.

This sort of stuff is right up their street.

https://www.spacycles.co.uk/

 

[KTM Bike Industries UK]

The 2 problems can't be related, unless the buckle is causing the tyre to rub, effecting the strength of the side wall of the tyre.

It doesn't seem like you need a new wheel. You just need to work out what is causing the problem.

Riding a bike with a buckle isn't a problem, especially if you have disc brakes.

If you're running rim brakes are you sure the brake pad isn't touching the side of the tyre at a certain point causing the problem?

This shouldn't be hard to fix for any decent bike shop.

 

[soundwave]

rim brakes on a haibike hahahahaha lol.

https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Mavic-Deemax-Ultimate-MTB-Wheels-27-5-2017_85653.htm?sku=286547&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=google_shopping&gclid=Cj0KCQjw1JbPBRCrARIsAOKj2PkHemUNnskyOfZziBIfwhNl3_5lrFCKVDa3Wh76kBo_143wAN44AYwaAlhdEALw_wcB
you can jump off cliffs with those bit heavy tho.

 

[Gringo]

Reading throu this post I'm curious about tyre pressures and how it effects your bike, what pressures do you run ?
I think I remember somthing about over inflated tyres effecting spoke tension and increasing vibration.

 

[D C]

Maybe the buckle in the first instance which sounds pretty bad, has sent the rim past the point of no return, you say there was still a slight wobble after you had fitted a new tyre.
It's happened to me in the past and though you can sometimes true very badly buckled rims they very soon get out of shape again.
You can probably only really tell if this is the case by removing the rim completely and laying it on a flat surface.
Maybe a new rim and a good rebuild perhaps with new spokes would be the answer or as you say, maybe a new wheel would make more sense.
I'm a big guy and stick to 26" wheels, I suspect larger wheels could be more prone to going out of true but I could be quite wrong, I guess a lot depends on the quality.
Dave.

 

[D C]

Just as a secondary thought, I don't suppose you ever park up with the back wheel in one of those concrete slots.
Dave.

 

[skippy_ian]

Did you buy the bike new in July?, if so it is still under warranty, so it should go back to the retailer for sorting out!


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[huskie69]

Did you buy the bike new in July?, if so it is still under warranty, so it should go back to the retailer for sorting out!


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I'm in North Wales, bought online from a retailer in London - slight ballache in returning it! Also I'll be without a vehicle

 

[huskie69]

Reading throu this post I'm curious about tyre pressures and how it effects your bike, what pressures do you run ?
I think I remember somthing about over inflated tyres effecting spoke tension and increasing vibration.

I run them between 60-80 psi - possibly too high? Their max stated inflation is 85psi I think/

 

[huskie69]

Just as a secondary thought, I don't suppose you ever park up with the back wheel in one of those concrete slots.
Dave.

No, it's always kept indoors and rests on its own kickstand.

 

[huskie69]

So it turns out there were stress fractures on the rim where the spokes enter - I think it's knackered!! (I hadn't noticed these before). What would cause this?!

 

[KTM Bike Industries UK]

I'd suggest you go and see a decent bike shop local to you.

If you're in North Wales, these guys are a good shop (the owner was my best man at my wedding, so I am a little biased).

thebikebar  
Address: 19 Mostyn Ave, Llandudno LL30 1YS
Phone: 01492 330580

They are a great shop and will offer some decent advise.

 

[huskie69]

Sion's done some work on another one of my bikes (and he has some gorgeous KTMs in the shop!) I'm just waiting to hear back from the retailer I bought the bike from though as it's still under warranty

 

[anotherkiwi]

Don't think - it IS dead. I don't think your rim is up to carrying the weight you want a rim/tyre combination capable of 150 kg to leave a little margin.

 

[huskie69]

Rather than the load being placed on the wheel (which is undeniably large!) is it possible that the drive torque could be responsible for destruction of this wheel? I put a lot of my own power into pedalling and I'm sure the assist is also adding to that torque. Is the wheel not fit for purpose?