lacing a motor hub, spokes and watch outs

[Jean.Petr]

Hi, newbie here!

I'm sure this topic has been well discussed elsewhere on this forum so maybe someone can send me the thread, wheel lacing!

I'm getting a front motor and intend to get it laced into a 26" rim for my mountain bike. I won't try this myself (beyond my skill set!) and going to pass it to my local bike shop. I have a recommendation to use Ryde Andra 30 rim and Sapim 'Race' spokes. Another suggestion that Sapim 'strong' is what's best for an eBike?

Is 2 cross lacing the only and best option? Just wondering what the experience of the forum is?

Finally are pre-made up wheel imports all that bad? Attractive to get a wheel all ready to go but I read this is not a good choice?

Thanks, JP

 

[Deleted member 4366]

You might not be able to use 2-cross. It depends on the diameter of the motor. It should be OK for a small motor.

I use the cheapest Chinese double-walled rims and the cheapest 14g spokes I can find. They work perfectly and I never had a problem despite very rough riding. If using higher grade parts saves a significant amount of weight, it would be worth it for a light-weight build, but a complete waste on a big DD motor.

Maybe you should tell us what you're trying to achieve, then we can make relevant comments.

 

[Nealh]

I have used 2X but it will be easier and just as strong 1X.
The spoke flange angle may be to great and then the nipples don't sit very squarely.
Which hub are you fitting ?

 

[anotherkiwi]

I have 3600 km on a Chinese made 26" wheel with no issues. Yes I did have to tighten the spokes after a hundred km but that is to be expected. My next hub motor wheel will have Sapim stong spokes. Strong just means they are thicker where they go through the hub and so there is no play.

 

[Benjahmin]

I have 3 prebuilt front hub wheels. 1 x 26" and 2 x 700c. The 26 and one 700c are big bpm motors. Absolutely no problems whatsoever. As AK says, check the spoke tension periodically and enjoy the bike.

 

[KirstinS]

My tuppence - Chinese builds are fine, get job done

But, they just don't have the beauty and feel that can be achieved by a really good wheel builder. I'm very lucky in that my independent lbs is an artist in this field. Many other LBS send their builds to him and then surcharge.

So it depends. If creating your very own spec uber bike then get a true expert to build the wheel. Many on here have built them themselves but they do Seem to have a lot of broken spokes (anecdotally at least)

 

[jerrysimon]

Building it yourself/having it built you can choose rim and spokes in this case both being black to match the hub. This is my recent rear wheel build.




As stated for front X1 or X2 should be fine though again as stated being a 26" rim, the resulting nipple angle may be better X1. This build used a nice Mavic Rim with Halo ED Plain Gauge 14g, very good value here

http://www.jejamescycles.com/halo-ed-plain-gauge-spokes-14g-black-with-nipples.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI1YmrpNjR1QIVBrvtCh1WPA31EAQYASABEgJ0__D_BwE

 

[anotherkiwi]

I priced a stand, tensioner, dish tool (all cheapest versions) and that price comes to exactly what it would cost to have 3 wheels built for me. Plus the learning curve... I would really like to be able to do it myself but can't see me needing to do it often enough to justify the equipment sitting here the rest of the time.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

I priced a stand, tensioner, dish tool (all cheapest versions) and that price comes to exactly what it would cost to have 3 wheels built for me. Plus the learning curve... I would really like to be able to do it myself but can't see me needing to do it often enough to justify the equipment sitting here the rest of the time.

You don't need a stand, nor a dish tool, nor a tension meter. Put the wheel in your frame and fix a cable-tie to the chainstay. That's all you need - just the cost of the rim and spokes....and the cable-tie. You can tell when they're tight and that the tension is even. It's all in the wrist.

 

[anotherkiwi]

My frame doesn't easily lend itself to doing that unfortunately and I don't trust my abilities at the moment, I work nights so my wrist has problems connecting with my brain...

I could go this way eventually https://etrike.wordpress.com/2015/02/26/diy-truing-stand/

 

[Jean.Petr]

Thanks All, great forum, really good feedback! Probably 'go Chinese' is slightly ahead in this thread summed up by KirstinS "Chinese builds are fine, get job done". However for me I like the all black jerrysimon wheel build and gives that bit of a personal touch to your ebike build but if you're on a budget may not be an option.

Just on cost how much more expensive is a wheel build versus an import, assuming you don't (or can't) do it yourself? You are still paying the guy in China to lace the wheel and then you have to pay for a box of air to be shipped. I know some shops will lace a wheel if you buy the bits with them.

The other main point I take from the thread is the importance of rechecking tension after the first few hundred miles, either way. If you got it built locally maybe the guy (or gal) might check/adjust tension for free?

JP

 

[Deleted member 4366]

My frame doesn't easily lend itself to doing that unfortunately and I don't trust my abilities at the moment, I work nights so my wrist has problems connecting with my brain...

I could go this way eventually https://etrike.wordpress.com/2015/02/26/diy-truing-stand/

Truing stands are often not good enough for e-bike wheels because they often need an off-set. it's much better to true the wheel to the actual frame, which holds the wheel like any truing stand. all you need is the pointer, and I normally clamp a 6" rule to the chain-stays to look after the eccentricity, which means two more cable-ties.

 

[Planemo]

If you want a black motor, spokes and rim, have you considered buying a wheel from UK based Oxygen, as was supplied in the kit I fitted?

 

[jerrysimon]

I agree with Dave, if a wheel needs dishing I tend to do it by eye in a frame (centering the mudguard/brake centre hole in the frame with the centre of the rim) before I then take it out and do the final tightening up back in the stand. I do have a cheaper ParkTools tension guage, but usually just use the gauge at the very end to see how the spokes compare. If I was building wheels often I would buy a dishing tool.

When dishing, one side set of spokes is always much looser than the other and pinging the spokes with your finger is another way of comparing the tension. I purchased the gauge in the early days when I was still learning.

Its such a rewarding skill being able to build wheels. For me radial trueness (roundness) is always the hardest to get perfect, but all wheel building requires compromise (like life) in terms of the different planes of the rim as you true it up.

If a wheel is built well in the first place, there should be no need to check and retention spokes after the wheel has been used. This is why some of these Chinese built wheels need subsequent adjustment.

I would offer to do it for you, but I see you live in Dublin and I am in Cambridge.

 

[Retyred1]

D8veh/Jerry, I have never attempted to lace a wheel - it's the only job on my bikes that I am a bit afraid to do.
I am replacing the front forks on my Haibike 29 and considering converting from 9mm QR to 15mm through axel, which means a new hub. Would lacing this wheel be achievable by an amateur who is handy with tools & bikes in general, or best to leave to the experts?
Would I need any specific tools?

Sorry OP for breaking into your thread.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Like many things, it's easy when you know how.

The only tools that I use are a rule to measure the rim so that I can calculate the spoke length, and a spoke key. The best spoke keys are the ones with four sides to the square, not three, like this one:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Ice-Toolz-Stainless-Steel-Ergonomic-Wheel-Spoke-Key-Road-Bike-MTB-/322540145987?hash=item4b18e40d43:g:phQAAOSwnHZYkyf9

It's probably a good idea to practice on a spare or scrap wheel before attempting one on your bike.

 

[jerrysimon]

.....and in addition maybe watch a few youtube videos and of course refer to the bike bible, that is the late great Sheldon Brown's website

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/wheelbuild.html

 

[flecc]

I priced a stand, tensioner, dish tool (all cheapest versions) and that price comes to exactly what it would cost to have 3 wheels built for me. Plus the learning curve... I would really like to be able to do it myself but can't see me needing to do it often enough to justify the equipment sitting here the rest of the time.

In the trade long ago an old bike front fork in the vice was our wheel building jig, but as d8veh posted above, you can always use the bike as I did with my last hub motor wheel build.

That was heavily offset too.
.

 

[anotherkiwi]

OK so drop motor wheel into forks with bike upside down



er, ummm, ... that isn't going to work out well is it? And the front, what are these forks of which you speak?

I am busy buying this, my first brand new push bike since I was 12 years old! I felt that a new bike from a shop every 50 years wasn't overdoing things all my other bikes have been hand me downs or skip finds!

This is going to be a real test for Chinese built hub motor wheels BTW!

I want to build the motor into a wide Halo DH rim. The front will get 24" wide Halo DH rims with Ginko SA hub brakes, probably the cooling fin version. After testing with the Mxus (@ 18 A - 44.4 V...) I will decide whether to stay with the hub motor or put the GSM on the front.

 

[flecc]

OK so drop motor wheel into forks with bike upside down

View attachment 20762

er, ummm, ... that isn't going to work out well is it? And the front, what are these forks of which you speak?

It doesn't work for invalid carriages.
.