Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - 400lb x 7ft rider needs wheels for large road bike

I've been helping a heavy friend of mine build a road bike for him self. Until now he's only been able to ride mountain bikes but we found a old trek 700 frame thats 65cm. I have some nice 48 hole tandem wheels which I was thinking of re spacing for his frame [120mm in the back I think]. My question is, can I expect a well built 36 hole wheelset to work or should I take on the tandem wheelset. The problem with the tandem wheels is that the rear wheel has a thread on drum brake which makes the rear spacing screwy. It would be easier to use some standard 36h wheels.

I've been helping a heavy friend of mine build a road bike for him self. Until now he's only been able to ride mountain bikes but we found a old trek 700 frame thats 65cm. I have some nice 48 hole tandem wheels which I was thinking of re spacing for his frame [120mm in the back I think]. My question is, can I expect a well built 36 hole wheelset to work or should I take on the tandem wheelset. The problem with the tandem wheels is that the rear wheel has a thread on drum brake which makes the rear spacing screwy. It would be easier to use some standard 36h wheels.
I think the 36 spoke will hold up, worst case is later you might have to go to the tandem wheel if 36 doesn't work out. All I can say is try it and watch the rear wheel. Well built 36ers, hand built should work out just fine though!

Go for the 36 spokes. I had a ancient set of 32h MTB wheels hold up under me most of the summer, then beat the crap out of a new cheapie Alex set that's on my Hardrock.

At 380, I'm getting ready to break in my new Trek 7.3FX with 32h 700c wheels. I figure I"ll ride the hell out of it, when they break replace 'em with Open Pros.

7ft and 400lbs.....holy smokes that's a big guy! btw...what is a tandem wheel? pix if you have them

I would really hate to see the cager that pisses this guy off with a "get off the sidewalk" yell when he catches up to him and procedes to rip the wheels off the car one by one and eat the engine block.
That's one big dude!!

The rear spacing is probably 126mm, which isn't too hard to cold set to 130mm.

Hand built 36 spoke wheels should be fine unless he is doing some stump jumpin'. He will just have to take it in for a respoke more often than Slim Jim. I take my bike back to the LBS every 2,000 miles.

PS Tell you friend we would like him to join the forum http://friendsforever.foren-city.de/images/smiles/a010.gif

Hand built 36 spoke wheels should be fine unless he is doing some stump jumpin'. He will just have to take it in for a respoke more often than Slim Jim. I take my bike back to the LBS every 2,000 miles.

PS Tell you friend we would like him to join the forum http://friendsforever.foren-city.de/images/smiles/a010.gif
Agreed on your friend joinin' up! He'd be made welcome, that's for sure! :D

btw...what is a tandem wheel? pix if you have them
That is wheel design for a tandem bike. Little heavier build and more spokes, 36, 40 or 48

FWIW, a couple of friends of mine do centuries around the Sierra all summer long on a tandem. They're both over 200 pounds, and they run really hard. They're using big tires, 700x37 Paselas, which help save the wheels, but they run 36-hole wheels on both ends. Haven't seen the bike in awhile, but I think the rims are Velocity Deep V's, which are pretty readily available. They also come in 40-hole, I think, with standard width and dish. If you can't find them locally, check www.peterwhitecycles.com.

I would use DT alpine 2.3/1.8/2.0 spokes

I've been helping a heavy friend of mine build a road bike for him self. Until now he's only been able to ride mountain bikes but we found a old trek 700 frame thats 65cm. I have some nice 48 hole tandem wheels which I was thinking of re spacing for his frame [120mm in the back I think]. My question is, can I expect a well built 36 hole wheelset to work or should I take on the tandem wheelset. The problem with the tandem wheels is that the rear wheel has a thread on drum brake which makes the rear spacing screwy. It would be easier to use some standard 36h wheels.

The back wheel should be a 48 spoke wheel regardless! The front could be 36 ...maybe but I'd go at least 40. Use touring/tandem rims A719's or something equally tough use 37mm tires or wider if you can and do not use old bars or stem and definately no carbon parts! I'm not sure how sturdy the Trek 700 frame is but I'd imagine the tube guage is heavier and should be fine. If its a touring model frameset then you are set. If its a road guage frame it may be too flexy for him unless he rides real easy on paved roads only.
Phil Wood hubs would be the best way to go and you could space the frame to 135mm and make a dishless rear wheel for a 7 speed freewheel. (IRD makes new good quality freewheels now) This would make one sturdy wheelset. With him being so tall and heavy he may want to contact CoMotion and look into their Mazama bike thats made for big dudes. Lets face it......most bikes are made for underfed europeans and the specs for weight limits havn't change much on bicycles since they first began building them 100 years ago. Back then, the average man weighed 150 pounds and was under 5'8".:eek:

A well built 36h would hold. Well-built.

Cold-setting the frame would be another option if it's less than 10mm or so.

Call Mike http://oddsandendos.com/ he will stear you straight.

Yao Ming (7'6" 310lbs) has a ride:

http://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/~loeffel/conejos/media/huge_bike.JPG

I wonder if he wants to join the Clyde's Club?

This outfit apparently created a road bike for Bill Russel (7' tall):
http://www.zinncycles.com/bikes.aspx?bike=projbig

Hell, 7ft and 400lbs. Instead of tandem wheels, just give him a tandem to ride.

I'm a mere 6'4", and 330lbs. ;)

I've been riding a set of Velocity Fusion wheels I got from Bikemania.biz - 36h front, 40h rear. They've been totally bomb-proof, and have held up really well so far. Plus they weren't that expensive.
http://www.bikemania.biz/VeloCity_Fusion_Road_Wheelset_p/velocity_fusion.htm
I got the 40h rear because they were back ordered on the 36h rims - but it's worked out great. No extra charge or anything.