Do wheels have to be perfectly weighted around the diameter?
10-27-10, 10:24 PM
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Philadelphia PA
Posts: 17
Bikes: Schwinn Tourist (Target "Hybrid").
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Do wheels have to be perfectly weighted around the diameter?
Apologies in advance if this is a silly question.
I'm just starting out doing DIY adjustments and I'm in the middle of replacing and tuning my brakes (just regular v-brakes). Anyhow, in the process, I was checking the wheels with my bike upside down and noticed that the front wheel tends to develop some momentum on its own after I stop it. I tried to find where the weight was coming from by balancing right where the wheel does not roll forward or backward on its own) and revealed the balance point was close to the center (drawing an imaginary line down) of the reflector on the spokes. This seems logical since this is added weight on the wheel.
On the rear wheel, the heaviest point seems to be the area of the valve stem , which is opposite the rear reflector. I don't know if this affects anything at all but I'm wondering if its important to have "balanced wheels" i.e. evenly distributed weight throughout the wheel or if this is insignificant considering the amount of weight added by the rider. Thanks for any input.
I'm just starting out doing DIY adjustments and I'm in the middle of replacing and tuning my brakes (just regular v-brakes). Anyhow, in the process, I was checking the wheels with my bike upside down and noticed that the front wheel tends to develop some momentum on its own after I stop it. I tried to find where the weight was coming from by balancing right where the wheel does not roll forward or backward on its own) and revealed the balance point was close to the center (drawing an imaginary line down) of the reflector on the spokes. This seems logical since this is added weight on the wheel.
On the rear wheel, the heaviest point seems to be the area of the valve stem , which is opposite the rear reflector. I don't know if this affects anything at all but I'm wondering if its important to have "balanced wheels" i.e. evenly distributed weight throughout the wheel or if this is insignificant considering the amount of weight added by the rider. Thanks for any input.
10-27-10, 10:29 PM
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: New Rochelle, NY
Posts: 38,720
Bikes: too many bikes from 1967 10s (5x2)Frejus to a Sumitomo Ti/Chorus aluminum 10s (10x2), plus one non-susp mtn bike I use as my commuter
Mentioned: 140 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5789 Post(s)
Liked 2,581 Times
in
1,431 Posts
A rule of reason applies here. The impact of imbalance depends on the amount of imbalance and the rotating speed of the wheel. Given the working speeds of bicycle wheels, I doubt you'll ever notice a functional consequence of the amount of imbalance introduced by the reflectors, and wouldn't worry about it.
__________________
FB
Chain-L site
An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
FB
Chain-L site
An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
10-27-10, 11:59 PM
#4
cab horn
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Toronto
Posts: 28,353
Bikes: 1987 Bianchi Campione
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 42 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 26 Times
in
19 Posts
You'll worry about it when you start descending at 70-100kph constantly. Balanced wheels are necessary.
Ask fulcrum why they have 2 round spokes out of the rest bladed.
Ask fulcrum why they have 2 round spokes out of the rest bladed.
10-28-10, 12:03 AM
#5
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Philadelphia PA
Posts: 17
Bikes: Schwinn Tourist (Target "Hybrid").
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Still, just a small curiosity and I thank everyone for answering.
10-28-10, 12:17 AM
#6
Bicycle Repair Man !!!
Spoke mounted reflectors are a bad idea... anyone who has serviced higher mileage wheels can tell you that this is where spoke tensions will be negatively affected.
Better to use something like 3M reflective tape as it does not affect your wheels and provides a much better reflective surface than wheel mounted units.
Better to use something like 3M reflective tape as it does not affect your wheels and provides a much better reflective surface than wheel mounted units.
10-28-10, 05:22 AM
#7
Bicycle Repairman
10-28-10, 06:01 AM
#8
17yrold in 64yrold body
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Northern CA
Posts: 922
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Spoke mounted reflectors are a bad idea... anyone who has serviced higher mileage wheels can tell you that this is where spoke tensions will be negatively affected.
Better to use something like 3M reflective tape as it does not affect your wheels and provides a much better reflective surface than wheel mounted units.
Better to use something like 3M reflective tape as it does not affect your wheels and provides a much better reflective surface than wheel mounted units.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Seve
Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg)
6
09-23-10 07:43 PM
