Wheel solution for new hybrid
06-30-18 | 08:50 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 39
Likes: 16
From: Central Ohio
Wheel solution for new hybrid
I am preparing for an upcoming charity bike ride (Pelotonia) and recently got a new bicycle. I am 64 and 320 pounds. Despite my size ,I am very athletic, having played football and basketball throughout high school and college and can maintain a 15 mph pace over many miles on a big heavy hybrid.
Until recently, I rode an older trek hybrid. As my mileage and training has increased for Pelotonia, my old bike was taking a beating. My local bike shop recommended I spend my limited funds on a new bike, rather than shelling out several hundreds of dollars to replace the cassette, Derailer, cables, and rear wheel on the trek. At this suggestion, I purchased a 2019 giant escape 2.
This was a tough decision as my wife and I are paying down heaps of medical bills from her recent bout with cancer. For me, the winning argument was the bike shop manager telling me that the new giant bike, having double walled and stronger wheels, would not require a custom wheel built (something I had done for my trek several years ago).
In the week I have owned the giant, I have very much enjoyed it, commuting to/from work (20 miles round-trip) four times and was planning a long ride of 40 to 60 miles today. I had already been back to the bike shop, to have broken spokes repaired and the rear wheel trued, twice in that week. Today, the bike made 30 miles before I heard the telltale sign of a popped spoke. Clearly the stock wheels are inadequate. My understanding is limited, but I think that perhaps the fact that this bike has disc brakes will make getting a stronger replacement wheel even more expensive, something I really cant afford right now.
Does anyone have any economical solution for a very strong rear wheel that would work for this bike, or suggestions on how I can make the stock wheel stronger without shelling out $200 or more for a custom build?
Until recently, I rode an older trek hybrid. As my mileage and training has increased for Pelotonia, my old bike was taking a beating. My local bike shop recommended I spend my limited funds on a new bike, rather than shelling out several hundreds of dollars to replace the cassette, Derailer, cables, and rear wheel on the trek. At this suggestion, I purchased a 2019 giant escape 2.
This was a tough decision as my wife and I are paying down heaps of medical bills from her recent bout with cancer. For me, the winning argument was the bike shop manager telling me that the new giant bike, having double walled and stronger wheels, would not require a custom wheel built (something I had done for my trek several years ago).
In the week I have owned the giant, I have very much enjoyed it, commuting to/from work (20 miles round-trip) four times and was planning a long ride of 40 to 60 miles today. I had already been back to the bike shop, to have broken spokes repaired and the rear wheel trued, twice in that week. Today, the bike made 30 miles before I heard the telltale sign of a popped spoke. Clearly the stock wheels are inadequate. My understanding is limited, but I think that perhaps the fact that this bike has disc brakes will make getting a stronger replacement wheel even more expensive, something I really cant afford right now.
Does anyone have any economical solution for a very strong rear wheel that would work for this bike, or suggestions on how I can make the stock wheel stronger without shelling out $200 or more for a custom build?
06-30-18 | 10:08 AM
#2
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 6,321
Likes: 221
From: Wisconsin
Bikes: 2012 Salsa Casseroll, 2009 Kona Blast
I am preparing for an upcoming charity bike ride (Pelotonia) and recently got a new bicycle. I am 6‘4“ and 320 pounds. Despite my size ,I am very athletic, having played football and basketball throughout high school and college and can maintain a 15 mph pace over many miles on a big heavy hybrid.
Until recently, I rode an older trek hybrid. As my mileage and training has increased for Pelotonia, my old bike was taking a beating. My local bike shop recommended I spend my limited funds on a new bike, rather than shelling out several hundreds of dollars to replace the cassette, Derailer, cables, and rear wheel on the trek. At this suggestion, I purchased a 2019 giant escape 2.
This was a tough decision as my wife and I are paying down heaps of medical bills from her recent bout with cancer. For me, the winning argument was the bike shop manager telling me that the new giant bike, having double walled and stronger wheels, would not require a custom wheel built (something I had done for my trek several years ago).
In the week I have owned the giant, I have very much enjoyed it, commuting to/from work (20 miles round-trip) four times and was planning a long ride of 40 to 60 miles today. I had already been back to the bike shop, to have broken spokes repaired and the rear wheel trued, twice in that week. Today, the bike made 30 miles before I heard the telltale sign of a popped spoke. Clearly the stock wheels are inadequate. My understanding is limited, but I think that perhaps the fact that this bike has disc brakes will make getting a stronger replacement wheel even more expensive, something I really can’t afford right now.
Does anyone have any economical solution for a very strong rear wheel that would work for this bike, or suggestions on how I can make the stock wheel stronger without shelling out $200 or more for a custom build?
Until recently, I rode an older trek hybrid. As my mileage and training has increased for Pelotonia, my old bike was taking a beating. My local bike shop recommended I spend my limited funds on a new bike, rather than shelling out several hundreds of dollars to replace the cassette, Derailer, cables, and rear wheel on the trek. At this suggestion, I purchased a 2019 giant escape 2.
This was a tough decision as my wife and I are paying down heaps of medical bills from her recent bout with cancer. For me, the winning argument was the bike shop manager telling me that the new giant bike, having double walled and stronger wheels, would not require a custom wheel built (something I had done for my trek several years ago).
In the week I have owned the giant, I have very much enjoyed it, commuting to/from work (20 miles round-trip) four times and was planning a long ride of 40 to 60 miles today. I had already been back to the bike shop, to have broken spokes repaired and the rear wheel trued, twice in that week. Today, the bike made 30 miles before I heard the telltale sign of a popped spoke. Clearly the stock wheels are inadequate. My understanding is limited, but I think that perhaps the fact that this bike has disc brakes will make getting a stronger replacement wheel even more expensive, something I really can’t afford right now.
Does anyone have any economical solution for a very strong rear wheel that would work for this bike, or suggestions on how I can make the stock wheel stronger without shelling out $200 or more for a custom build?
If you are popping spokes, that is a sign your wheel needs to be replaced, I can relate. I don't weigh 320 lbs, but I have been as high as 290, and for sure over 260 for a long time. And I have yet to find a stock wheel that is adequate for me. I don't care what a bike salesman says. A stock front wheel might be OK, but not a stock back wheel for a 300 pound man. The situation is even worse if you are an athletic 300 lbs, since the force you can generate is so high.
07-05-18 | 07:35 AM
#3
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Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 1,751
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From: Gateway to the Shenandoah Region
I had a similar situation a couple of years ago with my Crosstrail where I ruined the rear wheel. At the time I too did weigh over 300lbs.
Your Escape has 700x35c tires. If you are not planning on reducing that size of tire, you can get away with some stronger mountain bike wheels that might be more affordable.
I bought the following (but found a better price elsewhere) for my bike. 700x35c is the smallest tire it can fit. If you decide on doing something like this, you will need to have the LBS properly tighten the spokes on this before riding and possibly true the wheel. My LBS only charged me $20 for doing so.
29 inch wheelmaster weinmann disc
My LBS also wanted to build a wheel for me around the price yours wanted. This Weinmann wheel, I have had for 2 years and have abused very much on trails like C&O and other lighter trails. Have also done some light mountain biking with my hybrid with these wheels. Haven't had a spoke pop yet. Unlike the original wheels on my Crosstrail.
Have noticed though, if you are the type of person whom likes to feel the road and it's imperfections, you might not like how this wheel dampens or softens the ride compared to you current wheels. It is most likely a bit heavier wheel than what you currently have.
Edit: Oh and it doesn't have rim tape on it. You will need to take the rim tape off your current wheel and put it on this one. Otherwise it's a dollar or two for inexpensive rim tape.
Your Escape has 700x35c tires. If you are not planning on reducing that size of tire, you can get away with some stronger mountain bike wheels that might be more affordable.
I bought the following (but found a better price elsewhere) for my bike. 700x35c is the smallest tire it can fit. If you decide on doing something like this, you will need to have the LBS properly tighten the spokes on this before riding and possibly true the wheel. My LBS only charged me $20 for doing so.
29 inch wheelmaster weinmann disc
My LBS also wanted to build a wheel for me around the price yours wanted. This Weinmann wheel, I have had for 2 years and have abused very much on trails like C&O and other lighter trails. Have also done some light mountain biking with my hybrid with these wheels. Haven't had a spoke pop yet. Unlike the original wheels on my Crosstrail.
Have noticed though, if you are the type of person whom likes to feel the road and it's imperfections, you might not like how this wheel dampens or softens the ride compared to you current wheels. It is most likely a bit heavier wheel than what you currently have.
Edit: Oh and it doesn't have rim tape on it. You will need to take the rim tape off your current wheel and put it on this one. Otherwise it's a dollar or two for inexpensive rim tape.
Last edited by travbikeman; 07-05-18 at 07:54 AM.
07-09-18 | 10:06 PM
#4
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 720
Likes: 181
From: /dev/null
Bikes: Soma Double Cross Disc (2017), Surly DT (2023)
I bought the following (but found a better price elsewhere) for my bike. 700x35c is the smallest tire it can fit. If you decide on doing something like this, you will need to have the LBS properly tighten the spokes on this before riding and possibly true the wheel. My LBS only charged me $20 for doing so.
29 inch wheelmaster weinmann disc
29 inch wheelmaster weinmann disc
Is this the bike: https://www.giant-bicycles.com/us/escape-2-disc-2019? The wheels on the photo have 32 spokes, which is not the best.
Are the disk rotors attached to the hubs with 6 bolts or are they centerlock? If they are 6 bolt, you can get something like this: Sun Rhyno Lite Silver 29er Wheelset 6 Bolt Disc & V Brake 36h [740775] - $119.00 Velomine.com : Worldwide Bicycle Shop, fixed gear track bike wheelsets campagnolo super record vintage bike
These wheels are 36 spoke with 6-bolot rotor mounts for $120 + shipping + rim tape. They used to have 40 spoke disc wheels, but I cannot find them anymore. Most likely they are machine built, and spokes will require retensioning. Given that the shop sold you the bike with the promise that the wheel will hold up to your weight, I think you can make them move the rotors to the new wheels, re-center and readjust the brakes and retension the spokes. Check the tension with the tensiometer to make sure it is adequate.
Edit: also check that the tension is uniform on each side of the wheel.
Last edited by csport; 07-09-18 at 10:15 PM.
07-10-18 | 07:11 AM
#5
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 570
Likes: 198
Bikes: Kona Dew, Gary Fisher Paragon, Salsa Campeon
I spent a tremendous amount of last summer truing my wheels. Over the winter I had the LBS build some wheels for me. It wasnt cheap, but now all I do is ride and clean my drive train now and then.
07-10-18 | 10:55 PM
#6
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 540
Likes: 3
From: Houston
Bikes: Novarra Randonee 2016, Trek Verve 2 2015
It is not necessarily the wheel, but the low spoke tension. On my Trek Verve after a short while, I broke 3 spokes, 1 a week. The dealer replaced it with a Weinman Wheelmaster (a cheap, heavy duty wheel) and having read enough about spoke tension and bought the Park Tool tension meter, I had them tension the spokes to 60/105 kg. Some of them were tensioned below 15 kg from the factory.
My Randonee came with Mavic 319 wheels. I had them tension the wheels properly before I accepted the bike. 6000 km later, it never needed truing or retensioning.
I weigh 260#.
Who says stock wheels can't take it?
My Randonee came with Mavic 319 wheels. I had them tension the wheels properly before I accepted the bike. 6000 km later, it never needed truing or retensioning.
I weigh 260#.
Who says stock wheels can't take it?
07-13-18 | 07:44 PM
#7
Champion of the Low End
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 851
Likes: 37
From: Culver, IN
Bikes: I have some bikes
Along the lines of what others are saying, a clyde should definitely have spokes properly tensioned by a competent mechanic. This will allow a larger rider to ride the same wheel with better results. I am 260, and I have a set of Sun CR-18s that have rolled over 3,500 miles of mostly dirt and gravel roads so far, and I am pretty hard on my wheels. These were a cheap machine-built set of wheels, so a few spokes did loosen up right away, as cheaper wheels are wont to do. Once I tightened up those spokes, these wheels held up much better than I expected, and haven't needed to be trued since. I also have a set of Sun Rhino Lytes, and the only spoke I broke was during a rough ride through the forest (not on a proper trail). Since I replaced that one spoke, they have also been rock solid.
08-30-18 | 12:22 PM
#9
SuperGimp
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 13,346
Likes: 65
From: Whittier, CA
Bikes: Specialized Roubaix
Wow, I'd take the broken wheel back to the shop and get them to fix it for you *OR* wrap it around that salesman's neck.
And by FIX I mean they need to rebuild it - adding a new spoke and truing it won't last you very long.
Any chance you can take the rear wheel off your Trek and use that?
And by FIX I mean they need to rebuild it - adding a new spoke and truing it won't last you very long.
Any chance you can take the rear wheel off your Trek and use that?
08-31-18 | 05:21 AM
#10
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 239
Likes: 1
From: Iowa
Bikes: Fuji Gran Fondo 2.1 and Scott Sportster P45
Wow, I'd take the broken wheel back to the shop and get them to fix it for you *OR* wrap it around that salesman's neck.
And by FIX I mean they need to rebuild it - adding a new spoke and truing it won't last you very long.
Any chance you can take the rear wheel off your Trek and use that?
And by FIX I mean they need to rebuild it - adding a new spoke and truing it won't last you very long.
Any chance you can take the rear wheel off your Trek and use that?
08-31-18 | 06:22 AM
#11
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,869
Likes: 575
From: Philly
A crazy idea: can it be the case that the spokes were not properly tightened on the wheels at the time of sale? I have bought bikes from different shops; and some of them do this, while others skip it. If the spokes are not properly tightened, a clyde may start breaking them easily.
Are the disk rotors attached to the hubs with 6 bolts or are they centerlock? If they are 6 bolt, you can get something like this: Sun Rhyno Lite Silver 29er Wheelset 6 Bolt Disc & V Brake 36h [740775] - $119.00 Velomine.com : Worldwide Bicycle Shop, fixed gear track bike wheelsets campagnolo super record vintage bike
These wheels are 36 spoke with 6-bolot rotor mounts for $120 + shipping + rim tape. They used to have 40 spoke disc wheels, but I cannot find them anymore. Most likely they are machine built, and spokes will require retensioning. Given that the shop sold you the bike with the promise that the wheel will hold up to your weight, I think you can make them move the rotors to the new wheels, re-center and readjust the brakes and retension the spokes. Check the tension with the tensiometer to make sure it is adequate.
Edit: also check that the tension is uniform on each side of the wheel.
Are the disk rotors attached to the hubs with 6 bolts or are they centerlock? If they are 6 bolt, you can get something like this: Sun Rhyno Lite Silver 29er Wheelset 6 Bolt Disc & V Brake 36h [740775] - $119.00 Velomine.com : Worldwide Bicycle Shop, fixed gear track bike wheelsets campagnolo super record vintage bike
These wheels are 36 spoke with 6-bolot rotor mounts for $120 + shipping + rim tape. They used to have 40 spoke disc wheels, but I cannot find them anymore. Most likely they are machine built, and spokes will require retensioning. Given that the shop sold you the bike with the promise that the wheel will hold up to your weight, I think you can make them move the rotors to the new wheels, re-center and readjust the brakes and retension the spokes. Check the tension with the tensiometer to make sure it is adequate.
Edit: also check that the tension is uniform on each side of the wheel.
I am sure the wheel from the older Trek can not be used on the Giant because it is most probably used rim brakes.
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