Recommendation for Rear HD Rim?

Have you tried a larger size of tire? Varying tire pressure? Better
quality of tire?

Lewis.

*****

Skyhooks said:

Since I know barely anything about bicycle tires and rims, I thought I'd
ask my questions here before heading to the LBS.

Due to hauling heavy loads on the rear wheel of the bike, spokes have
failed regularly and the rim requires frequent truing. So, spouse is in
need of a heavy duty rear rim that can handle the extra weight. The
front tire/rim are mainly trouble free, knock on wood.

The bike in question (Giant Sedona DX) uses two collapsible metal
baskets to carry two coolers (one for each basket) filled with ice,
various beverages, and food (think picnic). The big-box-store coolers
are practically tailor-made for these baskets (a matter of
coincidence). Spouse also hauls a simple rear trunk. Spouse is 72"
tall and weighs about 190 lbs. I'm not sure how much the coolers weigh,
perhaps 40 lbs total when full?? Of course, the weight in the coolers
decreases the farther and longer we ride <g>.

I request recommendations for (1) a relatively inexpensive rear 26"
heavy duty rim that handles heavier loads and (2) where to purchase said
item if other than my LBS. I've noticed the prices at my LBS are
sometimes significantly higher than internet sources, but that's to be
expected most of the time. TIA.

Sky, who likes to support the LBS

P.S. Sometimes I wonder if it isn't less expensive to buy a new bike
than it is to maintain the current one (!?!).

Yep, new tires about a month ago. Sorry, don't know what brand or type,
but the LBS recommended and installed them.

Sky

Quoted message said:

Have you tried a larger size of tire? Varying tire pressure? Better
quality of tire?

Lewis.

*****

Skyhooks said:

Since I know barely anything about bicycle tires and rims, I thought I'd
ask my questions here before heading to the LBS.

Due to hauling heavy loads on the rear wheel of the bike, spokes have
failed regularly and the rim requires frequent truing. So, spouse is in
need of a heavy duty rear rim that can handle the extra weight. The
front tire/rim are mainly trouble free, knock on wood.

The bike in question (Giant Sedona DX) uses two collapsible metal
baskets to carry two coolers (one for each basket) filled with ice,
various beverages, and food (think picnic). The big-box-store coolers
are practically tailor-made for these baskets (a matter of
coincidence). Spouse also hauls a simple rear trunk. Spouse is 72"
tall and weighs about 190 lbs. I'm not sure how much the coolers weigh,
perhaps 40 lbs total when full?? Of course, the weight in the coolers
decreases the farther and longer we ride <g>.

I request recommendations for (1) a relatively inexpensive rear 26"
heavy duty rim that handles heavier loads and (2) where to purchase said
item if other than my LBS. I've noticed the prices at my LBS are
sometimes significantly higher than internet sources, but that's to be
expected most of the time. TIA.

Sky, who likes to support the LBS

P.S. Sometimes I wonder if it isn't less expensive to buy a new bike
than it is to maintain the current one (!?!).

Skyhooks said:

Since I know barely anything about bicycle tires and rims, I thought I'd
ask my questions here before heading to the LBS.

Due to hauling heavy loads on the rear wheel of the bike, spokes have
failed regularly and the rim requires frequent truing. So, spouse is in
need of a heavy duty rear rim that can handle the extra weight. The
front tire/rim are mainly trouble free, knock on wood.

It's more a matter of wheel set up than anything else. Even cheap wheels
will usually give good service if they're properly prepped. The spokes
need to be adequately tensioned (to prevent loosening with heavy loads &
wheels going out of true), and they also need to be stress relieved (see
Sheldon Brown's site for a how-to) to prevent breakage.

I'm 6'10"/230 and often carry loads (trailer, trailer-bike, rear cargo
box) and don't break spokes or need wheel trueings.

Skyhooks said:

Since I know barely anything about bicycle tires and rims, I thought I'd
ask my questions here before heading to the LBS.

Due to hauling heavy loads on the rear wheel of the bike, spokes have
failed regularly and the rim requires frequent truing. So, spouse is in
need of a heavy duty rear rim that can handle the extra weight. The
front tire/rim are mainly trouble free, knock on wood.

The bike in question (Giant Sedona DX) uses two collapsible metal
baskets to carry two coolers (one for each basket) filled with ice,
various beverages, and food (think picnic). The big-box-store coolers
are practically tailor-made for these baskets (a matter of
coincidence). Spouse also hauls a simple rear trunk. Spouse is 72"
tall and weighs about 190 lbs. I'm not sure how much the coolers weigh,
perhaps 40 lbs total when full?? Of course, the weight in the coolers
decreases the farther and longer we ride <g>.

I request recommendations for (1) a relatively inexpensive rear 26"
heavy duty rim that handles heavier loads and (2) where to purchase said
item if other than my LBS. I've noticed the prices at my LBS are
sometimes significantly higher than internet sources, but that's to be
expected most of the time. TIA.

Sky, who likes to support the LBS

P.S. Sometimes I wonder if it isn't less expensive to buy a new bike
than it is to maintain the current one (!?!).

I sometimes do the same on my mountain bike (the Mongoose) with
detachable / foldable wire baskets and a 26" x 1.75 rear street tire.
Yesterday I loaded up both baskets, clamped some more stuff on top, and
wore a back pack with about 30 pounds in it, not to mention my own
overweight (190 lbs) self and really pushed the bike, but no problems.
It was a total Fred day for me, taking my granddaughter on a day trip,
and the bike handled terribly with all the extra weight.

Could it be that your spokes are over tightened and snapping from the
tension or under tightened and snapping from flexing and metal fatigue?

If you have the space you can collect a few different rear wheels from
garage sales or whatever or even buy one of those 48 spoke wheels. I
have a large hook in my garage space and have about 5 wheels with gears
hung up there so I can change in about 2 minutes if I need to.

Support your LBS, but not to the point of buying stock.

I will have to make one confession, and that is that it is an LBS job to
replace a broken rear spoke, what with the gear cluster being in the way
and all. Even my ambition has limits on that kind of thing.

You may not find an inexpensive rim to handle all that weight since the
bearings are also taking the load and I have personally worn out the
bearing races on at least one bike, hence trashing the whole wheel.
Good Luck.
Bill Baka

Quoted message said:

It's more a matter of wheel set up than anything else. Even cheap wheels
will usually give good service if they're properly prepped. The spokes
need to be adequately tensioned (to prevent loosening with heavy loads &
wheels going out of true), and they also need to be stress relieved (see
Sheldon Brown's site for a how-to) to prevent breakage.

I agree with Peter, the culprit is most likely just a poorly built wheel.

However, if you are settled on a new rim, look at the rims used on tandems -
they routinely handle loads as large as yours, if not larger.

Chris Neary
[email hidden]

"Science, freedom, beauty, adventure: what more could
you ask of life? Bicycling combined all the elements I
loved" - Adapted from a quotation by Charles Lindbergh

Thanks, everyone, for all of your comments regarding rear rim issues and
possible causes of problems. However, no one replied with the specific
information that I requested. I still don't have any recommendation(s)
for a 26" heavy duty rear rim/wheel nor a source where to buy said rear
rim, something that is less than $80 (give or take a little).

Sky

Skyhooks said:

Since I know barely anything about bicycle tires and rims, I thought I'd
ask my questions here before heading to the LBS.

Due to hauling heavy loads on the rear wheel of the bike, spokes have
failed regularly and the rim requires frequent truing. So, spouse is in
need of a heavy duty rear rim that can handle the extra weight. The
front tire/rim are mainly trouble free, knock on wood.

The bike in question (Giant Sedona DX) uses two collapsible metal
baskets to carry two coolers (one for each basket) filled with ice,
various beverages, and food (think picnic). The big-box-store coolers
are practically tailor-made for these baskets (a matter of
coincidence). Spouse also hauls a simple rear trunk. Spouse is 72"
tall and weighs about 190 lbs. I'm not sure how much the coolers weigh,
perhaps 40 lbs total when full?? Of course, the weight in the coolers
decreases the farther and longer we ride <g>.

I request recommendations for (1) a relatively inexpensive rear 26"
heavy duty rim that handles heavier loads and (2) where to purchase said
item if other than my LBS. I've noticed the prices at my LBS are
sometimes significantly higher than internet sources, but that's to be
expected most of the time. TIA.

Sky, who likes to support the LBS

P.S. Sometimes I wonder if it isn't less expensive to buy a new bike
than it is to maintain the current one (!?!).

Skyhooks said:

Thanks, everyone, for all of your comments regarding rear rim issues and
possible causes of problems. However, no one replied with the specific
information that I requested. I still don't have any recommendation(s)
for a 26" heavy duty rear rim/wheel nor a source where to buy said rear
rim, something that is less than $80 (give or take a little).

Ok, I'm assuming you want a new rear *wheel*. Not just a rear rim -
which would need you or the bike shop to lace/tension/true the old hub
onto the rim.

Example wheel: http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?sku=8775

This is a cheap wheel, but it has a decent rim and 36 spokes. Take the
money you save on the wheel and have the tension adjusted by a good
wheelbuilder ($20-40). A more expensive wheel that is not brought up to
a nice high *even* tension will not be strong.

If you had disc brakes I would suggest a pair of these in 48 spokes:

http://unrealcycles.com/item.php?view=153

These are downhill wheels that can be used with a rim brake:

http://unrealcycles.com/item.php?view=171

Even with the 48 spoke wheel I linked above, you are going to want to
take it to a good wheelbuilder and have him check the tension and make
sure it is high and even. Wheels out of the box rarely have enough
tension.

--
Dane Buson - [email hidden]
Real Programmers don't play tennis, or any other sport that requires
you to change clothes. Mountain climbing is OK, and real programmers
wear their climbing boots to work in case a mountain should suddenly
spring up in the middle of the machine room.

Dane Buson said:

Skyhooks said:

Thanks, everyone, for all of your comments regarding rear rim issues and
possible causes of problems. However, no one replied with the specific
information that I requested. I still don't have any recommendation(s)
for a 26" heavy duty rear rim/wheel nor a source where to buy said rear
rim, something that is less than $80 (give or take a little).

Ok, I'm assuming you want a new rear *wheel*. Not just a rear rim -
which would need you or the bike shop to lace/tension/true the old hub
onto the rim.

Example wheel: http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?sku=8775

This is a cheap wheel, but it has a decent rim and 36 spokes. Take the
money you save on the wheel and have the tension adjusted by a good
wheelbuilder ($20-40). A more expensive wheel that is not brought up to
a nice high *even* tension will not be strong.

If you had disc brakes I would suggest a pair of these in 48 spokes:

http://unrealcycles.com/item.php?view=153

These are downhill wheels that can be used with a rim brake:

http://unrealcycles.com/item.php?view=171

Even with the 48 spoke wheel I linked above, you are going to want to
take it to a good wheelbuilder and have him check the tension and make
sure it is high and even. Wheels out of the box rarely have enough
tension.

--
Dane Buson - [email hidden]

Thanks. I appreciate the time you took to respond. This is exactly the
sort of information I sought. The prices of the "unreal" wheels are a
bit unreal <g>. The wheel at Nashbar is more reasonable price-wise. It
definitely does help to have the information to compare (my billfold is
a bit limited right now). Thanks again.

Sky