magicpie55

Hello ...Thanks for any advice ... Been riding for exercise and fun for years ...Have a bad back can't walk or stand for over 15-20 min without pain I can however ride ok without pain ...latest bike is a Electra Townie 26 inch step thru "ladies" bike ... I fell getting off my 20 yrs old 700 wheel size bike twice ..It was to tall when I bought it and after 20 years I was having problems getting on and off it ... Electra Townie I can touch the ground from the sitting position ...

Always disliked flats ...use a kevlar tire ..thick slime filled tube and a tire liner ...Had no flats for years ...then 2 miles from home I get a "snakebite" flat ...never heard of that ...tires were full I check them every time ... I fixed it ...however I wonder about the rim ..Width is only 3/4 inch inside ...would a wider wheel spread the weight better ? P.S. I have converted to a front wheel drive electric bike so there's 10/15 lbs extra battery weight on the back ... I have been looking at Touring wheels/rims as they hold more weight??

Any help avoiding pinch flats would be great ... I ride on flat sidewalk just a few - 4 bumps over 3 miles each way .. Go slow 10-12 mph and just don't want flats as I cannot walk far ... Thanks for listening and any help you can give ...

Bill Kapaun

For a relatively low priced rim, look in to Sun Rhino Lyte and the XL version.
A "fatter" tire can help.
What size are you using?

magicpie55

Hello ...Thank You .... I replaced the stock 26 X 2.0 tires with 26 X 2.0 kevlar tires ...looking at the frame it seems i can go with a wider tire ? I measured the bike frame and it looks like almost a 3 inch tire would fit ... Thing is the wheel rim is only 3/4 wide ...Is that normal ? had me thinking when I was changing tires ... My older Bike had 700 series tires that pumped up to 80 lbs ...new ones only go to 65 lbs ...
I don't know what to do ..Just don't want any more pinch flats I am older and weaker and can't walk far ...Never had a pinch flat in over 20 years ...i am heavier than ever however and this is a smaller bike ...

fietsbob

I built 2 touring bike wheels, there is a Sun Rhyno Not light, too , i got a 40 spoke front, 48 spoke rear .

full camping load, my bike & me was not light either..

70sSanO

In another thread one of the recommendations was a Velocity Cliffhanger. It is a tandem/heavy touring rim.

A tandem rim is probably a good choice.

John

Crankycrank

Yes a wider and heavier duty rim would reduce the chance of pinch flats combined with a wider tire. Find out how wide of a tire can fit in your frame and don't forget that wider tires will generally have a larger diameter which can rub against other frame parts. After you have determined what will fit get the appropriate width rim. You can get back to us for recommendations once you know the tire size. If you're not pumping up the current tires to it's max of 65 psi make sure you try that first as anything lower increases the chance of "snakebite".

canopus 

Pinch flats or "Snakebites" are just a tube that got pinched between the rim and tire and are usually the result of low air pressure combined with a jolt to the wheel from hitting a curb, bump or some sharp road way protrusion that the bike rolls over. I would get them on jumps/bad landings/missed curbs etc. I would also get them more on thick puncture resistant tubes. I would use regular tubes, and to mitigate puncture flats a tube liner (Mr Tuffy comes to my old mind) and I believe you said you already use them. Next thing I would do would be to just add a little more air to the tires. Test it around your local street first but I find most tires can handle 10-15 extra PSI especially on an aluminum rim and a good hooked tire.

Then, there are monster tires...lol

magicpie55

Where do you find the replacement rims ? Checked mine 32 spoke and 2.mm thick spokes ...upgrade there would be good however I'm thinking I need a wider rim ...Mines 3/4 inside width ...pretty thin to me ..but what do I know I'm an old auto mechanic ...The wider tires I have looked at so far run lower pressures ...seems to me I want higher pressures ...

Bill Kapaun

My CONSERVATIVE rule of the thumb is 2.2X the inner width.
Many people apparently exceed that without experiencing dire consequences.

magicpie55

Thanks for your reply ...I'm new here and see that people can thank you with "likes" but I don't see how to leave them for you all ..... The Monster bike looks cool and might have been an option before I bought and converted this one .... So your thinking I can add a few pounds over the listed tire pressure and be OK ...I think that too and will start trying it ... Looking at wider tires I have 2.9 inches at the frame so I could go wider But the wider tires I've seen so far run lower pressures ...Well thank you for your help ..you've pointed me in the right direction

magicpie55

Hi ...so a 3/4 inner with of the rim is only good for a 1.5 inch or so tire ...sounds right the 2.0 tire I put on seemed wide for the skinny rim ...

Bill Kapaun

IF you get a pinch flat with a 2.0" tire @ 65 PSI, you need to learn to avoid such objects.
I used to weigh 250 and carry 50lbs. of groceries on my rear rack/baskets with 1.25" tires.
I had smooth pavement and didn't hit abrupt edges like some driveway lips straight on.
I think anything over 2.5" is going to end up bigger than you expect.
Extra tire weight will make the bike accelerate more sluggishly and make hills a little bit tougher.

ramzilla

If you're a big fellow then always inflate your tires to the maximum recommended pressure listed on the side of the tire. 2" tires = 65 psi, 1.5" = 75psi, 38mm = 80psi, 32mm = 85psi, 25mm = 100psi. The smaller the tire the higher the pressure. Be good. Have fun.

deacon mark

Call the Yellow Jersey in Wisconsin and tell them your situation they will build you a great wheel.

davidad

https://www.amazon.com/Schwalbe-Appl...333R72BPK5GRWS

Tanstaafl

I just ordered a pair of wheels from Velocity using their Atlas Rims with 36 spokes.

Pop N Wood

Like said pinch flats are insufficient tire pressure

Universal cycle sells a velocity no BS wheel for $99. Stronger than a cliffhanger according to velocity.

Thruhiker 

Another vote for the cliffhanger rims. My bikepacking rig is set up with 26 inch velocity cliffhangers 32h. I built the wheels with dt swiss double butted spokes. I weigh 295 pounds. When loaded with gear food and water that's another 35 or 40 pounds. I've put probably 1200 miles on them with zero issues. I would of preferred 36 hole but when I bought them the 32 hole were what they had
just wanted to add... I was 364 pounds for a while and rode many miles on my touring bike wich has Dt swiss tk540 rims. Those rims have hundreds of miles with 400+ pound loads.