Replace steel wheel with alloy wheel
04-03-18, 03:37 PM
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Replace steel wheel with alloy wheel
I've got an old Schwinn mountain bike I am converting to a commuter. The front wheel is steel and has some rusted spots on the outer rim - where the brakes make contact, so I want to replace it with an alloy wheel.
The back wheel is alloy and I'd like to get one similar, if possible.
I searched online, but don't seem to be coming up with what I'd like, i.e. a wheel that isn't hundreds of dollars.
Any suggestions on where I can get a reasonably priced alloy replacement wheel?
The back wheel is alloy and I'd like to get one similar, if possible.
I searched online, but don't seem to be coming up with what I'd like, i.e. a wheel that isn't hundreds of dollars.
Any suggestions on where I can get a reasonably priced alloy replacement wheel?
04-03-18, 03:52 PM
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650B... that Schwinn mountain bike was ahead of its time! I'd love to see more pictures of the thing. 
It's hard not to go into the "hundreds of dollars" for a quality wheelset, but Sta-Tru sells aluminum-rimmed 650B wheels at a pretty good price. The rims are single-walled and have a freewheel hub in rear, but that probably is a better match for your bike than something more upmarket anyway.
Here's a front: https://www.amazon.com/Front-Wheel-5.../dp/B01B9YSFSY
Here's a rear: https://www.amazon.com/Wheel-584x21m.../dp/B01B9YSGTW
See if you can combine the orders to save on shipping.
It's hard not to go into the "hundreds of dollars" for a quality wheelset, but Sta-Tru sells aluminum-rimmed 650B wheels at a pretty good price. The rims are single-walled and have a freewheel hub in rear, but that probably is a better match for your bike than something more upmarket anyway.
Here's a front: https://www.amazon.com/Front-Wheel-5.../dp/B01B9YSFSY
Here's a rear: https://www.amazon.com/Wheel-584x21m.../dp/B01B9YSGTW
See if you can combine the orders to save on shipping.
04-03-18, 03:57 PM
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Hard to beat the price of the front wheel that ThermionicScott linked to.
04-03-18, 04:01 PM
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Schwinn and Raleigh both tried the 650B thing in the mid-'80s but the Raleighs at least used alloy rims.
04-03-18, 05:35 PM
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And behind its time. Schwinn had used the 26 x 1½ (aka 650B) on Town and Country tandems in the 1950s and '60s, with their S-4 rim. Maybe someone found these rims in the dead stock room from those days.
04-03-18, 07:18 PM
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650B... that Schwinn mountain bike was ahead of its time! I'd love to see more pictures of the thing.
It's hard not to go into the "hundreds of dollars" for a quality wheelset, but Sta-Tru sells aluminum-rimmed 650B wheels at a pretty good price. The rims are single-walled and have a freewheel hub in rear, but that probably is a better match for your bike than something more upmarket anyway.
Here's a front: https://www.amazon.com/Front-Wheel-5.../dp/B01B9YSFSY
Here's a rear: https://www.amazon.com/Wheel-584x21m.../dp/B01B9YSGTW
See if you can combine the orders to save on shipping.
It's hard not to go into the "hundreds of dollars" for a quality wheelset, but Sta-Tru sells aluminum-rimmed 650B wheels at a pretty good price. The rims are single-walled and have a freewheel hub in rear, but that probably is a better match for your bike than something more upmarket anyway.
Here's a front: https://www.amazon.com/Front-Wheel-5.../dp/B01B9YSFSY
Here's a rear: https://www.amazon.com/Wheel-584x21m.../dp/B01B9YSGTW
See if you can combine the orders to save on shipping.
Those are definitely a much better price than what I was able to find elsewhere. Just placed an order.
Some pics:
04-03-18, 09:10 PM
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04-03-18, 09:33 PM
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I have used Sta Tru wheels from Amazon for 27" wheels on more than a few old 10 speeds. I think they are a great value BUT IMHO they are meager with the grease and the hubs bearings tend to be a bit on the too tight side of things, I have found this to be the case more than once. Not a big deal with cone wrenches to open them up, add grease and adjust the bearings to a no slop/no grind state of mind, I now make that SOP with Sta Tru wheelsets. One of these days I am going to tackle wheel building but until then Stay Tru offers a great value when I need a wheel-set for a bike boom bike. YMMV
04-04-18, 08:52 AM
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I have used Sta Tru wheels from Amazon for 27" wheels on more than a few old 10 speeds. I think they are a great value BUT IMHO they are meager with the grease and the hubs bearings tend to be a bit on the too tight side of things, I have found this to be the case more than once. Not a big deal with cone wrenches to open them up, add grease and adjust the bearings to a no slop/no grind state of mind, I now make that SOP with Sta Tru wheelsets. One of these days I am going to tackle wheel building but until then Stay Tru offers a great value when I need a wheel-set for a bike boom bike. YMMV
04-06-18, 07:41 AM
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650B... that Schwinn mountain bike was ahead of its time! I'd love to see more pictures of the thing.
It's hard not to go into the "hundreds of dollars" for a quality wheelset, but Sta-Tru sells aluminum-rimmed 650B wheels at a pretty good price. The rims are single-walled and have a freewheel hub in rear, but that probably is a better match for your bike than something more upmarket anyway.
Here's a front: https://www.amazon.com/Front-Wheel-5.../dp/B01B9YSFSY
Here's a rear: https://www.amazon.com/Wheel-584x21m.../dp/B01B9YSGTW
See if you can combine the orders to save on shipping.
It's hard not to go into the "hundreds of dollars" for a quality wheelset, but Sta-Tru sells aluminum-rimmed 650B wheels at a pretty good price. The rims are single-walled and have a freewheel hub in rear, but that probably is a better match for your bike than something more upmarket anyway.
Here's a front: https://www.amazon.com/Front-Wheel-5.../dp/B01B9YSFSY
Here's a rear: https://www.amazon.com/Wheel-584x21m.../dp/B01B9YSGTW
See if you can combine the orders to save on shipping.
Do you know who makes the rims and are they available as separate parts?
I know they may a bit 'Low Rent', but they seem to be the right size and not as expensive as the boutique rims more commonly available in this size.
04-06-18, 08:28 AM
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Damn, for that price, I could buy the rear wheel and put in a cassette hub. It doesn't even matter that I'd be wasting the hub it comes with.
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“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
04-06-18, 09:47 AM
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I've ridden thousands of issue-free miles on single-walled rims, so I wish they were a little more easy to find in the aftermarket.
