Is this bike suitable for motorization?

[Yash]

Yes I am sure it will be an interesting thread. And yeah I thought it looked like the same bike! It does have the original wire spoked wheels so to drive it from the spokes (kit rag joint) you should really be replacing/rebuilding with high quality spokes.
You have time to read all the newbie/sticky threads and don't forget to use the search function (up in the top right) with words like vibration reduction and crank balancing as there is lots of great information already posted.
You will read about fender dangers, the need to mount solid to the frame, and the basic upgrades that "all" generic 2 strokes need.
I'm sure if you can/decide to take brake mounting posts (aka lugs) from scrap/wrecked bikes/forks then you can use any wheel size you like to lower the bike. The quill stem should be able to be dropped quite a bit too, but not too far (mind the taper). Also see if you can get the Sheldon Brown site to work on your device as there are some great tips on bicycle repair/setup/standards there.
Good luck!

Wonderful advice, you've been lots of help man! I'll definitely continue reading about the stuff you've mentioned, but I'll mostly focus on the bike until I get the engine kit. Much thanks again!

 

[Yash]

Hey guys, I've got the bike and now I've started planning on what to do. So, first up I've got to change the wheels completely (they're in a bad shape, rusty and beaten up), decided to stick to 28" so I don't have a bunch of problems to fix if I go to 26", and I've found some new rims for a very good price. However, I'm wondering if there's anything specific to know about the wheels themselves when it comes to motorization of the bicycle. The rims I've found are aluminum and I wonder if that will be a problem.

I'm also interested if there's anything I should know about picking the tires for the bike.

 

[Frankfort MB's]

Hey guys, I've got the bike and now I've started planning on what to do. So, first up I've got to change the wheels completely (they're in a bad shape, rusty and beaten up), decided to stick to 28" so I don't have a bunch of problems to fix if I go to 26", and I've found some new rims for a very good price. However, I'm wondering if there's anything specific to know about the wheels themselves when it comes to motorization of the bicycle. The rims I've found are aluminum and I wonder if that will be a problem.

I'm also interested if there's anything I should know about picking the tires for the bike.

Id try to stick too double wall rims.... I've never had a bike with aluminum wheels so I can't answer your actual question
Thick spokes help with sidewall strength
A heavy duty hub is a must!!! Coasters will work but aren't efficient

 

[FurryOnTheInside]

Okay first thing I have to say: Double wall rims are always aluminium. (Frankfort, get a magnet and tell me if im wrong! Lol)
Aluminium rims can be single or double wall. You definitely do want double wall rims.

Your wheels are (or appear to be) 700c which is also called 29" (but 29" generally refers to wider rims meant for mountain bikes) or ERTRO size 622. ERTRO is the modern standard sizing / name and will ensure you get tyres to fit. Be careful to not end up with a weird old standard size by using the 28" name.

Spokes are either wire or stainless steel. Wheels with either can be machine built but the wire ones are always machine built and are common on cheap bikes. You do not want wire (grey) spokes like the ones currently on the bike. It is impossible to get the high tension you need with low quality spokes.
You do want high quality stainless steel shiny spokes. (The black ones can be high or medium quality, it is difficult to guess the quality based just on appearance when it comes to black spokes.)
A wheel can be seen as an arch. Your weight hangs from the spokes at the top and the strain is transferred to the sides of the arch which are held in shape by the spokes at the sides. The bottom of the arch is supported by the spokes at the sides. The spokes at the very bottom are not loose and bending because they are pre-tensioned and because the spokes at the sides are not prone to stretching so the arch stays in shape. It is spoke tension that keeps the wheel in shape.

I believe the kit "rag joint" sprocket attachment method does not help the wheel to function correctly. I believe this is why a lot of riders prefer the heavy guage (thick) spokes. I am no structural engineer and only have a basic understanding of how a wheel functions, but I really can't agree with the kit system, to my mind it just doesn't make sense!
Anyway, it is cheap, but a custom or tandem wheel with heavy 12 guage spokes is expensive especially outside the USA. You certainly need high quality spokes IMO (in my opinion).

So, IMO a complete ready built wheelset is possibly the economic choice.
It should have 36 high quality spokes per wheel,
deep section (deep/aero profile) rims in case a spoke does break,
and a hub which fits your rear dropouts.

What is the width of the space between your rear dropouts? The common multi speed bike dropout width is 135mm and most common wheelsets have a rear hub to fit this.

The 622 rims need to be suitable for at least a 40mm, up to 47mm tyre. (ERTRO 622x40, 622x47) Anything larger will almost certainly not fit in that frame. You might not even have clearance for a 47mm tyre.
Wheelsets sold as "touring" wheelsets have the right width. Those sold as "road" or "racing" may be too narrow, and such a large tyre may not stay on the rim.
The ERTRO measure of rim width is the internal width in millimetres. The ERTRO tyre width should be around 1.4 to 2 times the ERTRO rim width.
For example: IF the largest tyre that fits your frame is 622x47 then the largest rim you can use is 622x35 but that would mean you can never use a smaller tyre (you can but it is risky). The narrowest rim you can (sensibly) use with a 622x47 tyre is 622x23 and that would allow you to also use tyres as small as 622x32

Switching to the ERTRO 590 rim size (aka 26") would give you more clearance for the tyres if you want larger tires, but then you really do need to find a way to mount brakes.
Smaller diameter wheels really are stronger wheels (all other things being equal).

Tyres should be as "slick" as possible if you are riding on paved roads. A "tread" is only needed for dirt and gravel roads, and will not have as much traction on paved roads as a slick tyre. The tyre should be able to hold enough pressure to allow a drop (in depth) of only 10-15% of the tyre depth/width when you load it (put your weight and the bike's weight on it). An online bicycle tyre pressure calculator will be helpful. Always check the maximum pressure on any tyres you are thinking about buying and see if it is wide enough to support your weight at that pressure. The wider the tyre, the less pressure is required (and the 15% is also a higher number so you have a smoother ride).
22-30mm is common for road bikes (lightly loaded, just a skinny cyclist with no cargo), 32-40mm is common for touring (moderately loaded, cyclist + water + tent + sleeping bag) and 40-47mm is preferred for heavily loaded touring (cyclist+food+water+full camping equipment+spare parts+clothing+etc). I would think that the wider tyres are best for motorising but you are going to be limited by the clearance in your frame.
Weigh yourself, your bike, add 10kg for the engine kit and 2kg for fuel.

That is the most I have ever written about wheels in one go, lol.

 

[Frankfort MB's]

Thanks for your clarification!
My double wall rim is a Alloy wheel (which I'm pretty sure is the same as aluminum)

I know that double wall rims are a lot stronger but I do not know what they are made of or what the best material is.


Also adding to your post, your tires should be slick but if you ride in the rain you need a tire with channels....

I specially ordered 12g spokes with a double wall rim.... Hopefully that will take to torque of a torquey little motor

 

[FurryOnTheInside]

I was/am pretty sure that any wheels made this century and sold separately (as in not on a bike or cheap trailer) have an aluminium alloy rim. I have seen steel rims only on ancient bikes and the worst 16" trailer wheels.

I disagree about the channels, (unless you have a flat tyre) the round shape will not aquaplane until you are going well over 100mph.

I'm sure 12 guage will help with the stress that the rag joint /_spoke driven system puts on the spokes but idk if this is the best way down the rabbit hole for our Baltic friend. There are no MB shops in Europe, so 12g ready built wheels probably don't exist and so using 12g spokes means building a wheel.. Rose bikes in Germany does a good mail order service and could have a decent 36 (high quality) spoke 622 touring wheelset. I have not checked.

 

[Yash]

Wonderful information, much appreciated.

Here are the rims I'm interested in - http://olx.bg/ad/kapli-28-ili-29-za...yah-tioga-schwalbe-ke-ID5yqD0.html#81d18e565f

It's in bulgarian but you can just scroll down and look at the pictures. I'm interested in the Schwalbe Road Cruiser 42-622 tires that the guy is offering with the rims, since they seem pretty good. The rims have aluminum hubs JOY TECH XRP, from what I've read.

By the way, I'm in the Balkans, not the Baltic. It's way down in Southeastern Europe.

 

[FurryOnTheInside]

Oops! I apologise for the mistake. I'm baking plastic pedals in my oven and fumes are probably starting to affect my brain.

Okay I will take a look at the link. I think I have a Schwalbe road cruiser on my trailer. It is pretty nice.

 

[Yash]

Oops! I apologise for the mistake. I'm baking plastic pedals in my oven and fumes are probably starting to affect my brain.

Okay I will take a look at the link. I think I have a Schwalbe road cruiser on my trailer. It is pretty nice.

No problems, they sound quite similar!

I'll be messaging the seller if he knows if the rims are double walled, or for the model of the rims since I can't find it on the website he posted to.

 

[FurryOnTheInside]

Sorry but the spoke pattern on that wheelset is more fashion than function and you will find it difficult or impossible to fit the sprocket that comes with the motor kit. You really need 36 spokes in an even and very normal looking pattern.