Who is good to buy heavy duty wheels from ???

Porkchop

Member
Local time
6:18 AM
Joined
Apr 13, 2009
Messages
704
Location
Upstate SC
I'm looking to buy a 26" rear wheel with 12ga. spokes. I'm motorizing a vintage 1972 Schwinn Collegiate 5 speed bike with a Grudee 50cc. The bike is in near mint condition and is in 100% factory original. Amazing how this bike has survived 37 years and is all original. Of course, I have completely disassembled the bike, cleaned it thoroughly, replaced all bearings, tires and tubes, brake pads and all brake hardware, had both wheels adjusted and trued and am in the precess of re-assembling it. I do not want to ruin the original back wheel. I seem not to have good luck with the "SEARCH" option on this site. I did check before posting. Please post any reputable vendors.
I've attached a few photos so you can see what this bike looks like. And the photos were taken before I cleaned it up.

Thanks !

..... PC .....
 

Attachments

  • sc1.jpg
    sc1.jpg
    251.8 KB · Views: 303
  • col2a.jpg
    col2a.jpg
    160.8 KB · Views: 267
  • stip2.jpg
    stip2.jpg
    59.4 KB · Views: 270
S-6 rims could cause problems with availability?

PC,

I think you are not going to have much luck finding a set of prebuilt wheels with 12g spokes to fit your bike. Most all the heavy duty wheels that are easily available are all built on the 26 in S-2 spec. rim, and if I'm not mistaken what you have is a 26 in. S-6 spec. rim. Even though both claim to be 26 in., they aren't the same 26 in. To get a pair of wheels with 12g spokes using the S-6 rims is probably going to require going the hand build route thru your local bike shop unless you decide to try and build them yourself.

ocscully
 
Last edited:
PC,

I think you are not going to have much luck finding a set of prebuilt wheels with 12g spokes to fit your bike. Most all the heavy duty wheels that are easily available are all built on the 26 in S-2 spec. rim, and if I'm not mistaken what you have is a 26 in. S-6 spec. rim. Even though both claim to be 26 in., they aren't the same 26 in. To get a pair of wheels with 12g spokes using the S-6 rims is probably going to require going the hand build route thru your local bike shop unless you decide to try and build them yourself.

ocscully
What is S-6 actually. I know that's what my bike has on it. Is that something unique to Schwinn ? I remember when I was a kid I always heard only Schwinn tires will fit Schwinn wheels. I know Schwinn no longer makes tires. I went throught heck and high water a few weeks finding correct tires for this bike. I'll be the first to tell you the universal tires from Wallyworld will not fit. They were a joke. I don't care to much about the wheel I replace mine with as long as it will work and fit so I don't ruin the original.
And yes, I may have to just buy another wheel and rebuild it with 12ga. spokes, which can be a pain. Having to drill out all the holes in the hub and wheel. But I will if I have to.
Thanks for the reply.
 
Last edited:
I have dealt with the Schwinn tire only fits a Schwinn rim before. It is true for the older models. It was highly frustrating. Not anymore.
Now a days Schwinn is owned by Pacific Bicycles, a Chinese conglomerate. Other that the paint scheme, my Atlas Industrial looks identical to a couple of Schwinn models, as do a few Huffys.
They all come from one company, Pacific Biycycles.
Made in Taiwan, R.O.C.
 
I don't mean to upset you,, but I don't consider that bike to be a good candidate for motorizing. This is MY opinion, now.
Yes, S-6 is a distinctive Schwinn rim design. Always buy tires designated for S-6 bikes to go on those rims. Even if you tried to rebuild the wheel with thicker spokes, you still are limited in choices of tires to use, which are going to be the skinny tires. Cruiser type bikes seem to be the best candidates. to motorize. Plus, who wants to go very fast on such skinny tires ?? NOT me !
You can continue to restore as original & you will have a super nice bike for normal bike riding.
 
Last edited:
I'm looking to buy a 26" rear wheel with 12ga. spokes. I'm motorizing a vintage 1972 Schwinn Collegiate 5 speed bike with a Grudee 50cc. The bike is in near mint condition and is in 100% factory original. Amazing how this bike has survived 37 years and is all original. Of course, I have completely disassembled the bike, cleaned it thoroughly, replaced all bearings, tires and tubes, brake pads and all brake hardware, had both wheels adjusted and trued and am in the precess of re-assembling it. I do not want to ruin the original back wheel. I seem not to have good luck with the "SEARCH" option on this site. I did check before posting. Please post any reputable vendors.
I've attached a few photos so you can see what this bike looks like. And the photos were taken before I cleaned it up.

Thanks !

..... PC .....

Might be cheaper to buy a Grubee GT1 bike and just use the wheels and tyres which are pretty good - double walled alloy 12g galv spokes (sadly not stainless) and a good tyre but I don't like galv spokes.
 
Back
Top