26" Rear Wheel (screw on) QR Recommendations

[top-tube]

I'm thoroughly sick of having to replace spokes in the 26" rear wheel supplied with my 2 year old Revolution Trailfinder which I'm currently using as winter hack on my 9 mile commute, not least because 50% of the time the job involves removing the 6 speed freewheel, and 100% of the time requires my rudimentary wheel truing skills (I do egg shapes better than circles).

I never had these issues with my previous commuter, a 15 year old Raleigh Exodus, on which I never knowingly lost a spoke. The current Trailfinder wheels have black rims, hubs and spokes, and I think the spokes are the problem: I'm wondering if the anodising process (or whatever it is that colours them black) somehow weakens the spokes. There seems to be no 'event' I can think of which breaks the spokes.

I need something sturdy, to take my 95kg bulk and light luggage through rutted streets and cycle paths.

I've concluded that if I get a double walled construction rim, and mid quality hub, then that should do me for years to come. Because I'm now suspicious of black spokes, I'm also thinking silver (stainless steel) is the way to go, and this will also create a 'frankenbike' effect making it less attractive to potential thieves.

I can't see any recommendations on the site for 26" wheels, so if this has been done before apologies.

The wheel in the link below seems to fit the bill, but I'm not sure this is up to the job. Help please guys.
http://www.woollyhatshop.com/Wheels...-Quick-Release-Black-CNC-Wheel/prod_4874.html

 

[black'n'yellow]

The colour of the spokes will not be relevant to their strength.

If you are truing and replacing the spokes yourself - and given that you said your skills in this area are 'rudimentary' - is it possible that this might account for your continued spoke issues..?

 

[fossyant]

The reason the spokes are breaking is the wheels are cheap, and you've been repairing them with little knowledge.

You may also have the same issues with the wheels you've linked to, they are 'cheap'.

You could upgrade the wheels - OK you'd need a cassette as well, but any 8 speed cassette can be converted to run just 6 sprockets with a few spacers on the freehub.

 

[top-tube]

Looks like no recommendations then!

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

Looks like no recommendations then!

An interesting question you posed here - fwiw my two cents are as follows:

Actually it is a little tricky to recommend a replacement. The reason being you have a 26" mtb rear wheel with a 135mm wide screw-on freewheel hub. Although cheap offerings abound neither such wheel nor such hub has been a mainstream off-the-shelf product with new quality choices for nearly two decades. Actually I am unsure if many quality 135mm wide purpose built freewheel hubs were ever made, although an obvious answer to that is it should be relatively easy to convert most quality "new old stock" or good used 126mm 6/7 speed freewheel hub to 135mm.

The problem of getting a modern 26" mtb wheel with cassette freehub as replacement is you will find it difficult to locate a 6 speed compatible cassette, or to find correct sized spacers inexpensively that will let you index correctly with cannibalized 7/8/9/10 speed cassette.

Hence the solution based on a quality modern cassette hub wheel will likely involve replacing the rear shifter with e.g. an 8 speed as well as buying the cassette that matches the shifter.

The cheapest yet workable solution is probably just walking into a decent LBS asking them to recommend and supply you with one of their cheap, matching, 26", 135mm, freewheel hub wheel offerings but making sure that they check and tension the spokes well before taking possession. Most cheap wheels don't last not because the rims, spokes or hubs are poor, but because the build is poor by not adequately (i.e. suitably highly and evenly) tensioning the spokes, and properly greasing and preloading the cup and cone bearings. This option is better than buying same online not only because you can get them to check and tension before buying, you might also get some support if it goes wrong.

 

[top-tube]

Thanks RecordAcefromNew - best advice yet. I think I need to find a decent LBS - I usually go to Edinburgh Bicycle Co-Op, in Edinburgh, but find the staff who I deal with either lacking in interest or knowledge. Could just be me though.