Alloy Vs Spoked Aluminum Wheels

17686 Views 18 Replies 13 Participants Last post by Hedonism, Mar 7, 2015

pacman

Discussion Starter · Dec 17, 2014

So, I've been reading a bit about the pros and cons of the alloy wheels and the spoked aluminum.

Apparently, the spoked aluminum wheels are heavier and don't handle on-road as well as the alloys.
Does this jive with your experience (those of you who have run both types of wheels)?
Do you think is this something the average, conservative rider (me) will notice?

I have the U Enduro ordered in part because I love the wheels. Thanks for any and all input!

1 - 19 of 19 Posts

moxox

· #2 · Dec 17, 2014

Since very few people will ever get to test the same bike with different wheels, I think this is largely a hypothetical question.
The Scrambler isn't a razor sharp racer, and the differences some will claim to describe should, I feel, be viewed in that light.
However, the bike majors on its looks, and the 4 styles work well (in my view) with the different wheel types.
It's disappointing, but no show stopper, that the spoked wheels use tubes, for me I love spokes, they look great, but, and it's a big but, they are a load of hassle to clean - that's their real drawback....

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pacman

Discussion Starter · #3 · Dec 17, 2014

moxox said:
It's disappointing, but no show stopper, that the spoked wheels use tubes, for me I love spokes, they look great, but, and it's a big but, they are a load of hassle to clean - that's their real drawback....

Agreed. I was thinking of getting a nylon brush for my cordless drill and using that to clean the spokes.

Stu

· #4 · Feb 16, 2015

As I remember the dry weight of the Icon was listed as 375 and the Classic at 383. The wheels must add somewhere around 7~8 lbs. That is sprung weight. That will affect handling some. I will be getting alloy and not using this bike off road. I took a trip through the interior of Iceland the summer before last. I rented a 650 Beemer with spokes. A couple of friends rented Triumph 800s with alloy wheels. Both busted their front rims hitting rocks which meant they could not go on. That was a real issue. An expensive haul out. On the other hand the spokes and alloy rims had no issues and I hit a lot more nasty stuff at more speed than they did.

Stu

mitra

· #5 · Feb 16, 2015

The classic has spokes wheels because it fits the classic look. Urabn enduro has it because one assumes you will be running in the dirt a bit more than your friends roaming on icons.

Spoked wheels are heavier, so effect handling. They are also harder to maintain over time, and can have drastic effect during a puncture. However, at the same time they are easier to fix when it comes to a puncture (so good for trekking on dirt roads/ slight adventure riding). Spoke wheels can also take some light damage and still function (i.e. spokes can bend slightly) and during larger impact the help detract impact from forks. Alloy wheels will tend to chip, and when they do you can normally not use them anymore.

The basic rule here is.. If you are going to be on the dirt a lot then go for spokes, otherwise alloy. (and the classic is the poorly optimise one as the spokes are there more to fit the "retro" image than usability)

Anyway, that's what I figure and hence I'm looking to get an Icon instead of Classic (which I prefer the look of) as I'll be 95%+ on tarmac.

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Madaza

· #6 · Feb 17, 2015

mitra said:
Spoked wheels are heavier, so effect handling. They are also harder to maintain over time, and can have drastic effect during a puncture. However, at the same time they are easier to fix when it comes to a puncture (so good for trekking on dirt roads/ slight adventure riding).

Would you mind expanding on this? The spoked wheels on the Classic and Enduro are tubed tyres - so an absolute pain to repair after a puncture. Do you have an alternative way of fixing punctures on tubed/spoked tyres that makes it easier (genuine question)?

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mitra

· #7 · Feb 17, 2015

Madaza said:
Would you mind expanding on this? The spoked wheels on the Classic and Enduro are tubed tyres - so an absolute pain to repair after a puncture. Do you have an alternative way of fixing punctures on tubed/spoked tyres that makes it easier (genuine question)?

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Well, If i'm out in the dirt (not to close to civilization) and get a puncture, I can happily patch the tubed tire (yes takes some time to remove and fix). With a tubeless tyre I guess one can maybe use foam stuff but the problem here tends to be the alloys chipping if hitting hard rocks etc, which will make the tyre useless.

So perhaps my wording is a bit poor, but I'd rather have a tubed tyre if I'm adventuring a lot and long times before hitting civilization. However, living in London I'll stick to alloys and tubeless.

Madaza

· #8 · Feb 17, 2015

That makes sense - thanks

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JustKip

· #9 · Feb 17, 2015

Minor punctures on tubeless tires are very easy and only take 5 minutes.

http://www.amazon.com/Victor-22-5-00106-8-Heavy-Tubeless-Repair/dp/B000AMOEGY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1424137134&sr=8-1&keywords=tire+plug+kit

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Madaza

· #10 · Feb 17, 2015

JustKip said:
Minor punctures on tubeless tires are very easy and only take 5 minutes.

http://www.amazon.com/Victor-22-5-0...&qid=1424137134&sr=8-1&keywords=tire+plug+kit

Yup, it's the tubed tyres on the spoked wheels I'm more concerned about.

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Hedonism

· #11 · Feb 17, 2015

minor punctures on tubeless tires are very easy, that's true

but to have more traction, you need to deflate tyre up to 1,00 bar abt... it means that alloy wheel edge will most probably touch holes and rocks.... if this hardly happen, and edge looses its profile, the tubeless tyre will no longer retain the pressure..... never...

from the other side the tubed need to take the tyre off from the wheel and, being the tyre a tubeless tyre (the tyre is the same dspite the wheels) it will be very hard to unfit it beacuse of its profile who seals on the wheels

My suggest is to replace the inner tube, with a reinforced once (4 or 5 mm) to minimize small puncture risk and, if available, to treat the inside of the spoke wheel to seal. this should let the spoke wheels as tubeless

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TC3

· #12 · Feb 17, 2015

I think solid rubber tyres are the way to go like I had on my first bike when I was 2 years of age

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w2darren

· #13 · Feb 17, 2015

TC3 said:
I think solid rubber tyres are the way to go like I had on my first bike when I was 2 years of age

When i think i it, your right, I Never had a flat once on my first bike (aged, well i can't recall now, lets say i was could not spell bike or hardly ride it)

Derek

· #14 · Feb 17, 2015

Hedonism said:
minor punctures on tubeless tires are very easy, that's true

but to have more traction, you need to deflate tyre up to 1,00 bar abt... it means that alloy wheel edge will most probably touch holes and rocks.... if this hardly happen, and edge looses its profile, the tubeless tyre will no longer retain the pressure..... never...

from the other side the tubed need to take the tyre off from the wheel and, being the tyre a tubeless tyre (the tyre is the same dspite the wheels) it will be very hard to unfit it beacuse of its profile who seals on the wheels

My suggest is to replace the inner tube, with a reinforced once (4 or 5 mm) to minimize small puncture risk and, if available, to treat the inside of the spoke wheel to seal. this should let the spoke wheels as tubeless

One way or another, I intend to seal them on the Classic I have ordered and run them as tubeless.

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frankd123

· #15 · Feb 17, 2015

In the end, either will be fine and both have their drawbacks/benefits. Personally, I think I am going with one of the bikes that have the cast wheels. I love love love the look of the spoke wheels, but they are not as practical enough for me I've come to realize. The ones offered on the Scrambler are not tubeless either, and I don't want to have to modify them or seal them or any of that. And they weigh a lot more than the cast wheels. I understand they are better for offroad because of flex, etc., but honestly who here is really going to take this offroad more than tarmac? This thing is not designed for heavy offroad use, so no matter what you tell yourself, nearly all of us will be on tarmac 99% of the time...no? The Scrambler is not a ktm 500 exc, if you want to go offroad all the time and do all that, then buy that bike on the side for that.

If I want spoke down the line, then I will most likely invest in a nice set of Borrani wheels that now offer their tubeless design. But who knows, I might change my mind later today, haha! The weight savings and all that doesn't mean **** either...just go with what you think you will like better or what your heart tells you. Either way, you will enjoy the bike and you won't be thinking about what wheels you got.

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w2darren

· #16 · Feb 17, 2015

w2darren said:
When i think i it, your right, I Never had a flat once on my first bike (aged, well i can't recall now, lets say i was could not spell bike or hardly ride it)

Messed that quote up,

Ogre

· #17 · Mar 7, 2015 (Edited)

Tubeless tires can often be (emergency) repaired without taking the wheel or tire off. Tube tires must be repaired by removing the wheel & tire.

The "advantage" of spoked wheels is repair-ability on the trail.

If you clunk a spoked wheel you have a chance to repair it enough to ride out.

A cast wheel breaks and you are done.

There are products to seal the spoked wheel and enable you to use a tubeless tire but I wonder about the reliability.

My Yamaha Super Tenere and BMW's GS's (and others) offer specially designed spoked wheels that thread the spokes externally and thusly can support tubeless tires.

{There are aftermarket wheel makers that can make wheels but pricey...maybe once we all get up and running, and get familiar with the machine we can possibly to a group buy for opening up wheels that can accept more common size dual sport tires.}

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dukes

· #18 · Mar 7, 2015

IMO tubeless is the way to go, i hate tubes!

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Hedonism

· #19 · Mar 7, 2015

bartubeless.it will treat tube wheels to fit tubeless tyres, some KTM and BMW (f800gs) users, have satisfactory used the system.

it simply works

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