dbsweetman

This post is from the Cyclekarts North America FB page and was put together by Kelly Woods.

Just like engine choice, wheels are a hotly contended item and there are always regular posts on 'why can't I use THIS or THAT wheel' or 'Wheels are so expensive' or 'we don't like rules'. So Kelly has put together the low down on options for wheels.

Whilst it was written for the US scene, its just a relevant for us as we generally use the same parts sources.

TL:DR General advice is to use the repro Postie Bike wheels linked to in the article. They might seem to be a bit more expensive at the outset, but are stronger and have hub options that you can buy off-the-shelf that turn them into a bolt on solutions. There are also few different manufacturers who make repro wheels and not all are made equal. The ones Kelly links to are the ones to get.

As for cost. As the saying goes.... 'Cry Once'.

There's some other options detailed out with a cost breakdown for comparison. It will give you a good idea of what to expect when deciding what wheels to use. Definitely worth reading the comments relating to Pit Bike Wheels if you are planning to use those.

The Wheel Files: Episode Numero-Uno.
By: Kelly (Wheel man and CyclekARTIST at large) Wood
I thought I'd freshen up something I wrote a little while back. I think it's important for new people to know.
I'll ask that you read this for what's in it, not how it's written. I'm not trying to offend a soul although people do love to find a way to make it that.
Onward.

When it comes to CycleKart Wheels, although some keep saying it in repeat-post after repeat-post they're so hard to find... I'm sorry.
They are not hard to find.
Quite the opposite actually. Even the cheap ones available from many many sources will work for most people.
And they'll be fine....
How I know?
A reality: Most people will not go past 35 mph in a CK, nor will they push it anywhere near that breaking point of even the cheapest wheel... ever. (side note: 35 to 40 mph is the funnest place to be in a CK anyway)
However, if you're one of those that simply must build a silly little hobby car that's tougher than a medium duty trailer... by all means, get the recommended pop-off trail 90 wheels
They roll over and sit... just like most dogs do because after all.. when done, a CK spends 99 percent of its life sitting anyway while the builder (or buyer) yaks about it for months or years.

So.. wheels...
A link is right here. https://www.ebay.com/itm/360470589040 ... and there's a gaggle of them, just like it. Just look around!
Next, Get the wheel adapters from Mark Parnell. Don't bitch if they don't quite bolt up, nothing's perfect. He did wonderfully filling the gap in the one part nobody seems to be able to make. (or try to make anyway) AND... he made his versions for a version of the knockoffs that appeared to be tougher than the thers. That brand, used by the VKC Karts.. oddly.. is Union Cycle. (made by Yamaha from what I found) So if it don't work with your "other purchase"... go get your file or something... and fix it. If you want perfect, get the wheels mark says to get.

Once that's done, you'll have wheels with hubs as beefy a light duty trailer from home departure. (and all you're building is something that has to handle 1/4 of the weight that trailer would have handled mind you)
Let's get on with this circus...

Options for bolt on, ready to go wheels:
Option 1.
Most reliable way: Buy them new. This plan even comes with a man that will happily tell "some" how to put an axle nut on because they can't figure it out. He's awesome. (not kiddin folks, it's happened more than once...)
So... 400'ish bones and then tubes, tires, bearings & some hub adapter: 700 ish. Shut up and have fun. (hub adapter from Mr Parnell) Follow the link above, or get the ones from Andrew by Email Andrew@in-groundtrampolines.com and BUY two fronts and two rears. (AS of NOW, ALL REARS Andrew had are GONE.)

Option 2.
Cheapest : (possibly) The way it was originally done and still done by some yet those ways are dying a slow death....Make them from scavenged crap, local ads, lucking out on ebay, finding one in the dumpster, etc..
Pitfalls: It's a crapshoot and one has to have some luck and possibly be able to true wheels. General minimum: Junkard / ad finds. 30 to 50 per wheel. (ebay is 100 or more for honda's in good shape mind you) Maybe they have tires on them... that's nice. Maybe tubes. So you'll have to do the rear adapter at 150 (if it's honda and Parnell's fits that is) and bearings around 32 (for the OEM hubs that is) ... and a total of: 200+maybe a tube repair kit 5.00 + 150.00 + 32 is: 387.00 (throw in a spare set of spokes you might have to buy too... minimum 30.00... max 100. (oh.. and 10 bucks for truing wrenches)
If adapter isn't for honda, and you made it yourself... take away 150, and add 100... and the price of time & a file to make them fit... the old school way... If you have someone custom make an adapter... do be ready for that... 300+ to have someone custom make ONE... so add another 300 if you're feelin spunky.) ... and that's on the cheap.
Which option ya lookin at?

Option 3.
Could be, a good way to go for some: Buy the cheap moto X wheels at around 50 each. (front rims only, no tires) The knobby doesn't look right anyway and they suck to dismount. So... Add tires, tubes, bearings.. and some adapter (the one I DESIGNED that Mark Parnell Sells mind you) : 200 + 140 + 60 + 32 + say 100 for the adapter: 532.00 (and don't corner too hard... they might just give you the finger) The hub is or appears to be ok.. spokes are pretty tough too, but the rim... is thin. How we know: That black coating... is thick. It makes up a good bit of the look/girth of the rim... but the rim is thinner than a stock oem honda (or other) rim and actually lighter than an aluminum one... so do think about that. Commonly some of these wheels don't come super true, and might need truing. Attempts at truing some (by me), caused warping (because they're thin) and it was witnessed on a real cyclekart that the spoke nipple pulled right through the rim. Over tightening, also can cause a crack at the nipple hole on the rim. (this was noted in trials with some of them, not all of them however. There are many manufacturers of cheap-ass wheels.) Like the look of the cheap moto X wheel? Buy the real deal they're copied from... they'll last longer (oh yes, add about 300 bucks to this equation while you're at it.. they're honda knockoffs generally) (back to honda and Moola!)
But.... Now the "But..." If you use these, it's an "axle all the way through the hub" option in the rear. This means, if you have a 38" axle, (that's the diff axle width too by the way) your overall wheel width will be around 37" edge to edge. This isn't too thrilling to most, because of their hunt for the speedy car yet this narrow track is now glaring at them screaming "I'm a wimp and can't corner fast now" AND... now you'll be looking for wider spindles & axles... (a 42" one works for this... or a 40"... solid. Ya need different axles in the diff if ya want to do this bit here. $$$$$)
Note: The cheap hub won't last long if the axle isn't all the way through and someone somehow just bolted something to the tabs alone. That will snap it's little mounting tabs in short order.
Which option ya lookin at?

Option 4.
Buy someone's stuff: Potential cost there: 500 + (that includes buying them from me when I did sell OEM's at a mere 50 bones a wheel...) 200 + 50 shipping + 32.00 bearings + some adapter (probably 150 from mark parnell) tires 140, tubes 60, bearings 32 and that is: 632.00 If you lucked out here, and they had tires, tubes, etc... Even better. Still 500 usually. Add to the fun factor if you have used wheels that are cracked, really ads to the look and when you take your life into your hands in that fashion, bonus cyclekarter points for doing it.
... and that's only if they're honda or clone wheels. If they're something else entirely... say, Yamaha... at least you'll have something that rolls (with no parts to fix if they break... off to the custom realm for you... but luckily, if say... yamaha... they're tougher than Honda's.)
Which option ya lookin at?

Options for the more creative folks:
Option 5.
Get really creative and use the aluminum rims from the mid 80's and 90s found on KX80, RM80, CR80 and YZ80 dirt bike front wheels. (and mucho-much-many-more bikes too... rims are rims... they're not specific to the manufacturer) All you have to do is make an adapter and find the right bearing. Potential cost, taking into account availability: 50 -150 per complete wheel on ebay (they're aluminum.. no real rust issue) max 600 for rims, 140 for tires, tubes 15.00 each, bearings 32, and whatever you come up with for an adapter, say a cheap 100... IS: 932 ish. Bonus: aluminums drop 2+ lbs per wheel and if trued right, area amazingly strong. Rear wheels, just make sure to run the axle all the way though the hub, do not bolt rear adapter to just the disc brake mounts.. This includes the 28, 32 and 36 spoke versions. Using these requires a deeper (longer axle) commonly and wider spindles (more money...) Worth noting: Wheels like these are competition off road wheels, they are strong and often have quite beefy spokes and the aluminum rim is a force all by itself. Even if they have little cracks, they still work.
Which option ya lookin at?

Option 5a.
Go the route of the 2000's (late 90's, etc) 80CC dirt bike front rims. These are the wheels most of the Cheap Motox wheels look like, but far far tougher. They're wonderful! Costs: 100+ per wheel (minimum), bearings for the fronts around 15 each x 4... Then a rear adapter, some spacer for the outer... 100+ or so, tires, tubes, etc... We'll round that around 700 or so... (oh yes, longer axles too buddy.... they're deep sometimes)
Which option ya lookin at?

Option 6.
Make your own out of parts from other things & certain motorcycles & such: (E.g. Franken-Wheels) By far the most expensive but cool and look 1000 times better than most, including honda route. When one does this, they get a far superior span between the spokes at the hub resulting in the toughest wheel on the playing field. 70 Minimum for a good rim, 30 for cheap spokes (per wheel)... (100 if you want good ones) there's 400 already in spokes... make your own hub adapter ... LOL.. 1 in 1000 will even try it. So: Material, bearings, tires & tubes... If done right, make your own wheels will cost you: Material for the hub 100 or so + 280 for rims + 400 good spokes + 140 for tires + 60 for tubes, 32 for bearings and that's 1012 dollars.
That's fun.
Read that again...
One Thousand, twelve dollars. (scrounge it, it's less... but could be more depending on hub and spoke arrangement being a single, double, triple or quad cross pattern... taking into account a possible 3 different length spokes per wheel (inner and outer spokes on the outer varying by 5MM... and time to put all of that together.. yep.)
Entire cyclekarts have been made for less and if you don't have the facilities to get it done yourself, add some random ridiculous figure to that to have someone make parts of that snazzy plan of yours.. If you own the machine shop... take away a smidge (and you still have to buy the drinks)

Combine any of the above and you get what? Cost.
The single most costly item in cyclekarting, is the wheels.
Which option ya lookin at?

Yep.. I thought so.
Honda (or copies of) wheels, in our current situation... well... they're just EASY... and someone did all the work for you. They're available, any time you want.

Now get your wallet out, go back to option 1... go buy the new ones... get the adapter and get on with it.
The next thing you're doing is turning a wrench.

Notes:
Stop thinking they MUST be honda CT / trail 90 wheels. They can be any 17" in general. ANY 17" wheel that's 1.40 or 1.60 width, can work. You just gotta look and figure it out. (note: for Edwarian, 18's can be used... for certain smaller cars where it's called for aesthetically... 16's with tall tires can work too!)
Of course, everything is not here... and never will be.

Get building...
Thanks for readin.
Toodles!
(if I failed at basic math.... apologies.)