20 inch'r

[MXOldtimer]

Finally I got around to ordering my spoke kit and it show'd up today.
Hooray!
Now in a couple days,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, "maybe" I'll get started lace'n it up.

[2001kdx]

Nice bike. Nice rim.

[skipro3]

Take measurements of your existing tire as it is mounted; diameter, sidewall, etc. Also, mark the tire and roll the bike one full revolution, then measure how far one revolution travels. compare to the 20" tire. I found that when I changed my 21 to a 20 that I gained sidewall, lost almost zero rolling travel and the diameter was the same. Let us know what the measurements end up being between the two.

Why a clear alumnum rim and not a colored one? I went with black and it made the bike look a little more agressive.

[2001kdx]

Maybe he didn't want to buy a rear wheel to match

I also think a black rear is the shiz, it looks pretty trick IMO

[MXOldtimer]

OK, came home tonight all PO'd from a days work and 4 ice cold coronas later I had the 20 inch'er laced up and on the lil KTM kill'r.




Darn too dark for pic's.

The sidewall height went from stock 2 3/4" to 3 1/4"
OA tire height went from stock 27 3/4" to 27 1/4"
Roll out stock 86 9/16th" to 84 7/8th"

Measurements aren't exact I just used a tape measure but you get an idea.
Look'n forward to a ride maybe this weekend.

[skipro3]

Thanks for taking the measurements. I really enjoyed my 20" front wheel. I could run the front at 6-8psi and not get a pinch flat. It would carve a turn like the front wheel was on a rail.

If you have trouble with the front wheel washing out, first try moving forward on your seat, like, push right up against the gas tank. If still having problems, lower air pressure. That's what worked for me.

You should be able to move the forks lower in the triple clamps to compensate the slightly smaller diameter tire size too. You measured 1/2" less with the 20" so you can take that as a good starting point I guess.

Looking forward to a ride report.....KTM Killer. I like that!!!!

[canyncarvr]

Not to pick...but..

You measured '2 3/4" to 3 1/4"' sidewall change....

The sidewall takes into account old tire/new tire with the swap...so...

That's 1/2"..1" difference in diameter..same as the wheel diff.

How did the others then come out different..ly, even?

Considering the sidewall difference and the subsequent flat 'resistance', a 20" frontend sounds like an 'E' ticket ride!

6-8psi and no flats? That would be GREAT!

13psi a couple days back got me a head-on with Gaia. Less than that, though, and rocks are a problem.

Please do post your opines!!

[Indawoods]

I don't have an opinion let alone a opines!

[luke347]

whats the advantage of the 20" rim?

[canyncarvr]

Please refer to:

THIS!

.
.
.
.


..which is this thread.

Please read ski's post..#3 et. al.

Thank you.


p.s.

Just because ski's avatar is indeed a self portrait, there is no need to be afeerd of reedin' what he writs on-line.

Listening to him in person? That may be a completely different story.


Hear the banjos?

[skipro3]

Gaia......That's good. Always wanted to use that in a sentence.

Well, not ALWAYS.

The Gaia hypothesis was first scientifically formulated in the 1960s by the independent research scientist Dr. James Lovelock, as a consequence of his work for NASA on methods of detecting life on Mars. Although I'm pretty sure you used it in context with the ecological hypothesis that proposes that living and nonliving parts of the earth are viewed as a complex interacting system that can be thought of as a single organism.

Or maybe you just like to read Asimov.


And that would explain YOUR avitar.

Not many people can listen to me in person. Not for long anyways.

So.... Sidewall increased 1/2" and overall height increased 1/2"? The overall height SHOULD have stayed the same as a 21" because the rim size reduced by 1 inch and the sidewall (times 2) increased by 1 inch total. See what I'm saying? At least on my bike the diameter stayed close enough to the same that I did not have to reprogram my enduro computer.

[skipro3]

I don't have an opinion let alone a opines!

Obviously

[canyncarvr]

See what I'm saying?

Yes. I do. And I recognized immediately what you were saying...only because I also recognized it was exactly what I'd already said!

That's 1/2" (sidewall, therefore and ergo)..1" difference in diameter..same as the wheel diff.

Ecological hypothesis? Uh...no. I was referring to mother of Cronus and the Titans, her standing as representative of physical earth, thus metaphorical mayhem resulting in 'Mother Earth', not some fictional planet from the Foundation series.

How 'bout, 'I hit my haid on 'da dirt.'

..or maybe, 'Fall down. Go BooM!'

Re: 'Not for long anyways.'

That's not so. Anyone that's had the pleasure of your company knows you're just one good story followed by a better one! Now...how many of 'em are true? I doan know 'bout that.

[MXOldtimer]

Measurements aren't exact I just used a tape measure but you get an idea.

Oh Gezzzzzaaaaazzzzzz! OK, OK I'll get you better measurements to beat me with.
Mind you I was on about #7/8 by the time I found the tape measure.

The roll out was the only one I really looked close at.


Wait a min, their calling for 100 degrees for the next couple days so it'll be a few days for measurements.


.

[canyncarvr]

Don't worry 'bout it! A mm here or there isn't the point. The sidewall measurement 'splains it all just fine.

Please do let us know what you think of it!

[skipro3]

Yup!! Ride Report!! Take it easy at first, see if riding style needs modifying, then start pushing it hard in corners and see how it behaves.

What tire you running with that?

[MXOldtimer]

Take it easy at first, see if riding style needs modifying, then start pushing it hard in corners and see how it behaves.

I was on a track with a CRF-250 that had a 20 inch'r and flat loved the way the front end stuck in corners. Tight corners, Glued, high speed sweepers you just let the rear drift as far as you wanted and the front just stay'd put. With prior experience with a 20 inch'r is why I wanted to lace one on the lil KDX.

What tire you running with that?

What you think I'm crazy? I'm not taking a beating on tire choice.
No matter which tire I post someone wouldn't be happy with it. I suppose you'll want to know what brand of oil I'm run'n next.



.


.

[canyncarvr]

Hey! It's not like anyone would nitpik a sidewall, diameter, circumference measurement or two!

C'mon! Let us in on the secret!

Well, of course...if they MAKE a 20" D756, that's surely what you're using. I mean...you're not crazy!....are you?

Sheesh.......


This an aside...but there was no mention of your lacey event. Are you an accomplished enough lacer to simply have a feel for it? Or..are you a thread counter or torquer?

Aside #2..I presume the choice of 20" tires is lesser than 21"s? That was a discussion when ski put his on..but that's been some time back.

I don't recall you saying what spokes you used. From Buchannan? Or.... Is it just the pic or my eyes...some of the nipples don't look to be lined up with the spoke angle? Can that be? Were the spokes FOR your year KX hub or some kind of one each 20"er?



Pretty easy to see, huh? :squint-squint:

Maybe another thread or two...or heck...just pile it all in this one!!

Thanks for your input!

Aside #3..what year/model front end did you use? Does your LH fork guard have an inside guide?

[skipro3]

CC has something there: some of those spoke nipples aren't in plane with the spokes; or so it looks that way.

Tires are much more limited with the 20" which is why I asked what you found. For me, I could only find 1 brand locally. I can't remember what it was, just that it worked. So I won't beat you up on tire choice and I don't know of anyone else who's run your setup with any experiance to legitamately beat you up either.

Nice article in the latest Dirt Rider?(I think) mag on lacing. I did the thread count method, then tuned to the ping while measuring for true. I don't trust a torque wrench. in this case, there are too many variables that can introduce friction and throw off the reading for me to trust a torque reading between spokes.

[canyncarvr]

Heck...you can buy a spoke torque wrench for only $100 or so!!

..not that it will be trustworthy...but it WILL be a new tool to have!!

What kind'a nipples? The splined kind? Those are nice.

Aside #eleventy-six...
How do you choose to protect your nipples? Duct tape?

YeeOWWW!



Anyway....as already said, I haven't done it. I've replaced a few spokes, trued my wheel a couple of times..but not started from scratch. I'd probably use the thread count/tink/dial indicator method myself.......


...and duct tape!


Oh....and anti-seize on those threads!!!

Edit**

Again...I am NOT a lacer...but something seems odd.

There is more'n one way to lace a wheel 'fer sure...but some of those 'more than one' ways involve drilling the hub to accept different angles of spoke insertion.

Still...I THINK that in most cases you will see 'groups' of four spokes consisting of two-left and two-right..inner/outer..kind'a like this:



The point is not to pick at stuff...but to inquire as to safety, strength and reliability of your wheel.

..well, and maybe to learn something in the process.