The BabyFatt: Hybrid Pedicab Wheel

$215.00
Unit price per

A Hybrid, Medium-Heavy duty rear pedicab Wheel

We set out to bring the most durable and reliable pedicab wheel components in their class to the 3 wheel industry. We base our designs and builds off of general bicycle/tricycle type components as much as possible.

This custom made Precision wheel is built with our BabyFatt rim: 42mm wide, 48 hole, eyeletted, with a schrader valve opening
Precision Hub/

14/15g double butted spokes

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While no wheel lasts forever, we believe that this is the best hybrid pedicab solution that our industry has to offer.
Consider it for any/all medium-heavy duty class applications and use.

Upwards of 10 Years ago, we decided to custom create a 29” version of this same rim to increase performance for our personal fleet cabs and drivers.
After serious usage, these rims have proven to sustain us exceptionally well with little-no damage when operating regularly.

We later developed Thicc rims (@ 65-68mm, circa 2018?) to beat support any/all cabs lacking suspension where it’s especially needed in all terrain environments, primarily @ festivals.
After the events market crashed with Covid-19, many/most #pedicab-lifers took back to our local urban markets.
In doing so, we realized the shortage for a better 26” urban rim, where we only had these initially produced as 29’rs.

In our opinion, Thiccs/Fatts are kind of a lot/too much for city usage (*added rubber picks up more city debree, fatter wheels generally require fatter tires often suggesting lower psi ratings, thus increased friction and drag). Fatts are best needed and applied for the dusty, muddy and rocky trails. and hybrids for the city.

While the OG 24mm standard rims worked for our pedal push days, we don’t really see them keeping as well as we’d like since the industry’s moved more into electric.

Thus the birth of the Babyfatt, our hybrid wheel that optimally supports the interests of both road and all terrain.

We consider and these the Best 3 seater alternative between the Light duty and Heavy Duty options that already exist.
For city and off-road riding.

These rims and wheels have also been used on our 6 seaters where we’ve had equally great results ano succes as we have with our Thiccs.

We never want to sell anyone on an idea that these will be the do-all end-all for any large 6+passenger + all terrain cab load, but we can tell you our 29’s have officially passed our approval bar to sustain there test in time.

All wheels, including these, require regular maintenance to keep the spokes very tight to the point of elongation, the rim true and round. Regular maintenance of the spokes will keep you and your wheels running strong for years to come.

For greatest long term durability and reliability we have built these wheels with stainless 14/15 gauge butted spokes and brass nipples. While to some it may seem counter-intuitive to use slightly thinner rather than thicker spokes found in other pedicab wheels that claim to be heavy duty. We have found through extensive testing that thinner butted spokes work better that 12 or 10 gauge spokes.

One might ask "How can a wheel built with thinner spokes be stronger than one built with thicker spokes ?" The answer is simple. For a wheel to stay strong and true it must be built tight enough to stretch the spokes. Bicycle rims are designed to be strong enough to stretch bicycle spokes to proper tension and elongation. Bicycle rims are not strong enough to stretch moped or motorcycle spokes to proper elongation. When using 10 or 12 gauge spokes on a bicycle rim the wheel builder will try to get the spoke up to proper tension, but over time the rims will tend to crack at the spoke hole causing the spokes to loose tension leading to a wheel failure.

By going to a thinner stretchier spoke we have been able to build a more resilient wheel that is better able to return back to its previous shape after it has suffered overloading. The added stretch in the spoke gives the wheel more range of deformation before the spokes go slack, loose tension over a wide area, and the rim collapses.

Rim optimally fits 26" x 2.5 - upto 3.5 tires such as Maxxis Hookworms, Schwalbe varieties, etc.

For easiest tire installation on a wider rims such as these, fit the first bead and press the tire bead into its position on the rim. Slip the slightly inflated tube in to valve hole and then fit around in to the tire and rim. Starting at the valve hole fit the second tire bead. If you have having difficulty fitting the last part of the second bead, deflate the tube all the way, and work your way around the wheel squeezing the tire into the middle of the rim where the rim diameter is the smallest. Then use the heel of you hands to work the remaining part of the tire bead on to the rim. Inflate to no more that the tire's maximum pressure rating. Fitting the tire bead in to the middle of the rim where the rim diameter is slightly smaller is critical to making tire fitment with out tools relatively easy.