# Whizzer Spoke Size?



## Western-Whizzer (Mar 5, 2017)

I am sorry if this has been covered before, but I was wondering if anybody knows what the factory spoke size was on a 1940's WZ Schwinn bicycle? Was it .105, or .120 gauge? Also, does anybody have any kind of spoke chart showing the different spoke sizes, or spoke diameters in millimeters? I am trying to figure out what I have already, or what I need? Thank you very much!


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## bricycle (Mar 6, 2017)

Not positive, but believe .120-.125. 1998-9+  modern ones were .100-.105


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## Western-Whizzer (Mar 6, 2017)

Thank you, I have several factory Whizzer wheels, but I don't know what size the spokes are? I am hoping that they are .105 so they will match your hub.


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## GTs58 (Mar 6, 2017)

I'd bet all the factory Whizzers had the 120 spokes.

*Designed Especially for Bicycle Motors *

Schwinn Tubular Rims, Spring Fork, 120 Gauge Spokes, Electronically Welded Frame and Heavy Duty Expander Brakes are required features On Any Motorized Bicycle. Only Schwinn Has All These To Offer. 


 Model WZ507 - for Whizzer Motor installation.
 Model No. MP97 - for use with Marman Motor.


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## Western-Whizzer (Mar 6, 2017)

GTs58 said:


> I'd bet all the factory Whizzers had the 120 spokes.
> 
> *Designed Especially for Bicycle Motors *
> 
> ...



I forgot about that old ad. Thank you!


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## Vintage-Whizzer (Jul 15, 2017)

Hi, I just recently bought what I believe are .120 gauge spokes, but they are bigger then the spokes on all five of my factory Whizzer's. I thought Whizzer's all had .120 gauge spokes. 
I measured the diameter on my Whizzer spokes and they are between 2.65 and 2.70 the .120 gauge spokes that I just bought measure 3.00 in thickness. Do all five of my stock whizzers have .105 gauge spokes? Or are the new spokes bigger then .120 gauge spokes? A chart of spoke diameters would be nice. Thank you!


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## Vintage-Whizzer (Jul 15, 2017)

Regardless of what the ad below says, all of my factory WZ507's and MP97's have .105"/2.70mm spokes. I wonder why the ad said they were .120" which is 3.00mm ho knows?
Does anybody have a factory WZ507 with .120 gauge spokes?


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## Vintage-Whizzer (Jul 15, 2017)

Here is something interesting, and of coarse some spokes may have been replaced. My wheel in the photo below has both gauges, .105, and .120


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## GTs58 (Jul 15, 2017)

I would think that all Schwinn produced Whizzers had the 120 spokes. If a bike was retrofitted with a  Whizzer kit, the wheels were probably left as is and quite possibly had the 105 ga. spokes. Just my thoughts though.


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## Vintage-Whizzer (Jul 15, 2017)

GTs58 said:


> I would think that all Schwinn produced Whizzers had the 120 spokes. If a bike was retrofitted with a  Whizzer kit, the wheels were probably left as is and quite possibly had the 105 ga. spokes. Just my thoughts though.



I am not 100% sure, but I think you bought the heavy duty bike equipped for a Whizzer engine, and then bought the Whizzer kit separately. I would guess that both dealers, and customers would install the motor kit, but the kits did not come with larger spokes. I just think for whatever reason Shwinnn abandoned the idea of .120 gauge spokes, and went with .105  spokes. Or the ad was a typo. Out of all  5 of my stock bikes, you would think at least one would have .120 gauge spokes.


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## Jeff54 (Jul 16, 2017)

Gauge--Inches----Millimeters

8g-------0.129"------3.26mm
9g-------0.114"------2.91mm
10g-----0.102"------2.59mm
11g-----0.091"------2.31mm
12g-----0.081"------2.06mm

U guys are confusing me so, I looked up the conversions.

10g _appears_ to be  the whizzer yet, is the heavy duty and late 70's-81-2 cruisers (maybe even newer Murray and Taiwan cruisers?) b/c they're on the even more recent 95 anniversary deluxe and  late 90's cruiser 6. (maybe more in PC's Schwinn's?) .


Schwinn's ad ".120" has got to be an error, even in "gage" size nobody thought to correct. Unless they mean a 9g in Inch value .120" including coating; zinc plate?
 3.00mm must be a 9g-2.91mm and coating/plate is making it thicker?

Could the Whizzers actually be 9 AWG, plus zinc?


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## Vintage-Whizzer (Jul 16, 2017)

Jeff54 said:


> Gauge--Inches----Millimeters
> 
> 8g-------0.129"------3.26mm
> 9g-------0.114"------2.91mm
> ...



Well when I used my caliper the factory spokes measured on average 2.70mm which is .105", and the non factory larger spokes measured 3.00mm which is .120"
I just think the ad was incorrect. The huffy 90 which was a bike that was equiped for a Whizzer does have .120 gauge spokes.
Can anybody measure their WZ507's and see if they have .105 gauge spokes as well?


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## bairdco (Jul 16, 2017)

Jeff54 said:


> Gauge--Inches----Millimeters
> 
> 8g-------0.129"------3.26mm
> 9g-------0.114"------2.91mm
> ...





Spokes use the archaic US steel wire guage. 12g is .105", and 11g is .120".

A 9g spoke is about as thick as a pencil. Motorcycles use them.

Spoke length and guage has mostly been converted into the metric system, and since most bikes these days use 14-15g spokes, and are sizes are "governed" by the elitist road bike manufactures and foreign importers, 11-12g spoke sizes are all but ignored.

It's still funny to me that most handlebar clamp sizes are either 22.2mm or 25.4mm, which is just a confusing way of saying 7/8" and 1".

I don't have any tools to measure .2mm.


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## GTs58 (Jul 16, 2017)

Some info I found. And it must be true since I found it on the internet. 

*by Will Larsen

 The Pacemaker Model was first introduced by Whizzer in  June 1948 and continued through 1952.  The Pacemaker was unique in its time. A Schwinn- built chassis predominated,(the first 500 or so were built by Whizzer in house), with an all- new telescoping front fork with dual coil springs. It had 24" Lobdell wheels with a Sturmey-Archer expanding front-wheel brake, and a coaster brake on the rear. Heavy-duty .105 ga. spokes were used and the automatic clutch was standard when first introduced. We will attempt to give a general guideline as to the model year changes. We do not assume to be 100% correct and in fact, invite any documented additions or changes. Remember, you could have a 1948 model with a 1952 title, or any such combination, due to a dealer having a machine in stock for some time.*

Read the whole page. 
Link............. http://www.angelfire.com/pa/whizzermotorbike/pace.html


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## Vintage-Whizzer (Jul 16, 2017)

GTs58 said:


> Some info I found. And it must be true since I found it on the internet.
> 
> *by Will Larsen
> 
> ...



Thank you, that is some good info.


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## Vintage-Whizzer (Jul 16, 2017)

Here is some info from angelfire, 
*
Purpose- built Bikes
*
The Whizzer engine became so popular that several manufacturers produced a bike intended for mounting the Whizzer engine kit. The 1947 Schwinn *WZ507* bike (later designated S4) was a variation of the Schwinn cantilever frame patented in 1937.( _The term *"CANTILEVER"* indicates that the frame has two lower top tubes, which run all the way from the head tube, cross the seat mast, and continue down to the rear drop-out.)_The welds were heavier, and spokes were .105 inch diameter as opposed to the .080 inch standard gauge. The earliest ones (WZ) have the inside of the rear seat stays and chain stays pressed flat for belt clearance. On the later ones, the stays are dimpled, and there is a welded on brake arm anchor point, which is then connected to the brake arm by a strut. Seems the coaster brake sometimes tore through the standard bicycle type strap, and in some cases bent or cracked the frame, so a welded on anchor point was provided. Schwinn’s "knee action" spring fork was used. A Schwinn front brake was provided to assist the standard coaster brake. The coaster brakes are Bendix, New Departure, and Morrow.(I can personally attest that stopping the rear wheel with the coaster brake does not necessarily stop the bike, so all my bikes have front brakes.)


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