Spare Wheels

[MacB]

Due to recent issues around borking one back wheel and the hub gear seizing on another, I want to ensure that I can keep bikes on the road. But it's not feasible, or practical, to keep multiple spare rear wheels to match various drivetrains. The potential coverage required would be:-

4 bikes with 135mm trackend dropouts, 9 speed cassette and 622-19 rims
1 bike with 135mm horizontal dropouts, hub gear and 622-19 rim
1 bike with 135mm vertical dropouts & EBB, hub gear and 622-15 rim
1 bike with 130mm vertical dropouts, 9 speed cassette and 622-15 rim

All bikes will have v-brakes and plenty of clearance, the final builds will result in a spare rear wheel for the 130mm dropout, so that's covered by a straight swap. What I was thinking was that I could have just one other spare rear wheel to cover the remaining 6 bikes. A 622-19 rim with a 9 speed cassette, so straight swap for the derailler bikes and acts as a single speed swap for the hub gear ones. Could need a spare chain, or maybe whack on a tensioner, I have one.

Is there any reason this wouldn't work?

 

[MartinC]

Issues to resolve that I can see would be:

1. What chain do you run the hub gear on? If it's an 1/8" or a 7/8 speed it may not run on the 9 Cassette.

2. Chain tension and gear ratio on the hub gear bike will depend on the sprocket on the cassette that you must use for the right chain line. If you add a chain tensioner it may run on a 1/8" or 7/8 speed chain (determined by the profile of the 'jockey' wheel on the tensioner). I've had one that wouldn't run a 9 speed chain properly - very noisy.

Assuming you're happy to swap around the cassette on your spare wheel you could resolve these problems by getting one of those single sprocket and spacer kit that convert a freehub to SS. By choosing the same size sprocket as the hub gear the chain tension would be the same and chain width wouldn't be an issue.

You had a hub gear seize? Some more details would be interesting.

 

[lazyfatgit]

MacB, with so many bikes, wouldn't you just use another if one failed, until you could get it fixed?

 

[MacB]

MacB, with so many bikes, wouldn't you just use another if one failed, until you could get it fixed?

Not all mine, there's 5 of us, just trying to ensure the fleet is as interchangeable as possible, hence standardisation of wheel size, brakes etc what will probably happen is one of the kids ones will fail and I'll only find out when I go to ride mine and they've taken that instead.

 

[MacB]

Issues to resolve that I can see would be:

1. What chain do you run the hub gear on? If it's an 1/8" or a 7/8 speed it may not run on the 9 Cassette.

2. Chain tension and gear ratio on the hub gear bike will depend on the sprocket on the cassette that you must use for the right chain line. If you add a chain tensioner it may run on a 1/8" or 7/8 speed chain (determined by the profile of the 'jockey' wheel on the tensioner). I've had one that wouldn't run a 9 speed chain properly - very noisy.

Assuming you're happy to swap around the cassette on your spare wheel you could resolve these problems by getting one of those single sprocket and spacer kit that convert a freehub to SS. By choosing the same size sprocket as the hub gear the chain tension would be the same and chain width wouldn't be an issue.

You had a hub gear seize? Some more details would be interesting.

excellent idea Martin, I'd totally forgotten sprocket/chain pitch, swapping cassette for single cog would be no problem. Hub gear fail was here:-

http://www.cyclechat.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=52150

maybe I should have posted it more seriously in the Know How, just felt a bit down about it Is currently winging its way to Wales for repair/replace, so that bike is totally out of action right now, hence these thoughts.

 

[Aperitif]

How about you open a bike shop (*after you have done the CBAs, of course) MacB?

 

[MacB]

How about you open a bike shop (*after you have done the CBAs, of course) MacB?

no way, all of my training is via the web, purchases are fuelled by late night curiosity. I then couple this with bodged attempts, and inadequate tools, in the garage. Followed by red faced trips to the LBS to fix it all for me and subsequent correct tool purchases.

Perhaps not the best way of learning, seems to be expensive, bit strangely enjoyable.

Latest thing is a set of On-One Midge bars, some Tektro RL520 brake levers, a Thorn accessory bar(to mount the twist shifter on) which I got for £7.50 incl postage as the SJS price is ludicrous and a combination of tubular foam grips and bar tape over the top. I've also been studying up on the Hubbub adaptor, basically sticking a bit of 22.2mm bar to the end of the 23.8mm bar. May try my own version of this, only needs an old offcut and an insertion based locking mechanism. Then there's my looking at bar end shifters and Paul's Thumbies brackets which allow you to mount them anywhere you want. The come in road and MTB sizes and an open clamp, which is refreshing.

Only bit I'm fretting about is a cross top lever that will operate a v-brake. Again Pauls does them but they're $100+ a pair, though they have moveable pivot points so will operate both types of brake. But my latest thought is to use a cheap normal set and increase cable pull by bending the lever out. Not a brake I intend to rely on just something to assist when pootling on the tops, may even do front brake only.

Obviously life would be a lot easier if Shimano made STI's that can operate any type of derailler or hub gear plus any type of brake. I consider their inability to do so a personal affront and would remonstrate most soundly with them, if there was any chance they'd listen. Oh, and cycling manufacturers, pick a size for bar tubing and clamping and stick to it, for all bikes.

That about covers it

 

[MartinC]

MacB, thanks for the link to your hub's demise. There are so few hub gears around it's always useful to hear other's experiences. My experience of SRAM hubs (3's and 7's) is good so I'm a bit disappointed for you. Please post when it's fixed and you know what the problem was. Hope it's not too long for you.

 

[MacB]

MacB, thanks for the link to your hub's demise. There are so few hub gears around it's always useful to hear other's experiences. My experience of SRAM hubs (3's and 7's) is good so I'm a bit disappointed for you. Please post when it's fixed and you know what the problem was. Hope it's not too long for you.

Cheers Martin, will update as and when, got the backup bike running with the studded tyres and the 3 speed hub gear, so not so bad Funnily enough when I contacted the place I got it from they were clueless as well, it's the first one they've had go wrong....I'm lucky like that