Bicycle Mechanics - lacing a 24h hub to a 36h rim. possible? how? help.

Has anyone tried it?

I have a 24h hub that I would like to use. But since I can't find any 24h rims, I am thinking of lacing it w/ a 36h rim w/c I already have and save some $$. I am going to use it for the front only.

Now the question is, what are my lacing options? 2x, 3x, 1x, or should I go radial?

Tnx!

dex

Has anyone tried it?

I have a 24h hub that I would like to use. But since I can't find any 24h rims, I am thinking of lacing it w/ a 36h rim w/c I already have and save some $$. I am going to use it for the front only.

Now the question is, what are my lacing options? 2x, 3x, 1x, or should I go radial?

Tnx!

dex

Well, here's the problem. The 24 holes in your hub are evenly spaced all the way around both flanges. The 36 holes in your rim are spaced likewise, but you are only going to use 2/3 of them. Consequently, no matter what spoking pattern you use, you will need to use spokes that have more than one length. The wheel is going to be UGLY looking and I wouldn't want to bet my bridgework on it's durability either.

it's doable. here: http://sheldonbrown.org/raleigh-baylis/pages/raleigh-baylis04.html

and here: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/rinard/36-24.htm

radial is your best bet for a front, since you can keep a uniform spoke length.

Theory or practice?

Lacing a 48 hole rim with a 36 hole hub or vice versa is possible, but considered a last-ditch measure when you are on the road and suddently need replacement parts. It's better than nothing, but doesn't make a very strong wheel. Still better than walking from Come By Chance to St. John's

As for lacing 24 or 36, it's possible, but you will get a weaker wheel than if it were 16 spokes. I would definitely not do it for a rear wheel (except for a 10-year-old child, maybe), and if it is a front hub, I would prefer to buy a new hub, as they are fairly cheap.

Regards,

As an exercise in wheel building, why not? But for a real world wheel, not to good an idea, to many compromises

thanks for all your replies!

didn't do it... too many compromises. :(

Oh, well, I'll just build myself an 18spoke front wheel instead... :)

It's doable with all same length spokes, and 3X pattern.

it's interesting when you finish it up in the truing stand. you have to true it by plucking the spokes and listening to tone b/c you can't rely on counting turns to get even tension. lastly the spokes next to the gaps need to be tightened a little more than the the others.So far it's holding up as a front wheel even with the disc rotor.
it's been out for about 6 hours. 3 hours on a Specilaized S-Works MTB w/ 80mm suspension and disk brake and 3 hours on a single speed Bianchi B@SS with rigid fork and disc brake. no problems yet.
http://buffal0b1ll.com/bikes/100_1330.jpg

Interesting...I wonder if one could do something similar, but with both rim and hub 32h, and only 16, 3 cross spokes... (basically a normal 32h, 3 cross wheel, with half the spokes removed...)

Last time I did a 24 spoke lace on 36hub/36rim, I couldn't get it round. It looked kinda cool but had high and low spots corresponding to the spoke gaps. Never tried it again.

Makes sense... How do the commercially produced low spoke count rims work? (Rolf wheels, for instance)

I'm guessing the rims themselves must have thicker walls to make up for it...?

now I know why liability insurance is so expensive in this country...:rolleyes:

Idle question: What would be the issues on just drilling the rim to match the hub?

By my count, you would need to drill 12 new holes, giving you the 48 hole rim mentioned in an earlier post.

The added holes would not be evenly spaced with the existing holes...they'd just be kind of randomly placed.

jee, another very old thread brought back to life. :)
What ever happened to Dexmax?

Anyway, since then, the DTRR1.2 has been readily available as an affordable 'rim only',
and comes in 20, 24, 28 and 32 hole

The added holes would not be evenly spaced with the existing holes...they'd just be kind of randomly placed.
You are correct that the holes wouldn't be evenly spaced, I overlooked that. You would have a rim with 48 holes, but not a 48 hole rim, per my post.

However:

A 36 hole rim has holes at 0°, 10°, 20°, 30°,...

A 24 hole rim has holes at 0°, 15°, 30°...

The modified rim would have holes at 0°, 10°, 15°, 20°, 30°...

So the uneven holes would be unused.

Aha, I think I get it now. I thought you were thinking of creating a 48h rim to match a 48h hub...rather than a 24h hub. Which was rather dumb of me, considering the context...

...my brain is too tired to figure this out. With our theoretical rim with 48 holes, half of the existing holes would be drilled left of center, half of them right. Would they end up working out?

Aha, I think I get it now. I thought you were thinking of creating a 48h rim to match a 48h hub...rather than a 24h hub. Which was rather dumb of me, considering the context...

...my brain is too tired to figure this out. With our theoretical rim with 48 holes, half of the existing holes would be drilled left of center, half of them right. Would they end up working out?

No. That would be a problem, every other existing hole in the rim would be on the wrong side. I knew it sounded too goofy to work.