Classic & Vintage - Any 126mm hubs for our old bikes available new?

Or is there no ongoing production of 126mm hubs? Is it possible to shorten a new 130 to 126, but use a modern cassette instead? I want to keep riding my '88 Miyata Three Twelve for years to come - it's a great retro road bike for sure, but the hubs surely are wearing out sooner than me - and I'd like to have second set of wheels, so I don't have to play the tire swapping game.

I just can't imagine everyone's willing cold-set their treasure for the sake of forward compatibility or more sprockets on a cassette.

Phil Wood will make you what you need.


http://philwood.com/store/page16.html


http://philwood.com/store/page15.html

That's a good question.... I don't think there would be much profit in manufacturing new 126mm hubs for a very small market segment.

EDIT: I stand corrected - Phil Wood, as linked above.

But - vintage hubs in great condition can be found everywhere - most bikes were ridden very lightly after purchase, and have spent most of their lives hanging in garages like bats in a cave. You can find a great deal on a second set of wheels with great hubs without much effort. I've probably got 3-4 vintage wheel sets hanging in my garage, just like most folks in this forum.

It occurs to me that opening up the rear triangle 2 mm on each side to accommodate a modern hub hardly requires cold setting. In the unlikely event that a suitable 126 mm hub cannot be located...
Just sayin'

http://www.loosescrews.com

Look under "hub" A couple types of Shimano, 126old with UNIGLIDE freehub bodies. They also list some Uniglide cassettes & loose cogs. All NOS I believe. I've bought from them a few times, good to deal with.

John

Or is there no ongoing production of 126mm hubs? Is it possible to shorten a new 130 to 126, but use a modern cassette instead? I want to keep riding my '88 Miyata Three Twelve for years to come - it's a great retro road bike for sure, but the hubs surely are wearing out sooner than me - and I'd like to have second set of wheels, so I don't have to play the tire swapping game.

I just can't imagine everyone's willing cold-set their treasure for the sake of forward compatibility or more sprockets on a cassette.As iTod said, your best bet is to just slide a 130 hub in there. You don't need to permanently alter the frame. A steel frame like your 312 will spring open no problem. Hell, I do it on an aluminum frame, even.

As for a 126mm-spaced 10-speed cassette hub, don't bother. Phil Wood won't even do it. Go ahead, call 'em.

130mm spaced wheels with 10-speed cassettes already have a pretty extreme amount of dish. Since the 4mm would all have to come off the non-drive side, you'd have to build the wheel with even more dish. At best you'd end up with a crummy wheel, at worst a dangerous one.

So just cram a 130 hub in there, you'll be fine. :)