JoeBass

So I'm looking for a vintage clincher wheelset to go with my 120mm spaced frame and while there seem to be a lot of tub options on eBay, clinchers are nowhere to be found. Is it possible to size down a 126mm rear hub? I read that you can remove spacers? Is this correct?

Thanks much,
Joe

Classtime 

I did just that with a 126 Shimano 600 wheel. I removed a 4 mm spacer (just lucky I guess) and hacksawed 4 mm of axle off. I haven't gotten around to checking the dish yet but it tracks fine as is on my PX-10.

Jeff Wills

If it's a steel frame, I'd just stuff a 126mm hub in it and call it good. Spreading a frame by 6mm is inconsequential.

bikemig 

+ 1 on spreading the frame.

jetboy 

push push hard! but yes a hacksaw can also work. i recently hacksawed a 135 to 126 - good times.

DIMcyclist

Actually, I've put in a bit of research into doing exactly this, to achieve a 120mm/ HG 7sp hub, from modifying a 126mm Shimano 600 RH; either a 6207/8 (with a UG/HG freehub swap) or 6401.

It's perfectly do-able; all it takes is a shorter axle (131mm, iirc, which you can order from Wheels Mfg) and- preferably- an OC rear rim to maintain an effective wheel dish. OC rims were designed for this kind of thing, albeit for +10sp wheels; in the course of building the new wheel, you'd just be applying the same idea to fewer gears.

At the end of the day, I opted for spreading the frame by 4mm & just using a 6401 hub; it was just a lot easier.

Edit: I should mention that at the moment there are some VERY nice Taiwanese, sealed-bearing, 120mm cassette hubs on the market from SunXCD, Grand Bois, & Suzue, but all are limited to 5 or 6 speed, depending on the cassette. They're for the most part kinda pricey, but you get what you pay for; better than what you pay for with the Suzue Classica (if you get your nose into the dirt, you can dig up a full Classica hubSET for the price of a GB rear only). Internally however, they're all apparently the same hubs with a few outward cosmetic variations as defined by each company.

FlMTNdude

My hub spacing is 130mm on a bike with a 126mm spread. I have to spread the frame as I go in, but it isn't this big fight. Why not just use the 126mm? Alternatively there is always Sheldon Brown.....

Iowegian

If you remove spacers from the axle to convert from 126mm to 120mm, you will need to re-dish the wheel since you will remove more spacers from the drive side than the non-drive side. If the axle is hollow (quick-release) you will also need to shorten the axle to fit between the dropouts. I guess this assumes the shell size is roughly the same between 120mm and 126mm hubs but I doubt there was any standard spacing back then (or now?) so no guarantees. And of course some freewheels are wider than others, some frames will have more or less clearance between the seat stay and dropouts etc. The only way to really tell is to try it. I'd say your chances of being able to make it work are > 90%.

I'd just remove spacers until the OLD (distance between lock-nuts) is 120mm, install your freewheel, adjust spacers as needed to make sure you can shift to the smallest cog without having the chain rub on the seat stay, and finally dish the wheel to center the rim between the seat stays. Not hard to do any of this assuming you can true a wheel.

plonz 

Or keep an eye out for a set of 100/120mm Nuovo Tipo hubs and build your wheel of choice.

Nice set here but pretty pricey

Campagnolo Gran Sport/Nuovo Tipo Hubs QR Levs 100/120mm Polished 36H 1971 | eBay

Narhay

I just replaced the original 126mm axle with a 120mm axle from a trashed Tipo hub last night. Dished, trued and I'm off.