Aquakitty

I am restoring a 50ish year old Holdsworth trike conversion. If you don't have any clue what it is, here is an idea...

Not my image, randomly found on interwebs, just to show what I am talking about.

I was thinking about spoking the rear wheels on this with a 1x pattern. Why would I do this? The issue is, the old proprietary pawled hubs are 32h and small flanged. I am on a tight budget. I have a lot of bikes, and a '90's MTB acted as a wheel donor, so I have some rims for very cheap. These rims happen to have a super low profile with an ERD of 574. I wanted white spokes on the rims, but the size needed is 280mm, and these are hard to find for cheap as they usually have to be custom cut.

Either I need to find rims with a smaller ERD or I could possibly lace these with a 1x pattern. Since the right and front wheel has no torque on it at all this should be ok.

The drive side is one long axle, with the left wheel on one end press-fit to the hub, and a cog in the middle. Is there less force on this drive wheel so I could use a 1x pattern or would it be no different than normal direct-to-hub torque?

Bottom line is, is a 1x pattern ok in this situation?

mrrabbit 

I think you have you sizing information incorrect...

https://www.mrrabbit.net/wheelsbyflemingapplications.php

Grab the spreadsheet...

For the spokechart tab, input hole per side, crossings at the top, and rim diameter just below...play around with crossings see what you get for typical front flange hubs throughout the chart below - hubs with diameters of 36-40mm.

=8-)

FBinNY 

There's nothing inherently better or worse about 1x wheels so if it's a Cinderella story and the spokes fit go ahead. However because the cross will be so close to the hub, you cannot interlace the spokes inner over outer as you normally would with 3x.

There's another alternative that may also help. If you have 2 lengths handy which average the correct length, each being a few millimeters over or under, you can lace the wheel with all the longer spokes pulling, and the shorter ones "pushing". This puts a slight twist on the hub with respect to the rim, but if you stay within a few millimeters won't cause any issue in the wheel.

Bianchigirll 

I would love to get one of these or an actual racing trike. More Pics Please

FBinNY 

for a Binachi conversion?

fietsbob

I'd spoke the 1 driven wheel 3 cross, for torque windup, the other 2 wheels
would probably be fine 1X.

the 32 little short 1X spokes on my R-off Bike Friday got laced over each other .

only brakes you have are on the front wheels.. make them good ones ..

I've seen them setup with 2 brakes on the 1 wheel.

mrrabbit 

As I've already stated, the OPs sizing information is wrong...hence my earlier suggestion to fiddle with a calculation tool. Also for the OP, custom cut straight guage stainless steel spokes can be had for as little as .34 apiece online before shipping.

=8-)

oldbobcat

Having trued many 2-cross rear wheels on Fuji Newest 3.0s, I have to say that with low flange hubs, box section rims, and standard j-headed spokes, anything less than 3-cross, especially in the back, makes a pretty unstable wheel. Buy spokes and do it right.

Aquakitty

Oh in case anyone is wondering why I need new rims, the old ones were chrome and not too bad rust-wise on the outside, but on the inside they must have had water sitting in them for years, the corrosion is severe, the rust has eaten through the wall in some places.

And in case anyone is wondering why I am going so cheap, it's because I am doing this for someone who knows pretty much nothing about bikes. He thought this kit was just an old trike, and is planning to give it to someone as a present. Problem is he has a spending limit so I am trying to oblige while still giving him what he wants. I should perhaps explain again that these things are desirable.

I will for sure once it is complete, right now it is waiting to be clear coated. The person I am doing this for is not big on racing bikes . If it were mine I would be going in a different direction.

Yea I was considering a double brake set-up.

I use EDD. The hubs have very small centre to right and left, so with a rim with an ERD of 574 the spokes need to be 279mm. I will certainly take your advice and remeasure, but the hubs are nearly flat. Anyways I have plenty of 260-ishmm spokes I can experiment with to see if I am wrong.


I also realise I can get cheap silver SS spokes, but I want white or blue. Option #2 is painting the spokes.

mrrabbit 

In your original post, you gave no indication of the length of spokes you currently have.

Also, call Bicycle Express of San Jose, CA. See what they'll quote you on powder coat white, red, blue, pink, orange, green, or yellow 14g spokes cut to length.

408-998-1618

=8-)

Aquakitty

Cool thanks will check it out.