Several years ago I needed a new wheelset for my vintage Schwinn MTB with 130mm spacing so I built up a set of wheels on Shimano 600 (pre-Ultegra, 130mm) 8 speed hubs. The hubs were in decent condition; a minor amount of pitting in the race but they have served their purpose for a commuter/beater bike.

Now that I'm a little older and wiser (and have more money), I should have considered a rear hub that can convert between 130/135mm to gain some flexibility. I'm considering building up a 26" MTB for my wife and could have had another use. A modern road hub is also possible.

I know Chris King Classic hubs use different non-drive side caps to change the spacing of the hub:

King part numbers:
PHB504 axle end 130mm
PHB505 axle end 135mm
PHB506 axle end 140mm

I've read the threads that the lock nuts can be "shaved down" and other methods to remove 5mm from a 135mm hub, but wanted to know what hubs beside the Kings are designed to be adapted? I thought I read something about DT hubs but it wasn't clear.

Thanks!

Many 135 mm OLD hubs have a 5 mm spacer on the non-drive side that can be removed and the axle shortened by the same 5 mm to give a 130 mm OLD hub. You could later convert it back to 135 by replacing the spacer and recentering the axle. The resulting axle protrusions into the dropouts will be less than the standard 5.5 mm/side but still adequate.

However, this conversion will also require redishing the rim after each conversion so it's not something to be done often and certainly not if you plan to use the same wheel on two different bikes interchangeably.

How often do you plan to convert the OLD?

10x1 thread Shimano .. steel axle. .. cheap. just need longer axle + a 5mm thick spacer

+ a spoke wrench, because the dish is less on a 135 than the 130..

An alternative would be to cold-set the 130mm bike to 135mm, assuming it is a steel frame. This was my solution.

or just make rear hub at 132.5.. split the difference.

"The resulting axle protrusions into the dropouts will be less than the standard 5.5 mm/side but still adequate"

BULL CRAP.

got any more bad ideas you want to show us?

For another perspective see the section on axle length:
Bicycle Frame/Hub Spacing

That is NOT bull crap and it's not a bad idea. It's perfectly secure and safe and is done frequently. Here is Sheldon Brown's take on this idea and I'm convinced he knew a great deal more about it than you do:

"Overall axle length for quick release hubs is commonly 11 mm longer than the overlocknut distance listed, 5.5 mm on each side.

In practice, the axle can be quite a bit shorter than this...even 1-2 mm protrusion past the lock nuts will suffice to locate the axle properly, so, when converting a hub to the next wider spacing, it is usually unnecessary to replace the axle."

face it... you know nothing about axles... how much of that 2.5mm is consumed by the thread end champhers? Basically, the bike/rider's weight would be carried BY ABOUT ONE MILLIMETER of THREADED axle... your frame would have TRASHED dropouts AND axle ends in no time at all.... AND, if Sheldon were still alive, i'd tell him the SAME THING. An ALUMINUM frame would be destroyed in NO TIME, if someone took your bad advice... but the AXLE would be in better shape, eh?

What's next?... You telling everyone that the load is carried by the quick release?

You should have told the OP that IF he shortens an axle, the threads will not work, due to burrs left after cutting the axle, eh? AND, to partially prevent that, to install a jam nut or cone, THEN, file or lightly grind a CHAMPHER onto the end that was cut, and THEN remove the jam nut or cone to clean the threads up some... A wire wheel will also work to clean up the threads... i use a wire wheel and cone to do a thorough job.

"1-2mm protrusion is ok... "... HAH!... NOT! check the pitch of the axle thread... get back to me with what you find... you'll find that the axle will be hitting the dropout on each side with... how many thread peaks? AND, since THREADS are cut to about a 15 to 20% peak reduction to limit burrs during manufacture, you'll note about... how much actual contact width at 1mm protrusion?.... next to NONE, that's how much.

a properly machined thread has a RADIUS at the top of the thread, btw... what does THAT do to the contact patch?
REDUCES IT, to an even tinier measurement...... and you recommend that as "OK"... hoo boy...

take a GOOD look at an old dropout sometime, ok?

axle supported by half the thickness of the dropout or more.... if it sticks out a little,
just remove the conical springs from the QR skewer, then you have the space they used to occupy..




....

Most aluminum and carbon fiber rear dropouts will be wide enough that they will be fine using an axle long enough for 135mm, but spaced to 130mm without cutting. Steel frame dropouts may be tight.

In theory, you could take a 135mm hub (standard thread-on). Take out the 5mm spacer, and add a 2.5 mm spacer to both sides (either outside or inside of the locknuts). Build up the wheel.

Then when you wish to do 130mm, remove your two spacers (one from each side). When you wish to do 135, add the spacers (or washers) back on.

Re-dishing wouldn't really be needed.

Vertical dropouts should hold reasonably well with just tight skewers. Horizontal dropouts will need the knurling.

And, it seems, you know even less.

Zanq has expensive tastes . I suppose they want others to have similar tastes to test the stuff they're interested in ..

Lots of posts do that ..

they could call the company? ask about a 132.5 version , like I suggested..

. . . and not much of a conversationalist.

zanq is also a father, a husband, and has a full time job. I feel a response within 24hrs. is more than acceptable.

Can I assume that I am the "they" in in your comment? "They" could call the company. "They" could also post on a forum where like-minded individuals share ideas, experiences, and information; that is kind of the point of a forum. If "they" had such expensive tastes and the cash to indulge in such tastes, "they" probably would not seeking more information about hubs that effectively give you 2 (or more)-for-1. It is not my fault that Chris King and DT Swiss are the 2 examples I've found. The point of my post is looking for hubs, potentially more economical than a $400+ CK, that may have the same adaptability.

I never would have guessed such an innocent question would descend into such negativity. I appreciate the helpful info that has been contributed but I do not see why or how snarky comments and insults are necessary or constructive. We're talking about bikes people; this is supposed to be fun!


Anyway, back on topic and to answer a question above:

Conversion would not be frequent, maybe once a year, maybe when I need the wheels/hubs to go to a new frame. I am not a fan of planned obsolescence. I'm liking the flexibility and conversion options some manufacturer's are designing into their hubs.

Thanks!

I feel your pain. BF is a place where you can ask "What is 2+2?" and you'll get a bunch of responses that "That's a stupid question, here's how to bake a cake! And also you're morally deficient for asking!"

Certain, frequently banned posters who have "contributed" unhelpful advice on this thread already are repeat offenders.

Anyway thanks for the question, I'm interested in the answer too because I would like to swap wheels between 130 and 135mm spaced frames in the future, if possible.

OK, if you aren't going to do it often then swapping axles, removing/adding the spacer and redishing the wheel each time isn't an excessive job. So, yes it is both possible and reasonable to use one wheel for both spacings and, despite maddog34's misgivings, using the shorter axle for both spacings is both reasonable and safe.

An alternative suggested above to just squeeze the 135 mm hub into the 130 mm frame or to cold set the 130 mm frame is also a viable way to do it if the 130 mm frame is steel.

To the OP: see how a little conversation gets to a better answer and cuts a lot of the noise?

I think you can use your 130mm hub and add 2mm or 2.5mm spacers to each side when you insert it into a 135mm frame. It's better to unscrew the axle lock nuts and insert the spacers before them.
2mm Axle Spacer

Or you can measure and replace the existing spacers.
You can also buy new 135mm axles if the existing ones are short.

Thank you for this!

And like I said above, BikeForums.net is not my life. This thread descended from question to arguments/rude comments in just over 1 hour. How was "a little conversation" going to prevent the noise.....that you perpetuated? And I don't need any lessons on how to conduct myself in a forum; I've been here nearly a decade longer than you.


Now, I would appreciate it if we kept this thread constructive, civil, and on topic. Thanks!

The problem with adding spacers to the drive side is they move the cogs over away from the rear derailleur. Typically respacing hubs is done all on the non-drive side.