Can a front wheel be converted into a freewheel for rear use without drastic modifications? Not talking about any fancy new wheels like the HED's or anything else...

No

Only if you just want to coast.

No issues, if I were to lace a new hub into that same rim though right?

Spoke length may be different due to dish.

I think most would consider a new hub a 'drastic modification' to a wheel.

again no, or is that yes, you can lace a rear hub into a rim that was used in the front. (assuming they have the same number of holes.

BTW- you'll probably only need to buy half the spokes, since left rear and front usually use the same length spoke, or at least within 1mm.

For future reference dumb question time is between 4 & 5PM weekdays (happy hour).

let's say I just got my hand on a 26" alloy wheelset but they're both fronts and now with my f-ed up rear, I'm thinking of just switching the rear hub from to one of the new frontsets (probably the no name hub the others a formula)

Yes, you can dismantle your broken rear wheel and rebuild it with the rim from the front wheel and new spokes of the correct size.

No, although back in the early 60s Cinelli marketed a "Bivalent" hub that could be used on either the front or back (the gear cluster remained attached to the frame):



It never really caught on, though, and was widely perceived as a solution in desperate need of a problem.

heh... I can understand why it didn't catch on but I really wish it had. ANOTHER DUMB QUESTION! Let's say I wanted to make a wheel hubless.. could I drill out the axle/hub shell then use nuts and bolts to pin it in place? I know this may sound like a really fast trip to the ER, but I've got a spare alloy 26" wheel and I kinda want a UW.

At some point you have to attaching a moving part (the wheel) to a stationary part (the fork) and that means you'll need a bearing (not necessarily a ball bearing). A hub is basically just a shell to which spokes can be connected, and a bearing to allow attachment.

There are hubless bicycle wheels, but they're horses of a different color.

Actually most of these are spokeless but not hubless. The hub is simply enlarged out to a hoop (the inner race of the bearing), and the rim and tire run around it (the outer race of the bearing).

Other designs are hubless, where the fork is supported on rotating rim and tire by 3 or more rollers. It's similar to a monorail concept bent into a hoop.

Sadly while cool looking none of these match the traditional spoked wheel on a bearing design in efficiency.

Okay I should be more specific, my bad. An ultimate wheel is similar to a unicycle, but with no fork so no fixed object I need to attach the axle too (sorry to have confused you I do understand what you're talking about as well ) basically I wanted a nice clean look and was hoping to bolt the axle in place in the hub, and use that axle to attach home mode pedals too, I'm just wondering if the hub/axle can take that kind of stress? Oh and I weigh a bit under 150lbs so I'm hoping that helps too...

Actually I just realized, with washers and locknuts I should just be able to use axle itselfto secure the pedals/wheel right?

I think I see. Yow want to do something loke a kids tricycle or an old fashioned high wheeler.

Not with a conventional hub. The stresses on the pedals and cranks are too high, and the configuration is wrong. You'd need to remove the bearings from the hub. Mount it rigidly on a decently strong shaft, sort of like on bottom brackets, then use bearings similar to those on external BBs, except that the outer races of these bearings would be fitted to the blades of a fork.

There are lots of ways to design this, but you have to figure out a way to carry power from the cranks through a pair of bearings to a central area around which the wheel can be built. You might want to look at unicycles, and tricycles for ideas. The biggest part of design is to study what others have done before you, then advance it from there.

I guess I'll just be ghetto and go with filling the rim with wood...

Look for a couple cruisers.. to modify. cheap budget I suspect..?
a hub with a long rear axle, nuts to hold it on the frame,

make, or have a well equipped welding/machine shop do the work..
something like a widened unicycle fork, with a bearing in the end,
to bolt onto the rear end , then tighten it down, the inner race

to be tight around the axle, but have bearings

so it won't come loose but is fee to rotate around the rear hub axis..

Or maybe just get 2 or 3 unicycles, and hold hands.

errmmm okay I am a novice I do admit. But I really am not understanding why I need bearings at all?An ultimate wheel has stationary pedals attached to it...I hope that clears up another sloppy communication on my part. Welding it in place is no issue I was just hoping to make the axle removable as well but I'm guessing not. I'm considering placing the axle then using jb weld to lock it in place and and then tighten down the race cups and weld them on.. then use the axle for pedal arm mounting,

They don't use bearings: you are right. However, I wouldn't build an ultimate wheel the way you are planning to. The stresses are much higher than JB Weld could cope with. All the weight, bending and torque reversals would break it in no time. A good unicycle is more heavily built than a bicycle, and a UW has no frame to distribute the rider's weight. I'd want a super strong wheel and a bomb-proof crankset. A bicycle hub axle is way too frail to put cranks on.

Thank you very much to everyone, I think I'm going to opt for wood.