Re: [CR]Re: Sturmey Archer questions

(Example: Component Manufacturers:Avocet)

To: monkey37@bluemarble.net
Cc: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org, twar@hotmail.com
Date: Fri, 12 Jan 2001 15:52:37 -0800
Subject: Re: [CR]Re: Sturmey Archer questions
From: Mark A. Perkins <bicyclemark@juno.com>


I agree, that tension plays a major part in this situation, but would like to add that a 4-cross, rather than a 3-cross pattern will increase the spoke's angle with the flange. This means that there will be a greater thickness of metal, in the direction that the spoke is pulling, to resist the force that the spoke exerts on the flange. As the spoke pattern gets closer to a radial pattern, the amount of metal between the hole and the outside diameter of the flange, in line with the spoke, gets smaller. As I recall, all of Sturmey Archer's (SA) hub flanges are quite thin, and there isn't very much metal between the spoke hole and the outside diameter of the flange. Thus, the fewer crosses one uses, increases the chance of the spokes pulling through the flange somewhere.

I would recommend using at least a 4-cross pattern on the aluminum SA hubs. And with 40-spokes, one might look into using a 5-cross pattern to see if it will keep the spokes running closer to the tangent of the hub's flanges.

I have also found that the larger the diameter of the flange is, and/or the more spokes the wheel has, the more crosses the spokes can make, or need to make, if one wishes the spokes to be closer to the tangent of the flange.

As an example, my 1888 Columbia (high-wheeler), with it's 53", 68 spoke, front wheel, with about a 4" dia. flange, uses a 5-cross pattern, which actually has a spoke angle similar in appearance to a 3-cross pattern on a 700C wheel.

Just to assure you that I know what I am talking about, I have been building bicycle wheels for almost 30 years (but I didn't keep count of how many), but those who know my work, also know that I know what I'm doing when it comes to bicycle wheels.

On Fri, 12 Jan 2001 11:09:50 -0700 Monkeyman <monkey37@bluemarble.net> writes:
> >-I would also like to know about the integrity of the Sturmey-Archer
> alloy
> >shelled hubs compared to the steel versions. I have heard that
> they had a
> >problem "blowing up". Does anyone have some experience/opinions
> here? I am
> >going to use a SA hub on a rider and want to make sure I use a
> durable hub.
> >Thanks for any info.
>
> If by "blowing up" you mean spoke flanges ripping out, yes they do.
> Actually the real problem is that wheels built today are much
> tighter than
> those of the past. I had a '55 alloy shell that had been built up 4
> or 5
> times with no problems but I've always been careful about spoke
> tension.
> The S-A flanges are thin and softer than you would expect and I've
> seen a
> few of the flanges rip on NOS alloy shelled hubs. I've built @5,000
> wheels
> so I have little use for a tensiometer anymore so I can't tell you
> how
> tight to make the wheel, but if you can find someone who has built a
> lot of
> older wheels that would be better. I would also use green loctite
> after
> the build is finished so your spokes don't work their way loose.
> This is
> the only problem I've ever heard about the alloy shelled S-A
> 3-speeds, as
> Hilary stated the 4-speeds are another matter.
>
> Since you're in Olympia, Washington I would recommend a trip to
> Seattle and
> Val at The Bikesmith in Wallingford for all the S-A info you can
> swallow.
>
> enjoy,
> Brandon"monkey'S-A freakboy'man"Ives
>
>
> Brandon and Mitzi's-- "Wurld uv Wunder"
> http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~capybara/
>
> Monkeyman's on going bicycle part garage sale
> http://www.uweb.ucsb.edu/~mkirklan/salepage/garage.html
>
> !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> Nobody can do everything,
> but if everybody did something
> everything would get done.
> -Gil Scott Heron-
> !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________

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