I wonder what size spoke holes are in the Sturmey Archer hubs? On the transportation bicycles that I make, I use a Shimano Nexus 7 or 8 speed internal geared hub. These have a spoke hole diameter of 3mm - much bigger than what is in a standard road hub. Are SA holes similar in size? My solution is to use a 13 gauge spoke that is 2.3 mm thick (for comparison a 14 gauge spoke is 2.0 mm thick). Actually at some point they need to become 14 gauge at the threaded end because most rims don't have a big enough hole for a 13 gauge nipple. I asked the European representatives at Sapim and DT what would work if using 2.0 mm spokes on those big holed Nexus hubs and they recommended, like Steven and Mark said, using brass washers at the spoke head. Quality Bicycle Product does still carry them. I know because I just got some more in today. They are under tools (or something) in their catalog and not in the spoke section.
I take every opportunity to preach the gospel that Dutch style transportation bicycles are a joy to ride no matter what subject brings it up. Besides getting the groceries, they are fun to just jump on with normal clothes and go for a walking effort spin. Everyone in the countries around the Netherlands know this and I think Americans are missing out.
Doug Fattic Niles, Michigan
At 12/21/2005 02:54 AM +0000, Steven M. Johnson wrote:
>Build them up with 2mm brass washers under the spoke heads.
>
>If you can find them anywhere?
A friend claims he found some at his local hardware store, that are
identical to the DTs that QBP used to sell.
>-- "cmontgomery" <cmontgomery15@cox.net> wrote:
> Doug, my
> wheel building guy, suggested it might be those thin steel flanges
>cutting into spokes made for thicker alloy hub flanges.
Spokes have larger radii now to better fit modern alloy hubs. So, don't work so well on the old SAs. It's not a matter of the flange cutting the spoke, but the unsupported bend flexing to fatigue.
I use 1 washer on the outer spokes and 2 on the inners when using DT spokes on SA hubs.
2 on the outer and 3 on the inner with Wheelsmith spokes.
No trouble so far.
Mark Stonich;
Minneapolis Minnesota
http://mnhpva.org
http://bikesmithdesign.com