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Do you have any wheels or parts ?
- This topic has 19 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 11 years, 9 months ago by
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Hello all,
I’ve been commuting on a fairly regular basis on my Mk 3. I’d like to change the standard wheels for lighter rims, and less widely spaced gearing, so I’m looking for some suitable parts. Please let me know if you have any aluminium rims (either 16 or 17 inch), or hubs that will take a Shimano spacing 9 speed cassette that you don’t need. Complete wheels or parts. I’ll also need a rear brake to replace the one in the Sturmey Archer hub.
Many thanks for any help.
DavidHi David, you will need to spread the rear to 130mm to accept an 8, 9, 10 speed hub. You may also experience clearance issues re the chain stays.
A 5 speed SA with aluminum Brompton rims maybe the quickest easiest fix. If you want to go the cassette route and want higher gearing you may want to look at the Shimano Capreo hub and cassette.Thanks Gary, Capreo is indeed interesting but at crazy prices.
These look like a good buy. Anyone tried this size ?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/150563748625?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649
Happy Christmas all.What does the jury think is the best way to spread the rear forks on a MK3 ?
A. Just bend them cold.
B. Remove the “bridges”, then bend, then rebraze the bridges once set to the new width ?
If B is preferred, does anyone know if the bridges were brazed on originally, or welded ?
Many thanks.Hi David,
My mk3 has an OLN of 117mm so you’d only need to bend both sides 6mm. Cold setting would be fine I’m sure.
I had to cold set the front forks on mine to take a modern front hub (and enlarge the dropouts) anyway. I’m foolishly making a new back end from scratch though so I won’t have to spread the rear on mine.
Be aware that the plates on the rear triangle weren’t designed for mounting brakes, I’ve seen lots of mk3s with brakes fitted there but they might be prone to bending eventually.
Someone did exactly what you’re planning not too long ago and published some very nice info and pictures about it but I can’t find the site any more. He heated the tubes as far as I remember.
Hope this is of some help,
MattThanks Matt,
I’ve ordered the 355 wheels, so I’ll wait until they get here to decide what to do to the rear forks. I’ll also look at the dimensions before I decide what brakes to fit. I’ll try to find the description you refer to.
Regards
DavidThe wheels arrived today. Quick delivery from Hong Kong. Looking very nicely made. The front hub is 100mm. The rear is 135mm, but there’s an 11mm spacer so it could be reduced to 124mm, only 7mm more than the mk3 rear forks. I don’t think I’m going to be doing any cutting and brazing.
Just have to wait for the tyres to arrive…
Good idea David, it’s far more work than I ever imagined!
The front axle might be thicker and the spacing might be wider than the mk3 forks, it’s an easy fix though if they are, just a little bit of bending a grinding.
7mm isn’t much, should be a great upgrade!
MattQuick update.
The front wheel was a pretty easy fit. The Birdy hub has a spacer on each side fixed with a grub screw. I took both of these off, cut the axle to the right length for the mk3 forks, then cut the spacers to fit. The mudguard stays make the quick release skewer hard to use nicely, so I must add another fixing point for the stays. The original brake fits perfectly.
The rear is indeed more difficult. The spacer does allow for a limited spread to the forks, but then the wheel isn’t central. I tried a few options before deciding to cut the bridges off to allow me to set the forks as I want them, with more bend out on the drive side to get the chainline near the middle of the (9 speed) block. As somebody suggested the chain will now hit the “seat stay” in 9th, so I will have to gently bend that tube to give some clearance. Anyone got a good photo showing what this should look like.
The 32-355 Kojaks are much narrower on thes narrow rims that the 32-349 ones were on the original steel rims. It will be interesting to see if the difference is noticeable on the road.
Anyway, there’s more work to do first.Just back from London where I was able to pick up a Capreo derailleur that was waiting for me. I did a trial fit of everything this evening so the bike is back on its wheels. I will clearly have to get more clearance for the “seat stay”. The chain line is centred on fifth with a single chainring, but the rear forks are very easy to move without the bridges so I may put a spacer back on the gear side to give the room needed for top gear (8 work fine).
Two things to sort out.
Brakes. Any thoughts ?
The chainwheel. I have a 57 tooth TA, but I’d like a bigger one (it was 68 on the old S Speed). Anyone have anything suitable before I start making one ?If you can make 68 tooth replica chainwheels, advertise the fact. You’ll be able to make a few sales I would think!
Actually, before you cut metal, Check the radius from the crank to the swing arm pivot bolt on the Series 1 and 2 frames – that is the limiting factor for them. I can’t remember if the Mk3 has the same limitation.
Yes, it occured to me that others might be interested.
What is your concern about the dimension you refer to Ian ? Mine is a Mk3. I have filed a step in the pivot bolt head to allow for clearance for the five bolt heads on the crank (Stronglight 49D). Could also have used a longer axle or moved the fixed cup out a bit…
Ian,
That’s very clear. On the MK3 however, the pivot is riht behind the bottom bracket. In fact the pivot bolt head is just behind the five bolts of those Stronglight or TA canks. With the BB cartridge I bought, I had to file away one side of the pivot bolt head for about 2mm to get clearance.
Following the thread with great interest as want to build something similar.
I am rebuilding my narrow bellows early 63 deluxe week 18 at the moment, was going to upgrade this but may keep it as built due to being so early. So after a mk2 or major.
Already got some GB Ventoux and Maes handlebars, just bought a capreo derailleur of e-bay for £15.
Need some advice on bracket required (to buy or make).
Also need some advice on crank and chainwheel, really like the look of the small bolt pattern TA chainwheel, 52 and 55 teeth quite common on e-bay
Moultons were either 54, 60 speedsix or Williams 64 72 s-speed.
What should I buy, price availabilty.
The 18″ rims look a good buy, will order some once I have the other spec finalised
Any Help / Advice most welcomeHere’s an update of work so far.
I tweaked and adjusted the forks and a spacer on the gear end of the axle to get just enough clearance for the chain in top gear. I then made up some new bridges from a rectangular steel tube, cutting away most of it to leave some L shaped parts. For the upper one, this is fine to hold the mudguard, but for the bottom one I cut away some of the side closest to the wheel and set the original stamped bridge underneath it so when I brazed it all back together it makes a good stiff bridge with the flange the mudguard snuggles into, and the recess in the stamping makes a spacer to add depth to the hole the brake will fit into. I haven’t bought the brakes yet.
I cut a bolt on gear hanger to use the lower end and brazed that onto the dropout.
All painted and back on the bike, ready to ride once I’ve got a rear brake.
Photos here. http://www.flickr.com/photos/davidbalkwill/sets/72157632838943086/So David, you can certainly use the 18 inch rims, but you have to do some work depending on hub options. I still think these wheels were a fantastic buy considering the prices of the components.
Awesome work David; when I finally finish mine it should be very similar; Ultegra STI, 9 speed, drop bars, Kojak tyres. I’d be very interested to know how it rides.
Maybe if I hadn’t made things so difficult for myself I could be riding mine around too now…
Great work!
MattI fitted some Tektro deep reach brakes and I’ve been using the bike for a week now. I’m pretty happy with most things. It is definitely undergeared with the 57 tooth chainwheel, so I am going ahead with the plan tp make a bigger one. I had a 68 on the S Speed, but I was fitter then. I’ve just bought enough 7075 T6 to make several, so I’ll try different sizes I think. I’m working on access to NC equipment and I can do the 2D or 3D files easily. We’ll see how it goes.
I can’t help wondering why Moulton never made a carbon version of the frames. It must be possible to lose a lot of weight, even if the front forks and suspension were kept to keep it simple.Ive fawned over a the idea of a “SUPER” speed f frame in carbon for years keeping tabs on the DIY carbon frame builders out there. As a stepping stone Concept this might work using existing front and rear fork set
http://www.flickr.com/photos/15053822@N07/8556315163/in/photostream
but the hard bit is stopping the frame twisting?
A sub 5kg F Frame ….WooooshOK, you got there first.
I was thinking more of straight tubes joined together like the steel versions. Pretty easy to calculate the relative torsional stiffness of the main tube with different fibre compositions.
I made quite a lot of aero section carbon tubes while building International Moth dinghies, so the main rounded rectangle and the other round tubes are easy. I’m working with the composite people at the University here at the moment and one of the lecturers is a bike nut who has already make MTB frames, so he might like this as a student project.
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