Do hub flange adapters to fit rims with a different numbers of holes exist?

[guerney]

Thank you everyone for their searching of the hopelessly confounding AliExpress, and advice. Looks like I will be building my first wheels. I've merely been adjusting wheels until now, because they've been cheaper to buy than build. However, cheap new wheels are bloody rare when it becomes suddenly apparent you need new rims. While my existing front rim continues to be worn away, I can reuse my Helios's original 20H Dahon front hub... because by some miracle I found AliExpress's DeSearching Dicombombobulation Engine randomly presented me with this rim . This was so unexpected a happening, I'm still reeling from the shock.

According to the listing, these Rockbao rims have 20mm inner rim width. I'll believe it when I measure it. Might even be the same width all the way around. I've never seen Rockbao branded stuff before. Wasn't on AliExpress in January, but how would I know if it was? It's AliExpress.

ROCKBAO 20 Inch Bicycle Rim 406 451 BMX Aluminum Bike Rim Folding Bike Rim 20/24/28/32/36 Holes V Brake Rim AV Can Customized - AliExpress 18

Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com

vi.aliexpress.com

The above looks very similar in size to the original rim, and as such I'm hoping I'll be able to re-use the old spokes and nipples, but knowing my luck I'll have to buy new ones.

Also bought this for the next rear wheel build, using one of the 28H hubs I already have. Bought another for spare 28H front or rear hubs.



Couldn't stop myself buying this Rockbao 28H front as a spare...



...all while I look further into the viability of fitting extremely fat tyres on my Dahon Helios (there may not be clearance for wider than 2.125"), with wider mudguards to match, expanding from my present 1.75" wide tyres, as the pothole situation becomes ever more horriffyingly hairy and dicey out on them thar desolate pitiless Mad Max roads.

 

[Sturmey]

The above looks very similar in size to the original rim, and as such I'm hoping I'll be able to re-use the old spokes and nipples, but knowing my luck I'll have to buy new ones.

The rims look well and are like the newer deeper rims fitted to some of the more recent hub motor kits . You may need shorter spokes but using the existing spokes and adding one more cross to the spoke pattern can use up 5 to 7mm and this sometimes works.

 

[guerney]

The rims look well and are like the newer deeper rims fitted to some of the more recent hub motor kits . You may need shorter spokes but using the existing spokes and adding one more cross to the spoke pattern can use up 5 to 7mm and this sometimes works.

Thanks, that's a good idea. According to Pythagoras, there isn't a massive difference in spoke length in 74mm axle vs 100mm axle 20" wheels, the latter are much more numerous, cheaper and available. Any time BankruptBikeParts have dual walled front 20" wheels with 74mm axles and wide rims, at their usual low low prices, they sell out extremely fast - blink and they're gorne. Never available when you need one. Pricey Dahon specialists CH White and his Son also sometimes run out of the wide rimmed ones, and have difficulty sourcing quality for restock. They never have the hub and wide rim combination with the right number of holes needed in stock. I'll build spare wheels using AliExpress sourced bits. I'll have to do some reading about lacing patterns. I'll load a book up on the eReader. Seems perfect reading material to nod off with, perhaps something will be absorbed by my brain overnight. There's also that book @AndyBike talked me into buying, which neither of us has actually read.

This pattern uses entire extra centimeters, but doesn't look safe:

Twisted Spoke Bicycle Wheel Lacing - Flowers!

Twisted Spoke Bicycle Wheel Lacing - Flowers!: I've never given my girl flowers.... Except for the surfboard with frangipanni's on it. When i recently built her up a light'n'sexy single speed for running about town i decided to braid into each wheel a flower complete with petals. Here's how.

www.instructables.com

 

[sjpt]

I'm using this spoke pattern as an excuse to give an off-topic plug to Tate Modern Lates tomorrow at 18:00 - 21:30.

Tate Modern Lates | Tate Modern

www.tate.org.uk

 

[guerney]

I'm using this spoke pattern as an excuse to give an off-topic plug to Tate Modern Lates tomorrow at 18:00 - 21:30.
View attachment 61105

Tate Modern Lates | Tate Modern

www.tate.org.uk

Nothing on any of my threads are ever off topic, not even this purple alien octopus with heirloom blue cauliflower leaves for a head containing a cat's face with humming bird for a nose thrashing it's legs about unhelpfully in clockwise fashion after finding itself rudely trapped between dimensions by the tachyon particle streams emitted by radioactive green spokes I bought from some dodgy Ukrainian website I need to build my wheel with. I've only just now put those spokes down. Art is so easy to decrypt. Taint modern morelike.

 

[guerney]

Might be of interest to other dudes with old Dahons like mine, or clones (bikes not the owners), I've just now found been shown by AliExpress entire Rockbao branded wheelsets with wide rims, cheap too. 24H on the rear wheel. They're cheaper from BankruptBikeParts, when they have them, 28H on both wheels.

ROCKBAO 20 inch 406 folding bicycle wheelset 451 Aluminum alloy wheels V brake 4bearing7-11speed 20H 24H Bike Wheels - AliExpress 18

Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com

vi.aliexpress.com

 

[guerney]

Gotta say these Roackbao rims seem quite good quality, and despite the deficient packaging, the first one has arrived in decent condition: In a taped sack...





...parcel taped...





...over wrapped foam sheet. And er... that's it. No heavy carboard to protect the poor thing's shape from parcel thuggery.





Nicely finished, no nasty burrs, no nicks or gouges, not a hint of grease. Round. What's more, rather impressively and against all expectation, inner rim width measures 19.7mm ALL THE WAY AROUND! Not bad for the money I'd say. I wonder if a tyre wil stay on. I expect the other rim will be released by customs shortly, along with the hub they're currently interrogating. I may grab a couple of 26" versions of these Roackbao rims for my Dahon Espresso, if I can find AliExpress decides to reveal where the heck they are.

 

[guerney]

Evri delivered this morning, despite their website still stating "We're expecting it". Doh, of course my initial reaction at seeing 14H on one side was wrong, I've also been sent the correct hub, as well as a second rim in great condition. Thanks @esuark for finding these good quality hubs and rims. They even included a free QR skewer.





Now to try the old spokes from the old wheels for size, and if necessary measure ERD for new spokes. To Sapim or not Sapim?

Measuring Effective Rim Diameter

A crucial part of determining correct spoke length for wheel builds is an accurate "Effective Rim Diameter" (ERD), a concept that is reviewed in this article.

www.parktool.com

I plan to always have a pair of wheels built trued and ready at all times.