I’m wanting to build up a new wheel for a KH36 frame and I want to salvage some parts form my existing Airfoil 36er wheel (UDC extra wide hub, 14 GA UDC ss spokes, Semcycle nipples and 2nd generation Airfoil, laced up in a 4-cross pattern) The old wheel has a couple of thousand easy road miles on it and it still looks brand new and has been very trouble free for me. I’m a 200 lb. rider
A couple of questions:
With the cost of new spokes and rim, I’m considering reusing them with a new KH ISIS hub, new Semcycle nipples and I was going to use spoke washers (since the 14 ga spoke shaft is a little loose in the larger KH hub flange spoke holes). Advice on this plan?? Penny wise, dollar foolish to try to reuse these items or ??
I’ve used the UDC spoke length calculator with mixed results in the past, so would love some confirmation on which spoke pattern and length will be best for my mix of components. Can I use the existing UDC ss spoke length (I think 371mm) or do I need to cut down and rethread them?
I am not the best person to answer, but I did do some research and asking around before getting the parts necessary for my 36" wheel I am building with the kh/schlumpf hub.
As a general rule you do not want to reuse spokes. You really should be using new spokes if you are doing a new wheelbuild, it is fine to reuse the rim though.
3 cross is generally better and if you simply order the 14g ss 36er spokes from UDC and put in the comment field “14g spokes need to be custom cut for 3 cross use with KH ISIS moment hub and 2nd generation airfoil rim”, Josh can cut you some custom length spokes.
Spoke washers: I had a hard time finding a small quantity of the brass washers online, but some bike shops may carry brass washers for 14g spokes. I ended up just ordering a bunch from UDC UK, the shipping was very cheap since it was a small package and it was easy enough for me since I couldn’t find any bike shops in the area that carried them.
The spoke calculator on Unicycle.co.com predicts a spoke length of 376.75mm with a KH moment hub and airfoil rim in a 4-cross pattern. This is almost exactly the stock length of 14G SS spokes (376mm). I would use this lacing pattern for the components you’ve got. Try to use new spokes if you can as it’ll result in a better wheelbuild.