Hey (to use Kris’s words),
I have just assembled a KH 36 in Australia. Specs are 08 Ti hub, purple Ti spokes tied and glued at crossovers, kenda 26 x 2.3 small block tyre. Photos are the first assembly, I don’t have 26 rim tape so used Schwalbe tape in the interem.
I rode it today and wow, it is so nice because it is light and rigid.
By KH36 you mean KH26? right? that looks awesome…I really want that unicycle ! 
how did you get it in Australia?
oops yes I mean’t 26. UDCA have the rims and most of the parts, the frame is from USA and the wheel was built in Melbourne.
Cool, I might be interested in buying one soon
How much did it cost you altogether?
Is this Mal from UDCA?
its beautiful. i love the pedals.
that is so nice, but are you missing a spacer between the crank and the bearing?
Theres no need of that spacer.
Why would you “glue” the spokes where they cross? Don’t they need to flex? And doesn’t the glue make it hard to true the wheel when it comes time to adjust the spoke tension? I’ve never heard of gluing spokes! 
I love your spokes. :o
My first Mountain bike (1987) had the spokes wrapped in wire and welded where they cross. I still have that bike with those welded spokes. The wheels were trued the same as without the welds. I’m not sure of the reason but it was never an issue.
I love that KH… espetialy because of that hub:p
It shouldn’t; the only part where stuff moves during truing is at the rim and nipple. When riding, normally there will be “give” in the wheel’s structure but I guess it depends what kind of rigidity you want. I’ve seen spokes tied, and even wrapped around each other for uni hockey and for cycleball (radball) on bikes.
tied and soldered spokes is a throwback to penny farthing bikes when it was done to reduce the spoke breakage. It was done on track bikes with the belief that it would somehow make it a stiffer wheel; although that practice was curtailed due to some questionable tests. It does make swapping a rim really easy.
I understand that breaking spokes can be a problem on Coker wheels. I suggested in another thread that this technique could remedy the problem, but as yet I haven’t heard if anyone has done it. I might try it on my Coker…
Sick uni, what are the cranks? 137/165’s?
It would seem that if there were any quantifiable merits to tying/soldering/welding/gluing spokes, you would see it everywhere, but this unusual practice does not appear to be very common. But then again, neither is unicycling!
PS: I’d be interested in hearing Kris Holm’s take on this.
Or with ti-spokes.
Hi,
I do not profess to know what I am talking about but have messed with unis for a long time. I like the differnt opinions and ideas.
The spacers are missing but I have them. When messing around with the cranks I put them on in a moment of impatience and then figured they would not go on any further towards the hub, so I think in this case the spacers are more like crank covers.
The cranks are 125/150s
Regarding the tying of spokes, firsty Andrew the wheel builder that UDC Australia uses is considered by us to be fanatical and skilled. He has built more uni wheels (mainly 36 with geared hubs than anyone out here).
When I first saw him wrapping spokes I felt wow, they are so neat. He has different colored wire to suit the nipples or what ever. My reason for using them is that they look neat:). I assume they stop creaking and add strength but I had better have a chat with him to get his opinion.
After wrapping, they are then glued with a dollop of superglue. I don’t know anything about the soldering technique and assume that tensioning would not be a problem after initial wheel build. Once again, I think a good wheel builder somehow stretches the spokes before final tension. .
I have a 36 that he has built in the same style as well, but have only ridden it for about 10 mins. Life has been pretty busy but now it is our summer approaching, I will have more time.
We could start a thread on this and I will try and find a pic of my 36 wheel with tied spokes.
BTW, don’t ask about the cost, my wife might read the thread someday!
Cheers
I also have a 36 with tied spokes, I didn’t do it though, I bought it off someone else. I think its great though
Same wheel builder I guess. They look great IMO
