7 speed hub for commuter / tourer

[Bice]

I am looking at building a sturdy, 36-spoke rear wheel for my commuter suitable also for light touring.

It's a seven speed, 126mm OLN spacing on a 700mm wheel for an old Carlton Courette.

The present wheel is a Tiagra 8-speed freehub with spacer removed, 7-speed cassette and a 32-spoke wheel on Mavic Open Sport rim.

It works fine, the dish is acceptable for riding from home but I think it is a bit weak.

Is that a shared view? I do fill the panniers with shopping, but I also have to do the occasional tweak to true this wheel. I found it a bit bent at the local tip.

For commuting it is fine. But for distance I would be worried about breakage.

I might as well build up another. Any thoughts on a decent hub and rim (nothing too agricultural)?

Mavic Open Sport: are they lighter and more flimsy than Open Pro, which I have on my road bike? Seem so. Not sure where the sit in the hierarchy.

I might as well reuse the spokes on the 32-spoke wheel as they seem decent: or is this a bit false economy given the time to build a wheel?

[the snail]

Those Shimano hubs are very good. If I were building another wheel, I'd very likely use another Shimano one, maybe 105 if I wanted to spend more money.

[scottg]

I bought a NOS Shimano RSX hub on evil bay, 7speed, 130oln.
Removed the 4mm spacer and cut down the axle to 126mm, and Bobs Baradur is your uncle.
Running 9 of 10 cogs, Shimano makes 10s cassettes with a useless 11t spacer cog,
like Shimano planned it that way.

[Bice]

With further research, I see there are 32H Sputnik rims.

These seemed incredibly strong when I did a couple of 26inch wheels with 36H. I did not realise anyone would want a touring wheel with 32-spokes.

In fact, why does anyone want a touring wheel with 32 spokes?

For me, though, a 32H Sputnik could be the solution: just reuse the Tiagra hub and spokes for a slightly stronger (and much heavier) wheel.

[m-gineering]

With further research, I see there are 32H Sputnik rims.

These seemed incredibly strong when I did a couple of 26inch wheels with 36H. I did not realise anyone would want a touring wheel with 32-spokes.

The Rohloff hub was 32H only for a long time

In fact, why does anyone want a touring wheel with 32 spokes?

For me, though, a 32H Sputnik could be the solution: just reuse the Tiagra hub and spokes for a slightly stronger (and much heavier) wheel.

parts avaialbilty in 32H is probably much better, it was the defacto standard for MTB's. With stiffer rims and softer tyres spokecount has come down lately
If you want to re-use spokes make sure the ERD's of the rims are compatible, that the chain hasn't damaged them, that there are no signs of any spoke replacement in the past, and that the spokes do not change orientation (tape rims together and swap them one by one)

[Bice]

parts avaialbilty in 32H is probably much better, it was the defacto standard for MTB's. With stiffer rims and softer tyres spokecount has come down lately
If you want to re-use spokes make sure the ERD's of the rims are compatible, that the chain hasn't damaged them, that there are no signs of any spoke replacement in the past, and that the spokes do not change orientation (tape rims together and swap them one by one)

My only 32-spoke wheel is this one and although I have made up many wheels, they have only ever been 36-spoke. This wheel is the most prone to come out of true, but it was damaged which is why I found it at the tip.

I prefer the very small increments of 36-spoke, and have them on my road bikes, too.

Instead of Sputniks, I am considering Mavic A719 as a lighter alternative.

I am not going to load this frame up with very much as it it is pretty flexy and would not stand up to much.

[Brucey]

also consider ryde zac19 as a lighter alternative to sputnik

FWIW wheels with uneven spoke tension (eg because the rim isn't quite straight when left to its own devices) tend to go out of true, often because the slackest spokes are so slack that the nipples back out in service, especially on the NDS. I'd therefore suggest that you monitor a troublesome wheel to see if this is the cause or not, and perhaps use threadlock on the relevant nipples.

cheers

[pwa]

Exal XL17 are very good mid weight rims, definitely beefier than Open Pros but lighter than Sputnik, and I use them as medium duty touring rims. I use 36H but they can be had in 32H from Spa.

[zenitb]

No additional advice from me Bice.. (basically I agree on the Zac19 and LX17 mentions above). I just wanted to say that's a classic pic you have taken of the bike .. the lighting is spot on and I love the way the bike colour is highlighted against a neutral, but timeless, background !

If Carlton were still around they would want you for their brochures !!!