converting wheel to dynamo hub wheel

[malverncyclist]

I am intending to put a dynamo hub on one of my bikes. I know what hub I am going to get BUT have now discovered that the front wheel on the bike (wheels only about 3 months old, so should have thought about it at the time ...) only has 18 spokes. The lowest number of spoke holes on hubs I have seen is 20, mostly it's 32 or 38.

So wonder, is it likely that a bike shop/my bike shop would be able to drill 14 additional holes (taking the rim from 18 to 32, or lower if I can find the right hub) without making a mess or do I need to look for a rim to match the rear (I have a Campag Khamsin wheel set). I do have another wheel in the shed, but looks completely different to the wheel set so my sense of aesthetics says "no, no, no" to that solution.

thanks

Martin

[gaz]

Drilling additional spoke holes?

"no, no, no" to that solution.

Leaving aesthetics behind your current wheel has 18 spokes. It would be possible to drill 18 more holes to end up with 36 evenly spaced spoke holes but I doubt that this could be achieved in an aesthetically pleasing manner and I'm certain that you will have destroyed the structural integrity of the rim in the process.

[tatanab]

Surely your sense of aesthetics also rebels at having vastly different front and rear hubs! You need a new rim.

[Valbrona]

Your funny looking front wheel with hub dynamo will bug you so much it will be better to have a new pair of wheels built for the purpose.

[nickpaton]

I had a complete new wheel built, so I've still got the old one if the dynamo goes wrong.

[Mick F]

Do not even consider drilling holes in your rim!

My advice is what I'm going to do/may do when/if I get a hub dynamo ........
Buy a new rim just like the one you have now but with sufficient spoke holes for your choice of hub dynamo.

My queries are:
What rim do you have that has only 18 spokes?
Does it match/compliment the rear wheel?
Can you buy a new rim with sufficient spoke holes to match/compliment your rear wheel?

[malverncyclist]

It's - as said - a Campag Khamsin wheelset and I haven't found a rim with more than 18 holes so may have to look for something similar to that rim.

[robc02]

You could buy a 36 hole hub and only use ever other hole.

[Mick F]

Can that be done with a Khamsin?
(sorry, I din't read the OP properly )

ie can the Campag spokes be removed and new (non-Khamsin) spokes be used instead?

[Brucey]

I'd suggest getting a pair of wheels which include a hub generator at the front and a robust rear wheel to match also.

cheers

[BigFoz]

Get a 36spoke Dynohub and only populate every second hole?

[edocaster]

Get a 36spoke Dynohub and only populate every second hole?

Aren't the holes staggered on either side? Could still be done, but spoke lengths might need to be adjusted.

[epa611]

New rim, then you have a summer wheel as well as your dynohub wheel for dark/winter

[stewartpratt]

New rim, then you have a summer wheel as well as your dynohub wheel for dark/winter

Except you'll never take the dyno wheel off* - but it does mean you could claw back a few quid by selling it.

New full wheel is the way to go.



* why would you want to, unless you're time-trialling**?

** with Khamsins?

[student]

http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/products/bik ... r_products