More wheel.

[Theodore Schefelbein]

Winter is a good time to gather hub, rim and spokes and visit the bench, beer in hand, to build a wheel or three for bicycles that need repair or updates. I built a pair for the forthcoming International I painted, and one for the red Sprite that carried my son and I on a few different Lake Pepin Tours.

Note ceramic bearings cuddled in a pool of Mobilegrease 28. I use the hybrid theory of lubrication, grease on the bearings and labyrinth seals, and oil elsewhere. Either Mobile 1 Universal Synthetic, or, the aircraft spec version, Synthetic 28.

I used to own the exact tool for dismantling Sturmey hubs with the two circular notches on the ball ring, but, I gave it away after I figured out the “farmers widow” (big as they come) version of a Channel Locks works better. This is a 1976 AW hub with 36 holes, likely used on a Schwinn 3 speed at some point, until it came to live here, and was converted to S5 and laced into an alloy 27”, Sun Ringle rim.

Work progresses.