RETROSPECTIVE: Rex wheel generations:

• The first generation wheels were 26 inch rims wrapped around 22 inch ATV wheels.
  • + Simple. Cheap.
  • - Very slow conversions between on-road and off-road.
  • - The tire was not very secure to rim because the valve stem partially interfered with the bead, preventing solid holding.
  • - Not possible to run tires at high pressure because of the bead problem. This resulted in high road resistance.
• The 2nd generation wheels used the 22 inch ATV rims as a hub for the 26 inch wheels. For off road we used separate 25 inch ATV wheels.
  • + Rapid conversions between on-road and off-road. Single nut.
  • + Very wide "hub" eliminated wheel taco risks.
  • - Very wide "hub" caused spoke angle with the rim to put high stress on the spokes, shortening their life.
  • - Steel hub of on-road wheel fairly heavy.
• The 3d generation wheels use a custom hub.
  • + Rapid conversions between on-road and off-road. Single nut.
  • + Moderatly wide hub plus double spoking results in an exceptionally strong wheel. Eliminates wheel taco risks.
  • + Moderate spoke angle and double spokes reduce stress on spokes. Should give good spoke life.
  • + Aluminum hub provides a light weight wheel.
  • - Fairly complex wheel took a long time to design and build.
  • - Each wheel ended up costing around $200, not including my time.

NOW: The Parts Of The 3d Generation Wheel

This collection of pages documents the construction of the Rex 3d Generation Wheel. In these pages I will provide full documentation to empower you to build similar wheels. I give full specs for the components I developed. And I explain what numbers need to be tweaked should you decide to to deviate slightly from my design.

Before you get started, I recommend that you get a copy of the Bicycle Wheel by Jobst Brandt and read it. It is listed in the References section below. The books is well worth the time and cost. Go head. Do it now, before you get started on these instructions.

• Wheel Overview
• Machining the Hub <-- Next
• Customizing the Rim
• Specing the Spokes
• Lacing the Wheel
• Trueing the Wheel

References

• the Bicycle Wheel by Jobst Brandt. Third Edition 1995 ISBN 0-9607236-6-8 Avocet
• Ken Beidleman, as far as I know the first person to double spoke a wheel. (I don't know if he solved the problems in the same way as I have documented here.)

Before you start any serious work with bicycle wheels, I strongly recommend that you read the Bicycle Wheel. There is more information that you need than I can possibly fit into these pages. My pages build onto his work. They do not replace that book.

Unless otherwise noted, all pictures above were taken by Allen Brown.

Copyright 2004 C. Allen Brown