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Consensus on freeing TOC hubs

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Kennewick Man

Look Ma, No Hands!
I’m currently working on a minor restoration of a mid 1890s safety bicycle and I’m planning to have new wheels built. I would like to utilize the existing hubs as they appear to be in excellent condition and pretty easy to refurbish. However, I want t remove those hubs in the most orthodox way possible. Meaning, should I simply snip the current rusted spokes and remove the that way or should I sacrifice the desiccated tires and remove the spokes intact?
1744917
 
I’m currently working on a minor restoration of a mid 1890s safety bicycle and I’m planning to have new wheels built. I would like to utilize the existing hubs as they appear to be in excellent condition and pretty easy to refurbish. However, I want t remove those hubs in the most orthodox way possible. Meaning, should I simply snip the current rusted spokes and remove the that way or should I sacrifice the desiccated tires and remove the spokes intact?View attachment 1744917
You should be able to work the tires off of the rim very slowly. You might want to purchase some of this, just don’t get it on the rim because I don’t know if it would hurt the wood. Worked great with my tires, and I even got my tires worked back into circles where they didn’t look flat anymore.

2D63F17B-862E-4FEB-818E-51E860A18089.png
 
You should be able to work the tires off of the rim very slowly. You might want to purchase some of this, just don’t get it on the rim because I don’t know if it would hurt the wood. Worked great with my tires, and I even got my tires worked back into circles where they didn’t look flat anymore.

View attachment 1744979
Thanks for the info! Just to be clear, there is zero chance of making the tires pliable again. They are rock solid. My reticence lies in not wanting to destroy the tires if they are of relatively historical significance. I’d apply that same logic to the wooden rims.
 
Also, how likely is it that someone would be able to spoke new rims using those hubs in the same manner without seeing them in their original state for reference?
 
Also, how likely is it that someone would be able to spoke new rims using those hubs in the same manner without seeing them in their original state for reference?
Take some good pictures and that should be good enough to figure it out. As far as plyability my tires were rock hard and would have instantly cracked and broke had I tried to flex them before hand. After I coated them in that stuff, and worked it in with a rag for a couple coats they were easy enough to work around. It just takes time and patience, they will be plyable again.
 
Take some good pictures and that should be good enough to figure it out. As far as plyability my tires were rock hard and would have instantly cracked and broke had I tried to flex them before hand. After I coated them in that stuff, and worked it in with a rag for a couple coats they were easy enough to work around. It just takes time and patience, they will be plyable again.
This has been incredibly helpful. I’ll order the rubber protectant tonight. Thanks again!
 
The general consensus is don't cut old tires and use care and patience and you should be able to free the spokes.

If you can add some heat to them after the JD magic sauce tires will become extremely soft. I had a pair of single tubes from the teens.. I brushed them with JD and put them in a black contractors bag on my dash in the summer and they were like spaghetti after an hour. I was able to reshape them and get them back on the wheels before they hardened.

Good luck with your project
 
The spokes look like a straight-pull type, like 24 and 32 spokes. I would not advise cutting the spokes, unless replacements were at hand.

I vaguely recall something about the number of cross-overs allowed when the number of spokes is divisible by 8?
Also, how likely is it that someone would be able to spoke new rims using those hubs in the same manner without seeing them in their original state for reference?

Does that mean that you have already done something that might be challenging to un-do?
 
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From the photos, Your spokes look to be in great shape with cool cross ties....whenever I can, I try to leave original wheels like that intact...if the hoops are relatively straight, and not cracked those wheels should stay together.
Just for the sake of clarity, are you advising that I avoid removing the hubs altogether or are you suggesting I keep things in same condition wherever possible?
 
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