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Victor O. 1899-help-rear hub spacing-anyone have a correct original set-up?

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Rusty McNickel

I live for the CABE
I have an 1899 Victor O. mens frame that came to me with a ND model A coaster mounted. The rear spacing was spread, maybe a little too much, for the ND hub and now sits about 110mm.

I was fortunate to locate an original rear wheel, two in fact, both dimensionally the same spacing, etc, disregarding dishing differences due to loss of spoke tension. I am certain these wheels are correct, they are unique in design to the 1899 Victors and the only year they were used (1898 were slightly different and 1900 Victor O's. were not made anymore although they later continued under license by others).

I want to restore the original rear wheel set-up. The spacing of both original hubs at the cones are 90mm. Based on an 1899 catalog cross section, the hubs appear to be intact and complete. The catalog also states "new larger (bearing/diameter) and narrower (spaced) hubs" which may lend evidence to the smaller than usual spacing.

Obviously this is a pretty drastic difference from the existing 110mm spacing

Eye-balling the original wheel installation its obvious the chain-line, dish, and spacing are way off. Even if the frame was to be re-set to the 90mm hub spacing the chain-line and dish are way off. The axles on both original hubs are the same length and are much longer than necessary if the frame were to be re-set to accept the original hubs, which is not a problem unto itself but makes me wonder if there is something is missing, like a spacer, to take up the space. On the attached cross section, the left side axle threads are quite long. The Victors were furnished with mounting pegs as standard equipment for 1899. Perhaps the thread length was for the peg installation (?). This would address the axle length question but not the spacing issue.

My hopes are that there may be a 1899 Victor owner with an original set up that can shed some light on the rear hub arrangement to determine if there is anything missing, ie spacers etc. I do not want to proceed with re-setting the rear spacing, and adjusting the dish only to find out there was something missing. I'm not even sure there are enough threads on the drive side spokes to achieve the proper rim centering, not to mention the fact that some may not even budge due to siezing. Both spacing and dish adjustments seem to require drastic changes to make the original hubs work. Hence, I am proceeding cautiously.

The attached shows an 1899 catalog cross section of the rear hub, matching exactly the hubs in my possession, EXCEPT for the unidentified channel like object on the right side of the axle between the nut and cone. I do not know if they intend that to be the drop-out/frame. If they do it doesn't match the profile of the drop-out as it is plain and flat like most are.

20191127_085324.jpg


Any 1899 Victor owners out there? Anyone with any prior experience? Any thoughts?
 
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Check in with the Wheelmen- this is their period of expertise.
I would try to find an unmolested frame to compare yours to. The channel looks like a dust cap to me.
 
Hey Andrew, thanks for the response.

It's not a dust cap. This object is outboard of the bearings. Dust shields are found just lateral to the ball bearings. Two shields form a type of labyrinth under the notched adjustment cover which is pressed onto the cone.

I'll try wheelmen though. Thanks!
 
.....on second thought.... I haven't registered on the wheelmen site since they restructured the site. I'm not the most tech savvy but not the dullest bulb either. I can't figure out how to register on the new site.

My loss, I guess!
 
just so happens that i have this same bicycle the front hub had severe corrosion damage . bricycle had a complete set in very nice shape so i purchased his .there off the bike and i am putting it back together if theres anyway i can help you fire away , i am happy to take measurements and photos i need to send the photos to your email or i phone i haven't figured out how to post here on the cabe yet <hubs were also used on Spaulding bicycles> i see a Mr Spaulding was one of the four officers /owners of Victor bicycles at this time and suspect that Spaulding was just a line of their products .
 
I think I have a nice pair of wheels with those hubs. I don't have a Victor bike, but I'm not eager to sell them. I'll take some pics.
 
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