I like knowing what spokes I need. So here are my findings as to spoke lengths:
- Schwinn
Front Hourglass hub to 26 inch Schwinn S6 rim ISO 597mm: pattern is 36 spokes,
cross 4. Length of spokes is 288mm, 290mm or 292mm. The 288 is a bare
minimum, whereas 292 is max. The 290 will work fine. This is similar to
the old 11-7/16 inch size recommended by the Torrington Co. A word of
caution here: unlike many modern wheels, this wheel build will involve
butting some spokes over the heads of spokes on the same side of the
hub. The original wheels I have all feature this over-butting of spokes
and seem perfectly fine with it. Stick with this wheel build. It may
seem like the spokes and cross pattern will not work at first, but once
you go to tension the wheel, it all draws up together nicely. I did NOT
use spoke washers at the flange for a couple reasons: (1) the flange on
this older hourglass hub is quite thick, and (2) the butting-over of the
spokes at the flange is very problematic if you use spoke washers. I
indeed used the flat spoke-nipple washers at the rim. The 292mm may be a
touch long if you don't use the rim washers, but you can file them down
the thread or two that run long. I recommend 290mm as a happy medium.
Sapim Race double-butted reasonably approximate the old US-production
double-butted look. I used 14mm nipples. Use 14 gauge spokes. I used Sapim Race spokes. Not for British 3-speeds. This is for Schwinn wheels only.
- Sturmey
Archer AW to 26 Schwinn S6 rim 26 x 1-3/8 Schwinn pattern ISO 597 - pattern is 36 spokes, cross 4. Length
of spokes is again 288mm, 290mm, or 292mm. This build is more
straightforward than the front because the larger flanges of the AW hub
are fine with a cross-4 pattern. I used brass spoke washers at the
flange (the flange is thinner than the Schwinn hourglass I had up
front), and a flat spoke-nipple washer at the rim. I used 288mm spokes
because I had them on hand. Beware that 288mm is the minimum length. I
would use 290mm if I had to order spokes. You could also use 292mm with a
washer at each end of the spoke, but it may need a little filing to
level back down when you're done. Again, 290mm is a happy medium. With
the AW hub I indeed recommend you use the flange washers. 14mm nipples and 14 gauge spokes again. I used Sapim Race spokes. Not for British 3-speeds. This is for Schwinn wheels only.
- Sturmey Archer AW to Schwinn S5 Chrome 26 x 1-3/8 ISO 597mm (Westrick style) - 36, cross 3 pattern: 11.00 inch spokes. Double-butted 14gauge. Source: a spoke from a factory-built wheel. This amounts to a 280mm spoke. I have not tried to recreate these wheels because I have leftovers from 1960s Schwinn Racers and similar bikes, but this is posted here for reference in case anyone wants to build with a Sturmey AW and Schwinn S5 rim. I prefer the S6 rims, personally. Sapim Racer spokes are not a bad approximation if you're going for new spokes. Beware again - this is NOT for English 3-speeds, but for the Schwinn sized wheels. I suggest you use spoke washers at the flange, and if you want to, use the English-style bent spoke/nipple washers at the rim.
- Schwinn hourglass front to Schwinn S5 Chrome 26 x 1-3/8 ISO 597mm (Westrick style) 36, cross 3: 11-1/4 inch spokes double-butted 14gauge. This amounts to about a 285mm spoke. Source: a factory-built Schwinn Racer wheel. This pattern does not suffer from the butting of one spoke over another on the same flange. The older wheels of the 1940s-50s did that with the Schwinn lightweights, it seems. As before - this is not for British 3-speeds, but is for the Schwinn wheels.
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