Double-sided Rear Wheel

[Seele]

Earlier today I chanced upon two "orphan" 27 X1 1/4 wheels, not a matched pair but seem to have lived on the same bike by the look of them. Both used high-flange French hubs laced to aluminium rims; front one Fiamme (still has most of the flying horse transfer intact), rear one Weinmann.

The rear wheel looks interesting: the hub is a French-made Exceltoo Super Competition, with screw threads at both ends, one side has a Regina GX freewheel, the other a fixed-speed track sprocket. Seems like the idea is, flip the wheel over to turn the bike into a fixie.

A Google search came up with someone selling this Exceltoo hub on eBay at some silly money; I wonder if they are rare, and/or desirable. Right now I am thinking about how to make use of it, but then it kinda looks interesting anyway.

[mikesbytes]

Sounds like a good score, the biggest challenge is getting decent tyres for them.

Could be used for a fixie.

What kind of riding do you do?

[Seele]

Sounds like a good score, the biggest challenge is getting decent tyres for them.

Could be used for a fixie.

What kind of riding do you do?

Since this pair of wheels are of 27 X 1 1/4 size there is no problem with getting tubes and tyres around here, I am still a bit apprehensive with gum-wall tyres though: they came complete with tubes and tyres, the tyre walls are getting a bit hard now but the treads are barely touched.

I think the idea of this Exceltoo hub is to make the bike dual-purpose: road bike (abeit with a more sporting nature) during the week, then flip the rear wheel over for an outing at the local velodrome at weekends, not that I am of that particular persuation of course! I am of the type who would prefer what motorcyclists call a "full dressed tourer": long wheelbase, gentle steering angle, full mudguards, even though I am not going to bolt on a full set of Blackburns to the point it looks like some sort of exoskeleton... you know the type.

At the moment it is leaning against the wall at my living room, I am not quite sure what to do with it yet.

[GaryF]

I think you're on the right track regarding the use of the double-sided rear wheel hub. Some hubs were made for a fixed sprocket on one side and a single freewheel sprocket on the other (similar to a BMX freewheel) while other rear hubs had a fixed sprocket on one side and a 3/4/5 speed freewheel on the other side of the hub. In the latter case, the wheel was dished to centre the rim to the hub as road wheels are built today.