Harden hubs – drilled – how many types

Some 10 or 15 years ago I bought a ‘46/47 Hobbs of Barbican fitted with largely original equipment. It was fitted with Harden large flange drilled single fixed hubs in ASP27 rims.

In the ‘50’s I bought a La Quelda also with Harden hubs – subsequently lost/sold/? the rear wheel - and last week was lucky enough to buy another fixed/free rear hub to pair up the original front hub.(thanks to Marcho for advice)

However, on comparing the new purchase with the front, I found it drilled eight times each side with ½” holes against the front drilled nine times with 0.430” holes.
On checking the Hobbs wheels I found the front hub drilled eight times each side with ½” holes against the rear fixed hub drilled nine times with 0.430” holes.

I had believed the Hobbs was much as originally bought, but now have several questions.

1. Anybody any idea of the relative rarity of:- single fixed/double fixed/single free/fixed-free, rear hub alternatives?
2. Anybody any idea of the relative rarity of:- eight and nine hole drillings?
3. Are ‘they’ likely to have mixed eight with nine hole pairs?
4. Any reason for eight rather than nine – or the other way around?

In any event it looks as if I should pair mine up!


TIA John

I think you should be lucky to get any Harden hubs at all these days! Like the proverbial rocking horse doings, especially in good nick. Have you looked at the Harden section on Classic Lightweights website? They also made a non-drilled version (the 'Bacon Slicer' hubs) which are even rarer.

http://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/harden.html

Is this anything to do with the spoke holes, possibly 8 on a 32, 9 on a 36 etc.?

keithglos":3b9ysw64 said:

Is this anything to do with the spoke holes, possibly 8 on a 32, 9 on a 36 etc.?

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Or the old stock bacon-slicers being drilled out to make them more saleable?

Both sets 32/40 spokes.

They seem to be from a different run in that the more common eight hole drillings are 'Harden' tower and Patent Nr stamped on the axle casing whereas the nine hole hubs are stamped on the outside of a flange (not sure about the patent nr as possibly lost with the drillings)

Could it be that the nine holers were early ones - superseded by the eight holers?

Incidently I have renewed some of the bearing races and will be putting refurb kits(bearings) on the Marketplace section.

John