Campag Shamal 16 hole wheels query

Dustine

I have picked a nos Shamal hub, 16h, and have an old Mavic Cosmic alloy rim, 16h, and wondered how it should be laced?? Anyone know how the original Shamal wheels were laced, and what kind of spokes i should be using??
Cheers for any help!!!

gkerr4

with 16 spokes i'd imagine it will have been radial as the current ones are (I have current Eurus) the spokes are propietry campag types with large flattened ends which push fit into the hub - again, this is is they are anything like the current shamals

good luck though - this would make a nice wheel - shamal use record grade bearings and will make a nice hub but I can't imagine this will be an easy build

acorn_user

gkerr4 wrote:

with 16 spokes i'd imagine it will have been radial as the current ones are (I have current Eurus) the spokes are propietry campag types with large flattened ends which push fit into the hub - again, this is is they are anything like the current shamals

good luck though - this would make a nice wheel - shamal use record grade bearings and will make a nice hub but I can't imagine this will be an easy build

He might have the old Shamal type. I think those used J-bend spokes.
You could try Sapim CX-Ray spokes.

Monty Dog

Try talking to Mercian Cycles in Derby - probably your only hope for a spoke kit. The original spokes are bladed - from memory they need a special spoke key as well, which Mercian used to have.

PapaZita

I have a set of the original 16 spoke Shamals, with the 'J' bend rather than straight pull spokes. I'm pretty sure they're laced radially on the front wheel, one cross on the drive side rear, and radially on the non-drive side. I'll check when I get home and post again if it's something different.

Assuming that you have the 'J' bend type too, then the requirement for special spokes and keys is due only to the Shamal rim, with its concealed nipples, etc. I don't know the Cosmic rim - it might be different.

Is this a front or rear wheel? I'm not using my rear Shamal at the moment because its 8 speed Campag block isn't compatible with my current Shimano 10sp system. Does anyone have any good suggestions for a conversion? I'd be happy with fewer than 10 speeds, as long as I could use the wheel with my current shifters.

PZ.

Dustine

Ah, this is interesting!! Having examined the hub, it does have some tiny slots for bladed spokes. The Rim does indeed have concealed nipples- i was hoping to get away with using 2mm shorter spokes than the calculators come out at, and tighten them as far as possible with a screwdriver- the rim is pretty burly and im hoping will stay true despite having so few spokes. It may of course be that i cant get them tight enough with a screwdriver- in which case look for a hub and rim sometime soon on ebay!!! Will try Mercian though for the proper thing!!
Oh, they are normal spoke ends at the hub by the looks of it- definitely not straight pull.

Dustine

Its a rear wheel. Having checked a few pictures of Shamals on ebay, it looks like it is radial left, 1 cross right. Any suggestions on whether i will be able to get enough spoke tension how i suggested??

robbarker

You won't get anywhere near a decent tension with a screwdriver. Low spoke count wheels need to be tight - Ksyriums are something like 1600N for example. I would try and establish what the rims will take and build with a tensiometer to get close to that - but you'll need to lubricate the threads and get the proper spoke key to stand a chance.

Dustine

Damn!! Just ordered the spokes too. Bah.

PapaZita

I think the Campag spec for Shamal rims is 1500N. The Cosmic is probably similar. It's tight, but it should be possible to do by hand. A brass nipple with a hex head, and an appropriate nut-driver sort of tool would probably be a good idea. And plenty of lube, of course.

PZ.