Making Trike and Quadcycle Hub Flanges Without a Lathe

Step 15 Bevel the Spoke Holes

If you take a close look at a bicycle hub flange, you will notice the spoke holes are beveled slightly. This increases the hole diameter at its opening, reducing the stress on the spoke as it leaves the hole. This is especially important on these drilled steel hub flanges, which would have a very sharp edge on the hole.

Spoke damage or the inability to get the spoke into the hole would occur if the beveling was not done. A drill bit at least twice the size of the spoke hole bit is simply pushed into the hole with slight pressure as shown in Photo 15. This process just bevels the hole opening slightly.