Originally Posted by
79pmooney
Cantilever axles are used in many non-bicycle applications and come out plenty stiff. Cars, trucks, airplanes, and as mentioned before, wheel chairs ... Certainly can be done.
The point I was thinking of, but didn't yet fully describe, is that the stub axle's diameter at the inner bearing will be quite limited by the ID size that bearing can have. By converting a conventional dual sided hub (typical ft) the inner bearing still has a pretty small ID. I think you will find that pretty much all stub axle hubs, when designed as such from the start, use a tapering axle diameter. Big next to the frame/fork and smaller at the outer bearing, as has been said like better pedal axles are. How much bigger is enough and will that fit the conventional dual sided hub, without modding the hub shell, are the real questions IMO. While the OP says he has access to a fully capable shop to mod an existing hub a little bit is not too far less than just making a hub that has optimal design and not a cobbled up result. Andy