Hi Antti,
nice idea and findings!
How do you plan on doing this for the back wheel or would you keep the current tire on that?
For the front wheel, I did come across a slightly less costly front hub (Novatech Fatbike) which I've seen for around 50 EUR right now in Germany.
On first look, the 24" inch rims aren't as easy to come by either. I'm looking for one that would fit the Schwalbe Marathon Winter wheels (47-507). Did you already come across a brand?
I've also never installed spokes myself on a rim and have to read up on what length I'd need, which I guess depends on the installation I'd want to do.
So if you'd like to share any more details, I'd be happy to hear more on your plans and progress on this.
I plan on keeping the rear wheel as is. During the winter I have found that the biggest risk is the front wheel slipping on ice and this causing the rider to fall (this has happened to me a few times over the years). Snow is not a problem for normal tires and the rear wheel slipping is not a big risk for falling. Traction will not be as good as during the summer, but this isn't really an issue for me (falling is the issue). I have run my normal around-the-town bike with a studded front tire during the winter and a regular "summer" tire on the back.
For the rims I have been looking at Holland Bike Shop (
https://hollandbikeshop.com/en-gb/bicycle-wheels/bicycle-rims/bicycle-rim-24-inch/) they have a lot of 24in rims to choose from.
I have built a few sets of wheels from rims, spokes and hubs myself. It takes a bit of learning, but if you are into fixing bikes, it is a fun skill to develop. When I built my first set, I found a local bike shop where you could "hire" the mechanic and work under his guidance using the shop's tools. The whole process took a few hours.
I also recommend Jobst Brandt's book "The Bicycle Wheel", it will tell you step by step how to lace up a standard 3-cross pattern.
I will update once I get around to building the wheel. The long term forecast for Helsinki, where I live, is that we are looking at a warmer than usual winter, so I will have to see if there is a need for winter tires. Of course this would all be much more simple if Rad had put 20in wheels on the RadWagon and I could buy tires from Schwalbe and put them on the rims as is.