First Time Building Wheel
Thread started by
ridinghigh at 08.19.08 - 9:03 am
Fellow Riders as well as you all know wheels are very expensive, so after watching a couple of wheel building videos I have know convienced myself that I can do this (hopefully this project wont edn up in the closet next to my DYI messenger bags) , I am asking for some tips and if you can direct me on were to buy all of the parts needed? The videos I did see claimed that the spoke was specific to the hubs and wheels so I have to make sure I buy the right ones, If any one has any tips or can reccomend a cheap, and trustworthy shop very cool.
Thanks and Happy riding
reply
A lot of people online recommend this place for parts or complete builds:
http://www.universalcycles.com/wheelkit.php
hatehills08.19.08 - 12:08 pm
reply
ah man let me borrow the vids... i want to build my own wheels too...
dayone08.19.08 - 1:04 pm
reply
@eddie
how much does the guy in pasadena charge and where would i find him
dayone08.19.08 - 1:04 pm
reply
Anyone know how these guys compare to what you've shopped for?
http://www.bicyclewheelwarehouse.com/
User108.19.08 - 1:14 pm
reply
hey to check out vids on wheel building just youtube it and you can get a lot of info
ridinghigh08.19.08 - 4:42 pm
reply
Wheel building is really easy once you build one or two. The hardest part I have is getting the valve stem in the right spot, but I probably don't pay attention to the "key spoke"
Front wheels, BMX wheels and fixed gear rear wheels are easiest to build as there is no dishing to be done. (to date, I have never built a dished wheel, even after acquiring a Campy dish tool)
I use online databases of hubs and rims to calculate spoke length. So far, I have only done a standard 3X pattern. On a dished wheel, one sides spokes are longer than the other so be aware of that.
I buy spokes and shit from a local bike shop, hubs and shit online if I don't have something to reuse.
You really need to have a wheel truing stand to get the thing correct. A dial indicator mounted to the stand is nice to measure down to .001" of an inch, but not required. Getting the bounce out is equally important as getting it straight left to right.
I always re-visit a new wheel after 100 or so miles to make sure the tension is equal around.
Happy building.
Mook08.19.08 - 5:45 pm
reply
I was thinking of building up a pair for a SS w/ a flip flop hub... 36h... 3x... Mavic cxp22.... and then Mook just scared me w/ his wheel building talk.
digablesoul08.19.08 - 7:10 pm
reply
Really quick... I've seen the vids on youtube and it does look very interesting and just the satisfaction of building your own wheelset would be so gratifying. I'm very tempted.
digablesoul08.19.08 - 7:12 pm
reply
@ User1
I was checking out Bicyclewheelwarehouse.com (BWW) and I noticed that they don't specify if their wheels are hand built. On their "About Us" page...
http://www.bicyclewheelwarehouse.com/?act=viewDoc&docId=1
"All of our wheels are 100% built in house, checked and rechecked by hand for proper spoke tension and wheel trueness. "
Machine built in house? Then tensioned by hand?
digablesoul08.19.08 - 7:36 pm
reply
get your industrial strength machines here!
http://www.marchettispa.it/ruote/ruote.asp
About BWW, they very well might have a bunch of wheel builders on staff that lace wheels all day long, I would hope they have machines to aid in assembly, 100% manual assembly would make a manufacturing engineer's head spin if there pushing any sort of volume.
Mook08.19.08 - 9:25 pm
reply
Wheelbuilding is a great skill to have, but unless you a) really want to learn how to do it, or b) want a unique hub / rim / spoke combination and have the $ to pay for it, it's often cheaper to buy the complete wheel, as the retail prices on the hubs, the spokes, and the rims total up to more than a lot of your standard complete wheelsets.
On the other hand, if you bust a spoke or two on your existing wheel, then it's probably a good time to learn wheelbuilding. Once one spoke goes, it's only a matter of time until others follow, and since you've got the rim and hub already, you just need to buy the spokes.
JB09.8.08 - 11:48 am
reply
JB -
Once one spoke goes, it's only a matter of time until others follow, and since you've got the rim and hub already, you just need to buy the spokes.
Me -
Huh??? I've never experienced the rest of my spokes going out after one or two of them go out. I guess it could happen if they were built wrong in the first place. Maybe that's what you're saying?
User109.8.08 - 5:32 pm
reply
"Me -
Huh??? I've never experienced the rest of my spokes going out after one or two of them go out. I guess it could happen if they were built wrong in the first place. Maybe that's what you're saying?"
Well, I had a spoke go, fixed it, had another one go shortly thereafter, and thought WTF?
Then after some internet searching, I saw it mentioned that if you've had that wheel for a while and more than one spoke goes, it's probably time to rebuild the wheel, as metal fatigue has probably affected most of the spokes.
Now, this was probably more of an issue for me since I've got the mass of 2-3 average ridazz, and the wheel was several years old.
I'm not the only one who's faced this issue.
I'm glad you haven't had to deal with this issue.
That's what I'm saying.
JB09.8.08 - 6:04 pm
reply
Pettiness aside, if you've got the time and the cash, wheelbuilding is a lot easier than you'd think, as long as you're capable of following directions and being patient.
It's just a matter of lacing the spokes correctly, truing the wheel, tensioning the wheel, and dishing the wheel.
If you've got access to a truing stand and a guide and several hours of free time, it's not hard.
Boring as hell perhaps, but not hard.
JB09.8.08 - 6:08 pm
reply
-->
Ridazz Roulette!
I KNOW A GUY IN PASADENA.....