Bicycle Mechanics - rear wheel question - dishing

Do all wheels require dishing of some sort? This would depend, I assume, on whether it is a single speed, or multi-gear and what frame it is mounted in, correct?

What are the basics here? Are all mountain bike wheels dished, whether they are geared or single speed?

The only type of wheel that isn't dished is a non-disc brake front wheel. Just about (for argument's sake) all other wheels will have dish. Even my single cog rear track wheel has dish.

For everything you need to know, subscribe to Roger Musson's wheelbuilding e-book. (http://www.wheelpro.co.uk/wheelbuilding/book.php) My wheelbuilding page (http://miketechinfo.com/new-tech-wheels-tires.htm) won't do you any harm either.

The basics - When a wheel is properly dished, the rim should be centered between the hub locknuts.

You can check this with a handy dandy wheel dishing gauge.
http://www.bikepartsplace.com/products/portable-wheel-dishing-gauge/

A 10 speed rear cassette is going to take a lot more dishing than a front wheel or a flip-flop track hub, but it's something that needs to be checked when building a wheel.

Unless you're handbuilding a wheel though, your wheel should already be properly dished.

Do all wheels require dishing of some sort? This would depend, I assume, on whether it is a single speed, or multi-gear and what frame it is mounted in, correct?

Correct. Everything on a bicycle works together. The amount of dish on a rear wheel depends on a number of factors including the frame that it's installed in. My tandem has a totally dishless 9-speed disc brake rear wheel made possible by it's huge 160mm rear dropout spacing.

So, if I choose to buy a wheelset from a company online, how do they know what the dish distance should be? Is it a fixed distance if it's for single speed application vs a multi-gear?

So, if I choose to buy a wheelset from a company online, how do they know what the dish distance should be? Is it a fixed distance if it's for single speed application vs a multi-gear?

The rim should be centered between the locknuts, as already mentioned. That will put the rim in the center of the frame or fork. If it's a properly built wheel, that will always be the case, all you need to be concerned about is whether the dropout spacing is the same as the hub's OLD (Over Locknut Dimension).

For some reason, I actually never use our dishing gauge in the shop. I just flip the wheel in the truing stand to check.

Do all wheels require dishing of some sort? This would depend, I assume, on whether it is a single speed, or multi-gear and what frame it is mounted in, correct?

What are the basics here? Are all mountain bike wheels dished, whether they are geared or single speed?

Any wheel that centres the rim over the hub will be considered zero dish so this includes front wheels (non disc), fixed and ss wheels, and the rear wheels on old coaster bikes.

If you look at a multi geared wheel from above or the rear you will see the offset of the rim and difference between the drive and non drive spokes in that the drive spokes will be tighter and straighter as they come off the hub and meet the rim. This is because of the offset a geared hub needs to accommodate those gears... if your dropout spacing was sufficient you could eliminate the dish as RG has with his tandem and it's 160 mm spacing. A modern mtb does not have enough room to pull this off.

Ritchey's OCR and Zero Dish wheel sets are designed for geared applications and they use a custom hub and rim to eliminate dish.

Isn't there a Surly frame that allows you to run a zero dish externally geared wheel w/o any special components by having offset rear dropouts?