yumna2

building a Deep V with Formula hub. I sure people have done this combination before, but I just need to double check on the spoke length to buy online. Im doing radial front and 3x rear,can he spokes be the same length? Thanks a lot

Sixty Fiver

I have been using some vintage NOS Berg 14/16 db spokes for most of my recent builds since I have a crap load of them at the shop... they are of very good quality.

I usually build 36 and 40 3x or 4x wheels most of the time as my customers tend to be utilitarian riders and tourers and after having a bunch of wheels go out on some insanely long rides this year I can say I am pretty pleased at how well they all held up under some extreme use and load.

A 32 3x track wheel is going to be plenty strong if it is built up with a Velocity Deep V, a good hub, and decent spokes... and if the build is done right.

If your derailer is hitting the spokes there is something wrong with the bike... it could be a bent hangar or a bent derailer causing the problem or the rear d might just be set up wrong.

peabodypride

The length is fairly common.

Tips:
-Brass nipples. Alloy strip too easily.
-Grease every spoke thread before installation into a nipple, or else you won't be able to get high tension.
-Don't be afraid during tensioning when stuff gets hard to turn. Just don't turn so hard you strip a nipple.
-When getting initial tension it is better to go around the wheel doing 2 turns, then 1 more, than a half turn than doing 3.5-4 turns at once. You will not get a proper wheel that way.
-True the wheel radially (for hops) before vertical. It's a lot easier to get out a hop or flat spot initially.
-Don't sweat tiny hops or flat spots (2mm or less).

-You can get proper tension by using musical pitch. Strike the spokes at the cross and listen for a ping. For a Deep V/Forumula combo you want it to be a F# ideally. Of course you can't tension every spoke pair to a F# and call it done because all rims have some imperfections and you won't have each spoke exactly as tight or loose as another. No spoke pair should deviate more than two semitones (ideally, one semitone) up or down. So F should be the lowest and G the highest.

-To get nipples through the deep section I actually stuff a small precision flathead driver into the round opening in the top of the nipple, it just fits perfectly.

-Tension release after every major truing step!

-Get a Park horseshoe shaped spoke wrench, one of those circular combo wrenches will strip the hell out of your spokes as soon as you tension them.

yumna2

anyone know the length?

alheim

Answers:

If you don't want to buy your spokes at the LBS, then you're going to have to learn how to use a spoke calculator ... you're not going to learn anything if we just tell you some magic number.

As some have said, straight-gauge spokes will do the job just fine. If you want double-butted, your shop could probably order them for you. If not, then walk away with your freshly-calculated spoke lengths and order them online. www.bikepartsetc.com has great deals on nice Sapim double-butted spokes.

A radial front and 3x rear most definitely do not use the same length spokes. You should probably spend a little more time thinking about why this is the case before you build this wheel.

Deep V's w/ Formula hubs is probably the most common setup around, both of which should be in the spoke calculator above. Are you good with excel? You should be able to figure it out after a few minutes if you take your time and follow the directions.

However, I commend you for wanting to build your own wheels - and good luck.