Originally Posted by
LóFarkas
Cheap machine built wheels seem to have ridiculously low tension and they obviously do not go through any stress relieveing... so they go out of true if you look at them funny.
The "few passes, brutal truing" theory is interesting but I'm not convinced. Rims can take a lil' bending, although I woundn't put lotsa bending past mfgrs, either.
I've actually seen a couple videos of this. One was of a Chinese factory that showed the entire process of building a cheap bicycle. A machine loads the spokes in the hub and then spins the hub so the spokes extend out. Then little machine fingers weave the spokes together as a rim is lowered in to the spinning mass. From there another machine starts inserting nipples and tightening to a predetermined amount of turns. Once a full revolution is complete, sensors are used to detect true/roundness and a couple more passes finish the job.
It's likely the "handbuilt" wheels you see online are mostly handbuilt. There's slower paced machines out there that assist with loading the spokes and holding the wheel in position as a person hand trues the spokes as they go by.
edit:
Originally Posted by
Metricoclock
After reading through Rivendells description on the building process of a wheel, I am surprized, not by their "revelation" but actually on their complete lack of understanding of machining and metal forming processes. I seriously would of thought they knew something about metal working being frame builders and all. By their logic a black smith hammering on a piece of hot steel will only weaken the steel.
I annoys me what they say about pinned not being a consideration.