Building my first set of wheels
 

I am looking to build my first set of wheels.

These will be for a road bike and I intend to run them tubeless. My coworker at the bike shop has recommended Velocity A-Symmetrical rims.

I have not ever ridden tubeless and as I said, have not built wheels before. Rim, spoke, tires and hub are obvious but what else should I consider?

I am primarily interested in recommendations and the reasoning behind them for rims, hubs, spokes and tubeless tires.

My one geared road bike at the moment is running Campagnolo Chorus 10 speed.

I'm certainly not an expert wheel builder, but have now built a half dozen or so wheels. My only thought is that on my first few attempts, I didn't get it 100% right on the first try, so I had to take the wheels off and re-adjust (or in one case loosen the spokes and start over) a few times.

As such, I might suggest starting with an innertube until you're really happy with the wheel, unless it's easy to remove and replace a tubeless tire.

While the asymmetrical rims like the A23 are nice from Velocity, I now much prefer their new rim called the Quill. For what it is worth my go to rim was always the A23 from Velocity until recently building a set of Quills for my personal bike and now I am sold. It is lighter and still slightly wider and I really prefer the way a wide rim feels, even with 23's. For spokes, anything double butted and quality should work fine but I personally like to run a slightly lighter gauge spoke on the non drive side of the rear wheel. In theory the lighter gauge spoke is more "elastic" and is less likely to go completely slack than a spoke that is of heavier gauge and less "elastic" since the non drive side of the wheel will be at a lower tension.

For a first set of wheels, brass nipples do turn smoother and are less prone to wind up but you can get away with aluminum if you use a good lube on the spoke threads and also at the rim/nipple interface.

Hubs are more about what fits your budget, I personally like White Industries hub as they build well and last nearly forever. Them being made in the US is also a nice touch. The DT 350 is also very nice and costs a fair bit less than WI, both options have the ability to swap drivers should you ever move the wheels to a bike with Shimano or SRAM.

My suggestion is you find a pair of old wheels first. Take them completely apart and and then see if you can get them back into usable wheelss. Wheel building is not rocket science but it is not something everyone can do. See if you can find wheels someone is replacing. I would hate to see you put out a large amount of money and just end up with a pile of parts. I am sure you can do it but it may be something you will never want to do again. Roger

I recommend more spokes in the rear than in the front, simply because the front wheel is already very strong and sees less stress. I do like the offset rear rim; it is easier to tension, and highly dished wheels don't hold up for me and dont feel right out of the saddle. I prefer Wheelsmith butted spokes and aluminum nipples, which seem slightly easier to build and are a tad lighter. I do not recommend straight gage spokes, which simply make inferior wheels.

I have built wheels around Shimano ball and cone hubs, which these days are crap. Son, Phil, and DT Swiss hubs all were very nice units. The DT hubs are not as flashy as the others, but seem like a good value for a premium hub. One set I built on VO hubs, which don't have very smooth spoke holes, but otherwise OK. If you do radial lacing, make sure it is a forged hub, and don't do it on a drive side, disk side, or a dyno hub.

Mostly I recommend following a written procedure, like in the book The Bicycle Wheel. Priorities are 1) keeping the wheel round at all stages 2) continuously make tension more even 3) make the weel straighter by tensioning only the looser spokes 4) tightening each spoke only a little at a time. Let it take time, and use a tension meter and sound to judge tension, spoke prep or linseed oil on the threads, and machine oil on the heads. Also, keep a sample wheel next to you.

And most important of all, you simply MUST be able to read the hub logo by looking through the valve stem hole!

Use brass nipples.

I don't find relacing an old pair particularly helpful, and absolutely would not recommend trying to rebuild without written or in-person guidance. Lacing a wheel is indeed something pretty much anyone can do (youngest I've taught was 12 years old) and truing up a new wheel is MUCH easier than working with a used one, but it's also very easy to make a mistake by trying to wing it. The most critical part of wheel building is exactly what the OP asked about - selection of the component.

+1. Andy

Good point. It brings an important question to mind.

Label/logo on the hub; My Shimano wheels have the name positioned so that is readable from behind the handlebars / bike. My Campagnolo hubs are positioned opposite so that if you are standing in front of the bike it is readable. Which is correct?

Look at the rear - it can only go one way, so the front "should" be the same. But that's not a function of lacing, as you can just flip the front wheel to reorient the label.

I would recommend a set of BDOP diy wheels from his website. I built a set a little over a year ago 28 2x rear, 24 radial front. Great set for the money you will not find a better deal. Kinlin rims novatec hubs. I have maybe 5500 miles on them, never needed touring since the day I built them. I did experience a first I broke a rear ds spoke in the very middle of the spoke. No one can explain that yet did not think I hit anything either. In any case put on another spoke and got it up to tension did not need to touch the other spokes. That was 2000 miles ago. BDOP sets you up with everything.

- The Velocity a-symmetrical rims are a good choice.
- I have never run tubeless so can't comment on that.
- Use brass nipples.
- Follow a guide like Sheldon Brown.
- You will make a mistake(s) building your first set. Don't sweat it.

+100 Most old wheels I come across have seized nipples, making it difficult to impossible to even true them. Trying to tear them completely apart and rebuild (without all new spokes/nipples) will only be an exercise in frustration and a perfect way to make you HATE wheelbuilding. I've built plenty of wheels around used parts, but I always use new double-butted stainless steel spokes and new brass nipples.

But then the labels on the rim might not match!!

And don't use lighter than 14/15/14 gauge spokes.

Other than that, take your time and you'll be fine.

"Correct" implies that the other must be wrong. What is the "correct" color for a living room?

Someone should tell my mom, because my dad's repainted it twice in the last five years and she wants to change it again :lol: