Do you have to use the spoke prep that Wheelsmith sales on your spokes or can you use a substitute? If so, what can you use as a substitute. I'm building my first set of wheels for fun/experience, but don't want to spend $20 for the spoke prep to build only one wheelset if I don't have to.

I use spoke prep on wheels that are built using rims with eyelets like a Mavic open pro, If the rim is not eyeleted I don't use it because the nipples bind up with the rim as the wheel is tensioned. I build many wheels and never have a problem with any of them. If you ar eusing an eyeleted rim and don't use spoke prep the spokes can come loose as the rim is being ridden. other companies make a similar product, DT has one and Mavic also.

Thanks for you response, mrfix. I have the Mavic CXP21 rims. I have no idea if it's eyeleted or not. Do you know if the Mavic CXP21's are eyeleted?

EE,

CXP21's do not have eyelets.

TE

Cool, so I guess I don't need to get any spoke prep stuff. Thanks guys!

The LBS I deal with uses Spoke Prep but they don't sell it.
What they suggested was to use linseed oil, just a drop applied
through the top of the nipple after the intial tightening.
One of the things that the spoke prep or linseed oil or whatever
does is keeps your spokes from rusting/corroding into the nipple,
thus creating a future maintenance nightmare.
Rock n' Roll lube has a spoke prep, haven't tried it yet but
if its anything like their lubes it should be a good product.

Marty

Cool, thanks for the info.

You DO NOT need spoke prep on any wheel regardless of rim type. As lotek mentioned,it is helpfull to lubricate the threads to prevent corrosion of the threads. Spoke prep does act like Loctite in that it helps to keep spoke nipples from loosening. If you tension them correctly they wont loosen. Why buy linseed oil when you can use what you lube your chain with...

I actually built the front wheel over the weekend without and spoke prep. Pretty cool experience, but haven't had a chance to test it out yet. I forgot to get rim tape, so gotta run to the LBS sometime this week.

Thanks for all the help. I'm sure the rear wheel will be more difficult, since it has different size spokes.

I don't like using oil as it's messy.

I use just the slightest bit of white lithium grease on the spoke threads. Put a tiny bit of grease on your finger and then roll the spoke thread through the edge of the grease.

Use your greasy finger to also wipe off any excess, you want just enough that the grease is barely visible in the threads.