Sadly, I noticed yesterday that my trek 400's rear rim had developed a hairline crack along the sidewall. Nothing big, but I definitely needed to replace it. So I went to a bike shop nearby and bought a mavic openpro 700c for...probably too much money :-/ Anyways, the folks at the shop looked at me a little funny when I mentioned I was going to rebuild my rear wheel on my own, and I think I've figured out why. If sheldon brown's guide is any indication, this is not a good introduction to bicycle mechanics.

My question is: should I even attempt to build it myself, or am I likely to cause damage to other components, or harm myself riding it later? I don't have many tools myself, but there is a bike co-op here with everything I would need (and I might just buy some tools myself, as they will surely come in handy again at some point). Is it a good idea for me to just build it, and then take it to a shop to have it trued? (this would be a lot cheaper than having to buy a truing stand anyhow).

You really don't need many tools to build a wheel. Basically, you'll need a

1. truing stand (I suppose you can substitute your bike if necessary)
2. dishing tool (to ensure the wheel is properly centered)
3. good spoke wrench (one that is not a "multi-spoke" wrench")
4. some patience

I built my first set of wheels (road) using Jobst Brandt's book "Bicycle Wheel" with excellent success. It's very methodical and not hard at all. The difficult part is to know how much to tension the spokes. Use an existing wheel as a guage. If the spokes are too loose, the wheel will not stay true. You can use a tensiometer, but I never have.

In fact, you can lace the spokes, true and dish the wheel to what you think is right. Then take it to the LBS for a sanity check.

Actually, if you print out Sheldon Brown's instructions, read them carefully (take 1 hour or so), and bring them close to where you will build your wheel and it will be OK. Just take your time.

However, if you have another rim of the same diametre (i.e. if you don't replace a single-sidewall rim with a deep-v rim), you could simply transfer the spokes from one rim to another.
1. Put both rims side by side, making sure the valve hole is in the same position.
2. Simply release tension in all spokes (i.e. unscrew each of the spokes by 1-2 turns, and do that a few times so spokes are loose).
3. Remove one spoke from the old rim and install it in the new rim. Screw the nipple (not too tightly).
4. Repeat 35 more times.
5. Discard old rim
6. Tension the spokes
7. True the wheel.

BTW, Mudpie is right about equipment. However, I have built all my wheels on the bike turned upside down. If the bike has tight-fitting brakes, it's very easy to use them as wheel guides; otherwise, a small screwdriver is a fairly efficient feeler. Not as nice as a real truing stand, but it works.

My first wheel built (it was a complete built, not a transfer) took me about 2.5 or 3 hours... spread on 3 nights.

Thanks for the responses guys, I have a few more brief questions (having decided to do this myself). I'm not sure if I want to replace the old spokes or not, but if I do should I worry much about the brand/type, or are most spokes fairly generic? Also, the guide I've been reading says that I shouldn't use aluminum nipples with an aluminum hub such as this one because chemical welding may occur - is there a consensus on this? Should I buy some brass ones?

Danke

Regarding spoke styles, you have a few choices. A few types are:

a. Straight spokes (14 or 15 gauge). - a constant diameter along the spoke. Most durable, but heaviest.

b.Double butted (14 and 15 gauge, or 14 and 17 gauge) - these spokes have a bigger diameter towards the ends, where material stress is greatest.

c.Bladed / aerodynamic spokes

Remember, in the gauge system, the smaller the number, the bigger the diameter. 14 gauge is bigger than 17 gauge. In metric, 14 gauge = 2.0 mm, 15 gauge = 1.8 mm, 17 gauge = 1.5 mm (I think).

Regarding manufacturers, you can find DT, Sapim, Wheelsmith amongst others. Any of the major brands should be equally fine. I believe most spokes are made from stainless steel.

I don't have any expericed with aluminum nipples. Some rims have eyelets at the spoke hole to provide a bearing area for the spoke. Perhaps some may be more compatible with the aluminum nipples. Hopefully someone else can comment on this.

I guess you need to decide if you want a fast, lightweight race wheel or a more durable, heavier wheel.

You might want to consider using new spokes and nipples. Straight spokes could be as low as $0.15 USD each and double butted $0.25 USD each (see www.jensonusa.com as an example).

Spoke length is very important. Since you're rebuilding the same hub/rim, you can measure the old spokes. Length is measured from the bend in the spoke to the end of the threads.

Finally, you might want to invest in a good spoke wrench. I use one made by Park Tool and is a loop design that fits the hand and nipple pretty well. It cost about $7.00 USD.

You'll find a certain pride riding on wheels you built yourself.

Also, if you use the inverted bike as a truing stand, you can rig up simple "wheel guides" by taping something onto the seat stays or fork, like a playing card.

I recall doing my first wheel set over a few nights too.

Wheel building could be a form of therapy.

A dial indicator is useful for measing trueness. I dont have one, but if you have access to a place that supplies tools for machine shops, you should be able to get one for $10 - $15. Instead of using a dishing tool, you can flip the rear wheel around and see if it is still centered in the frame.

Good idea about flipping the rear wheel around to make sure it's centered. I forgot about that trick.