Skankingbiker

I am considering trying to build my first wheel. I am aware of the wheelbuilding resources/books online & the sheldon brown page. I have my hub, rim and spokes all picked out and used prowheelbuilder.com/spokelengthcalculator

What I want to know is whether this is doable for a novice realistically. I work on my own bikes, but am not a shop mechanic, and I drive a desk at work. I would not really have anyone supervising. This would be a long term "lean-by-doing" project. I like putting things together and building things (although I do tend to foul things up on the first try)

If I were to do this, I would be using a velocity dyad rim, DT comp 2.0 spokes, and a Sturmy Archer S2 kickback hub with 3x lacing. From what I understand, this should mean I don't have to worry about dishing the wheel or not catching spoke wind up. Looks like I can source the parts for a little under $200. I have the appropriate spoke wrench and a makeshift truing stand--no other special tools

I guess what I want to know is whether this is even worth attempting or whether I am going to be pi$$ing away $200 and taking it to a shop. Can a novice build a functioning wheel with the above components?
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FBinNY 

Short answer yes. If you can read and follow detailed instructions you can build a wheel. Jobst Brandt clained that even a child can build a wheel following his step by step instructions.

Besides following instructions, here are a few keys to avoiding common pitfalls.

1- triple or even quadruple check that your spokes are the right length.
2- Before doing anything else look across the hub shell and note that the spokes holes on one flange are lined up exactly between the holes on the other. So the spoke sequence going around the hub alternate left, Right, left..... That's critical because if you don't pick this up correctly the sequence on the hub won't match the sequence in the rim.
3- When it's laced, tighten all spokes to the same length, the more accurate you are here the better. I use my thumb nail against the last thread as a gauge, others use the bottom of the screw slot, either is fine just try to be consistent.
4- bring the spokes to minimum tension by turns working around the rim, working by full turns early on, then by half turns.

5-as the wheel takes shape and has enough tension to count, align it roughly, focusing on radial deflections because these are harder to correct later on. Then align to about 1/8" for wobble. From here on in, you'll alternate adding tension, and aligning, so you don't find yourself trying to align a tight wheel.
6- when the wheel is about half tight, look/feel, or use sound to check for crossed pairs with uneven tension between them, match those pairs as best you can now, and you'll end up with a wheel that has even tension all the way around. Don't save this step for later, it's harder to do then.

good luck

Andrew R Stewart 

The first question i would ask ia about your wheel truing experience. I always felt that the lacing of the rim to the hub (with the spokes, of course...) was the part of the process that didn't make as much difference compared to the tensioning/truing portion. So have you had a bunch of sucessful truing experience? Have you replaced a roken spoke or two? Have these wheels been used and then rechecked after a while? Have you redished a wheel before? have you relleased the tension on a good wheel then retensioned it back up?


If you haven't done some of these steps then you might want to get more practice/experience with the tension/truing part first. Andy.

zacster

If I can do it anyone can. I did a 2x one side/radial the other on an offset rim rear wheel. The advantage I had was that it was an Easton hub with the double threaded spokes, and these were already in place on the hub so I only had to do the rim. The spokes thread into the hub and need to be glued in place with a particular type of Loctite not available in home stores, and luckily I didn't have to do that. I followed Sheldon Brown and a few other guides on the truing process, and I'd replaced spokes and trued wheels before so I wasn't a complete noob. IIRC the final weight was around 840g.

I did this two years ago, I'm over the weight guidelines for this wheel, and I ride the streets of NYC, but the wheel has held up remarkably well, so good in fact that I only had to give it a slight touch up recently when I looked at it closely.

mike6024

You might be better off using a regular Park truing stand rather than your makeshift one, though I don't know what that looks like.

calamarichris

Another vote for getting a Park Truing Stand, dishing tool, the offset nipple driver, spoke holder (nice thing about bladed spokes if you can use this holder to eliminate spoke twist) and the spoke tensiometer.
I did it, but with the best tools, including a good understanding of the Jobst Brandt book.

Dura Ace 7900 hubs, Sapim CX-Ray bladed spokes and Velocity Fusion rims. At 32/2-cross, the wheels are not the lightest or most aero, but they've been utterly solid for two years now and supremely gratifying to ride. I was seriously high-fiving myself when the spokes were approaching the correct tension, and I saw at last that I'd gotten the spoke length calculations exactly right--not a mm off. Seriously sweating bullets on that point, because the spokes are expensive and non-returnable.
Some here on BF told me I didn't need the tensiometer or dishing tool, but I'm glad I had it, because I was timid about tightening the spokes that much. Also, I'm convinced that starting out with near-perfectly balanced tension is one reason my wheels are so solid after all these miles. Also, I took my time and gradually brought the spokes to the correct tension in 5 steps.
Even if you make a catastrophic mistake, you're still going to learn a lot. Enjoy the process. It's a supremely satisfying feeling to bomb down twisty descent at 50+ mph your first time on the new wheels, nailing the brakes, leaning over to the point of traction loss, and knowing that your life is very literally in your hands and in your attention to detail.
Keep us abreast of the process!

calamarichris

Also if you have an old wheel, put it to use! I completely took apart my crappy American Classic 420 wheels and built them back together, using all my tools as a practice run while I was waiting for my spokes & nipples to arrive.
If you don't have one, you can probably get one at your friendly neighborhood LBS, or bicycle coop.

robo

You can definitely do it. I built my first wheel (an 8 speed rear) with just Sheldon's instructions, a cheap Minoura truing stand, a Park Tool wrench, and some patience. I attached little tape flags to the spokes near the nipple end to be able to track spoke twist, but by my second wheel I didn't bother - it was simple enough to 'give back' a fraction of a turn each time to release the twisting. Tension was checked using the pitch method.

I've only built three wheels, but all of them are going strong years later. I simply haven't had a need for new wheels since then. When I do, I won't hesitate to build them. In particular, I have thousands of miles on the 2nd and 3rd wheels I built, for my touring bike, and they have not needed truing in 5 years.

So yes, you can definitely do it.

Darth_Firebolt

+1
about once a month i take my sacrificial lamb wheel apart and build it back up just to keep fresh. it also helps a TON to have another wheel built up with the same lacing pattern to look at while you're lacing your first few wheels.

norskagent

One nice thing about building wheels is that you can "walk away" at most any point, the build status will remain the same until you continue. When I build a wheel, I may lace up half a side, then park it and do the other side the next day, etc. Same goes for trueing/dishing, though I think it is better to complete a step (tensioning/trueing/dishing) before stopping ( don't assume you will remember where you left off mid-adjustment).

Homebrew01

Everyone had to build their first wheel at some point. Go for it.
If you're interested enough to want to do it, then you can.

reptilezs

i like to lace the wheels one day and the next day bring them up to tension and round. you can stop between steps but don't disturb me if i'm in the middle of a "round" of tensioning or dish etc.

fietsbob

The crank shaped screwdriver like thing,
sure makes counting turns as the nips go round ,
to do each spoke the same as you go around the wheel.

when the end of the spoke in the nip close enough
the tip center wont engage the Nip slot.
then you get out the nipple wrench

bigfred 

Short and easy answer, Yes. Brandt apparently validated his book by handing it to each of his sons and expecting them to produce a wheel by following it. Which, apparently they did.

I started building my own not long ago. I've built five to date. Sure, there have been a couple of mistakes. But, I call those learning opportunities. Unlike some on here, I believe new components are easier to learn on than used. It's tough to learn to bring a rim up to tension evenly and true when the rim is old and already nearing the end of its service life.

With regard to tools, a spoke wrench and tension meter. I've used an inverted frame and flipping the wheel back and forth for both true and dish. Radial true can be achieved with a small ruler rubber banded across the stays. But, tension is probably most easily learned with a gauge. I know the pros will be able to sense tension by feel and tone. But, you need to learn what is correct to begin with and a tension meter goes a long way to shortening that learning curve.

Go on, give it a try.

bobotech

You do NOT need expensive tools like the Park Tools truing stand, dishing tool, the offset nipple driver, spoke holder, and the spoke tensiometer, seems like 300 plus dollars in uncessary tools for doing a single or couple wheel build. All a truing stand is a device that shows you the relationship of the rim to a fixed point. A bike frame and a brake caliper are a perfectly serviceable truing stand that will allow you to build a complete wheel from start to finish. You can flip the wheel in the bike frame and then adjust dish using the caliper. Just note where the caliper touches the rim and then flip the wheel in the stand and see how much father away from the caliper the rim now is and adjust the dish that way. It is a perfectly valid way of checking dish. Offset nipple driver? Convenient but completely unnecessary unless you are building lots of wheels and need the extra speed. Spoke holder? Just get a scrap piece of aluminum and cut a thin slot in it, works fine as a blade holder. Spoke tensionmeter? Learn to tell spoke tension by the sound of the spoke when you pluck it. Compare to a known good well tensioned wheel and you can get pretty danged close.

I build complete strong wheels that me and my son and others ride regularly and I am 380 pounds and my son is close to 300 using no other tools than a hacked up bike frame using my thumb or spoke wrench as the indicator, a Park tools triangle spoke wrench, and a flat head screwdriver. I can build a complete wheel in about 1 1/2 hours from start to complete finish using those tools.

Drew Eckhardt 

Yes. Jobst Brandt tested his book by having each of his grade-school sons build a pair of wheels with no additional help.

Wheel building is about as hard as adjusting a front derailleur although it takes a lot longer.

FBinNY 

+1, Wheel building and alignment calls for skill and knowledge, not fancy tools, other than a spoke wrench. The necessary tools can easily be improvised.

Here's a way to make a dishing gauge for 100% ZERO cost. You need 3 matched short glasses, and a bunch of quarters. Arange the glasses on a table to make a tripod at the rim's diameter. Lay the wheel on the glasses, Stack the quarters up the the height of the axle face. Flip the wheel and compare, adjust the dish until it matches on both sides. When you're finished use the quarters to buy yourself a beer, and take the money you saved and buy yourself some decent chain lube (sorry, couldn't resist).

zacster

Where in NY State can you buy beer for quarters?

But yea, you don't need fancy tools. I did my build in post #4 above without any special tools, just a spoke wrench and a broken frame with an intact rear triangle. I used my fingers as feelers. I dished it by flipping it in the dropouts. I tensioned it by sound, using a guitar tuner to good effect. It all worked out pretty good.

ratdog

I think FBinNY was just having flash backs...

davidad

Yes. It is not an art it is simply a mechanical job. My first was with a SA 3sp hub and a mountain bike rim (long story). I used it in the refinery where I worked on a Schwin cruiser. I gave it to a friend when I retired and he used it until one of the guys backed a pick-up truck over it.
Since then I have built and repaired many wheels for myself and friends. I taught an engineer (they have no mechanical talents) and a lady school teacher how to do it. They have done reasonably good work.
If you find that you are going to do more than one I would recommend a tensiometer.

Reynolds 

I think anyone with some mechanical ability can build a wheel. Take extra care at the truing/tensioning stage, work by small steps, relieve spokes.