How long to build a wheel? First timer
 

Here's my crazy thinking.
Bought a bike with 27" wheels but I have a new set of 700's I'd like to put on it. The problem is the rear 700 is single speed. What I'd like to do is put the 700 rim on the rear 27" hub.
Reason:
I already have all of the parts probably minus the spokes
I've wanted to build a wheel for a while
Save money?

I realize that:
I need to make sure the frame/brakes can accommodate the wheels
Many of you will give me a hard time

I'm prepared to be talked out of this.

Really the question I'm asking is how long I should plan for this to take. I'd only have the one bike so I don't want to be out of commission for too long.

Take the longest opinion you receive and double it. I don't think it's a good time to build a wheel when it involves taking down your only bike. You'd be better off (once you determine 700c will even work) to acquire a used hub compatible with your setup and build a spare wheel. Better yet, first learn how to properly true the wheels you have so they last longer.

Expect a high probability that the first time you lace the wheel that you'll get the crosses wrong or something similar.
Don't do it if you have time constraints. IF you're in a hurry, it's easy to make ONE mistake (like getting the crosses wrong or similar.

I'd recommend having a spare wheel to study/compare as you go along.

My first took me about 3 hours IIRC.

Thanks for the responses. Used hub was my other thinking. I have trued wheels before so as long as I get the pattern right (IF I get the pattern right) I can true it pretty well on the bike or take it up to the co op.

does this rim and hub even have the same spoke count? if not, forget it.

otherwise, what all the other guys say...

4 to 8 hours usually is a good go at a first time wheel for someone who hasn't ever done it before. I think it took me roughly 5 or so. I can now do a wheel in about an hour barring no real screwups.

Also measure the diameter between the widest spoke holes on the 2 hubs if they have the same amount of spokes. I think most Shimano rear hubs are 45mm between the widest holes and you might get lucky and both of the hubs might have the same diameters. If so then you can just use the same spokes. I did that one a couple of builds I had. I don't like freewheels so on 2 sets of 27" wheels, I replaced the freewheel hubs with freehubs. Turned out that the freewheel hubs had the same spoke hole diameters so I just used the same spokes since the spokes appeared to be fine.

Faced with 27" rims and smooth-as-glass Shimanon600 hubs, I did this too. Maybe 20 min to work out and shop for the right spoke length. About 4 hours being super-careful on lacing and truing them up. I'm really pleased with my results.
http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment...5&d=1309219073

Or take a high quality picture, print it, and keep the picture near you for quick references.

Josh

For spoking a wheel get Gerd Schraner's book The art of wheelbuilding. It lays it out one step at a time.

I build wheels all the time. Every year I teach an annual class
at the bike coop here.......I pretty much know what i'm doing.

I would not do what you are suggesting. There are some subtle issues with
brake reach, and it's just not worth the time and energy involved.
Also, check around and I think you will find the price of spokes to be quite
high and a little bit discouraging.....most of the shops here are getting a
buck each for DT straights.

just shop for some high quality 27" tires online or use the Performance
Forte house brand tires in 27".


Did I talk you out of it ?http://www.runemasterstudios.com/gra.../images/eh.gif

Same here. The hardest lesson to learn is to apply tension incrementally: tighten every spoke, all the way around the wheel, by 1/4 turn when the wheel is complete, true, and round. You need to iterate through the steps: adjust the spokes to round the wheel, then true, then add 1/4 turn to tension the whole wheel. Then round, true, tension... round, true, tension... round, true, tension.

I'm amazed no one has written a book called "Zen and the Art of Bicycle Wheelbuilding"- it's a very meditative process.

Building a wheel takes longer than I'm willing to put in on one day;
So I lace up the wheel one one day, then do the truing on another day.

Maybe?
It's always hard for me to not tinker! I got this wheel set in November for a UO8 I converted to a single speed. That bike did a fine job of going from 27" to 700. Now I'm over single speed but still like the wheels. The wheels I have now on the "new" bike are fine. Suzue hubs/araya rims. But they've got schraeder valves!

...I should also note that I'm married, live in an apartment and already have too many spare parts.

Again, if it tells you anything, a couple of months ago I intentionally built up a pair of
Araya 27 " schraeder valve rims onto some very nice Suzue Juno hubs that came to me
with a Sekai touring bike. If the Schraeders really make you unhappy, there are adapters
to neck down the holes to presta valve size.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=303296

If you love to tinker, go ahead and learn to build wheels for something that actually needs them.

And in an apartment, if you really want to save your points for stuff that matters more, don't
turn the kitchen table into a wheel building bench if someone else lives there with you.

I built my second pair of wheels for the week earlier today... I usually set aside 3 hours for this and this includes all the calculations and prep work and the actual build time is usually a few hours if I have all the measurements and parts ready but I like to take a few little breaks as I have trouble standing for longer stretches.

I do this for a living and have taught classes in this as well... I think that most people can learn to build a decent wheel and there are some people who should never touch a spoke wrench.

First time build is probably going to take at least 4 hours but I have had students pick it up immediately and build a sound wheel in less than 2 although they had some help while they were doing that which makes a lot of difference.

At least 3 hours...

...folks after a few wheels knock it down to 2 hours...some slightly under...

=8-)

It was said that Harlan Meyers of Hi-E could build & tension a wheel in under three and a half minutes, a feat he accomplished several times in exhibition.

Parties interested in wheel building may enjoy:

http://youtu.be/emcfhUhQJlM
http://youtu.be/7yF_S1L0X68

From start of spoke calculation to finish, I think my first one took 2 1/2 hours. I didn't cross the spokes the first time, had to re-do it part of it. I've since learned the one-side at a time method, I use that and probably take under 2 hours now. Don't do it for money, so I'm not watching the clock specifically.

I don't think that I can save money on building a wheel unless I have used parts, that the reason that I haven't built any wheels recently. My first wheel build took quite a bit of time but I was being extremely careful.

The amount of time should not be important.
The quality of the build should be important.

Check the rim carefully for small cracks near the spoke holes. If there are any, regardless of size, get rid of it.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...5F95944185B7CC
There's a guide for you if you don't know how to lace the spokes. BTW, in the playlist the guy does three-cross for the spokes. If you do that and the spokes end up overshooting the rim, try four-cross.

Time and quality are important when people pay you to do this for them... if you are building for your own purposes it is a different matter.