amahana1

I have recently built-up two bikes and I have done all the work on them. I pretty much know how to get a bike together properly and have had many years of practice at it BUT I have never attempted to get into wheelbuilding and I really wanna start building up my own wheels. My question is simple, what do I need to get started and whats a good place to learn some really well proven techniques? I would love to attend some wheelbuilding classes but is there any other really good way to learn? Any advice on equipment or good sources for wheelbuilding would be VERY helpful. Thanks in advance.

fixie.ninja

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phantomcow2

well esseiantlly the only real tool needed is a spoke wrench. I like the park one, i think i payed 6.95 for it, there are different sizes though. I use the green. You need some lubrication for the threads of the spoke, what to use is very controversal. Some use spoke prep but i dont think its worth it if you build one wheelset, lineseed oil works. What is very helpful is a truing stand, i picked upo the one at performance called spin doctor for 35 dollars. I love it. A tensiometer is nice, it measures how much tension is in the spoke, if your musically inclined you may be able to pluck it to figure that out. I highly suggest getting a book, for 15 dollars on amazon.com i got Gerd Schraners book called "The art of wheel building". It was money well spent i will tell you, sheldon browns instructions confuised me on my first time, this book has clear insturctions on Schraners way of spoking, also information of lots of little things. It gives good details on what type of spokes and all there are. The truing and tensioning is an art if you ask me, and no artist gets it perfect his first try so expect to struggle but i think its worth it.

bostontrevor

If you're looking to build a standard 3X wheel, Sheldon's just fine. On spoke prep, I buy my spokes at my LBS ($0.50 a spoke for a wheel's worth of straight gauge--throw in S&H and you can't touch that mail order unless you're building quite a few wheels) and they let me use their prep for free.

On the tensiometer, it's worth nothing that the world built millions of wheels before their use became widespread. On the other hand, I'm also told that those who build by spoke tone aren't as spot-on as they think. I figure it this way: a tensiometer takes some of the black artistry out of wheelbuilding and allow us mere mortals to do it reasonably well. It was money well spent as far as I'm concerned.

On the other hand, I don't bother with the wheelbuilding stand, I just build in-frame. Here's how I get what I consider to be just as good a result as anyone using a proper stand:

https://www.bikeforums.net/showpost.p...26&postcount=7

The only downside is that it require that you have a properly sized bike for any wheel you build and you'll have to bring that bike inside and put it upside down on the livingroom floor so that you can watch the TV while building your wheels. Apart from that, I would argue that it's actually just as fast and easy to build them that way as with a dedicated stand.

phantomcow2

it is true that you dont necessarily need a truing stand, but it sure as hell makes life easier. I know the guy @ my LBS hes really food, i asekd himt ot rue my wheel and he didnt even take it off the bike, he just measured it with his thumbnail, and checked spoke tension by feeling it. And amazing enough, i checked it at home when ig ot my tensiometer and it was good tension and true witin .5mm. BUt hes been dojng it for 50 years. I think its worth buying the 35dollar stand @ performance, it pays for itself if you true your own wheels in the future.

Brett 12

Get the Bicycle Wheel book by Jobst Brandt. Available for $25 at Amazon. Great illustrations and walks you step by step.

That book and some tools is all you need.

phantomcow2

25 is all? I think i may go for that, how is the book compared to schraners?

bi-King

At the Barnett Bicycle Institute
https://www.bbinstitute.com

you can download at the manual section.
https://www.bbinstitute.com/manual.htm

"Download Chapter 17: Wheel Truing and Repair"

It's very complete.

oknups

It is a great book, and cheaper the the other.

phantomcow2

yea but what information does it have that schraners does not? I like how schraner goes into detail about techniques most people dont do, i doubt i will try corking the rim like he says he does sometimes but i thought i was interesting to read.

Brett 12

I don't have schraners, but Jobst's book is incredibly detailed. I mean if this is all you had I think your wheels could be perfect. Then again, I don't build wheels yet...so maybe I'm missing something. But still......

phantomcow2

hmm, so its money well spent. I am tempted to buy

phantomcow2

aah but on amazon they say 2-3 MONTHS to get.

amahana1

I saw that. What the book isnt on their bestseller list!?!

Rev.Chuck

Both books are good, I like Schraners a little better (more personal) A mechanical engineer told me to beware the math in Brandts book but my copy is really old, so who knows

All you need is the correct spoke wrench, a cheap truing stand (Seriously, get one it is worth it) and a dishing tool.

Below is my method in a nut shell:

THE CHUCK METHOD:
I set the hub and rim so the labels read how I want them to, then I insert my first inside spoke to the right of the valve hole, making sure the hole in the rim angles towards the hub flange. I recheck that all the labels are how I want them then lace the rest of the inside spoke for that side.
Turn the wheel over. Now I am working to the left of the spoke hole, next to the first inserted spoke. I look down through the hub and insert my next inside spoke in the hole just to the left (opposite flange) of the first inserted spoke. Then do the rest.
Leaving the wheel in the same postion, drop the outside spokes through the lower flange and twist the hub clockwise (looking from above) Do your cross, looping under the last spoke and insert the spoke into the next hole to the left of the two already inserted. Don't worry about starting next to the valve hole now, just cross three, or two, or whatever and insert into the next hole to the left.
Flip the wheel over, you are now on the side you started on. Drop the outside spokes through the lower flange and then cross them going to the last open hole in the rim.
Set all of the nipples so they are level with the top of the threads. I just rest my finger nail against the threads and spin the nipple in until it touches. Sometimes this requires a little leeway. If they start getting tight before you get halfway around the rim, loosen all the tightened ones a full turn, then continue around leaving a little thread showing. The idea is to get the starting position as equal as possible.
Take your nipple driver or a round screwdriver and go between each crossing pair pulling down towards the hub. This helps align the spokes and takes out some of the spring making the truing easier.
Starting at the valve hole, tighten each nipple a half to a full turn, depending on how tight the spokes are to start with. Do this as many times as you need to get some (not a lot) tension in the wheel. When you turn the nipples keep them square to the rim, it makes it a lot easier to keep track of the amount you have turned them rather than having them all askew.
Now the wheel should be pretty round and true, unless you are using a beat rim(In which case you need to slap yourself and go get a new rim)
Check for true, adjust(working in pairs) and check a couple of times. Then go all the way around the wheel turning each nipple a quarter turn, to bring up tension. (The square to the rim thing comes in real handy now) Check true again. Do this a couple of times to build a little tension into the wheel.
Now check for round, hopefully the wheel is not finish tension yet (That means don't get carried away with the previous step) If the wheel is out(It will be) pull the hop in by tightening spokes in pairs. If it is a long hop you can tighten up to four spokes. You will need to tighten them between a half and a full turn to make a noticeable change (Unless the hop is very minor) Spin the wheel, check and repeat. You may have a little hop at the seam, don't worry about it to much, this is a real stiff point and often you cannot get it perfect here.
Now you start stress relieving. I do it by holding the wheel like a steering wheel, pulling it up against my forearms and bracing it against my stomach. Once in this position pull towards your head with your hands. You are flexing the part of the rim you are holding against you forearms and stomach. Do this every couple of spokes all the way around the wheel. NOT TO HARD You will hear/feel the spokes ping.
Now go back to trueing for a turn or two continuing to up your tension a quarter turn all the way around, then back to checking round.
Soon you should be up to finish tension and the wheel should be round and pretty true. At this point you can turn the nipples less than a quarter turn or even turn only one (GASP) if you need to nudge the rim just a tiny little bit. Don't forget to stress relieve a bunch at this point, do it every couple of corrections

This the way of doing wheels I have developed, the books say a little different, but I find this method to build a good solid wheel with out a bunch of time screwing around. The only problem is that it is very easy to make a mistake when lacing if you do not pay attention. It won't show until you start getting the wheel tight. So be careful

phantomcow2

so you like schraners book more? I like how its written, i might not go for hte brandts, but maybe its good for reference. I suppose it wont hurt

Rev.Chuck

It never hurts to have more information. I have all kinds of bike books, history of, books on specific stuff (I have a great one on the history of Sturmey Archer), frame building books like the Paterak book. Comic books like the one by O'Grady. Get all you can.

phantomcow2

I will, im bidding on it on ebay. Usually if i see information or hear it somewhere i try to get a second source of the same stuff. What about corking rims as Schraner describes, do you have expirience with this?

Rev.Chuck

As I remember corking a rim is something you do with tubulars (the tires that glue on). I believe this was to give a better surface for the the tire and to keep glue off of the nipples. Might be wrong here it has been a long time since I read his book. The other use would be on a clincher to keep the tube from pushing into the nipple well and failing. Rim tape is a way easier solution to this problem.

phantomcow2

thats what i was thinking, velox works just so well i dont think its necessary. The guys very opinionated i will say. Im not sure if i believe tying and soldering makes a huge difference, im not totally convinced i guess.

Rev.Chuck

Tie and solder, hmmm. I do wheels like that every now and then and I have some cut out examples hanging up. They do make the wheel stiffer and they do help if you break a spoke. Of course they make it harder to change a broken spoke. It has its benefits and I will do it if someone wants to pay for the extra work but all my(personal) wheels are not tied and I have had no issues. I think alloy v/s brass nipples is a question that should weigh heavier when building a wheel, spoke guage as well.

phantomcow2

I see, i would imagine it would make truing the wheel more difficult. Do you have a website about wheel building? I believe you were going to make your own service for it, ide be interested in seeing it.

phantomcow2

oh heres a good question for you, I am going to make another wheelset for a friend and im thinking about getting spoke prep since i think its worth it, plus im building more wheels lately (starting to get into it). How do you apply it? I read somewhere that you apply it before and let it sit or something like that.

Rev.Chuck

I am working on my own site but nothing yet(Believe me, when it is up, everyone will know ). The tie and solder does not really affect truing. You don't tie and solder until after the wheel is completly finished though.

phantomcow2

I know you dont tie and solder until its finished but i mean i would imagine it would make it difficult to true 1 year down the line if needed