Wheelbuilding
 

I want to give it a shot. What is the most comprehensive book I can get on the subject so that I can get started?

Start here

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/

I think you can get all you NEED via Sheldon Brown.....and some online spoke length calculator....

That said, I like getting new stuff, too. I built my first set of wheels last fall and got two books, both available via Amazon.

The Bicycle Wheel by Jobst Brandt

The Art of Wheelbuilding by Gerd Schraner

Think I got both of them for a total of $30. Complimentary (though occasionally contradictory, as I recall) information.

These two already mentioned are pretty good...

The Bicycle Wheel by Jobst Brandt

The Art of Wheelbuilding by Gerd Schraner

Taught myself using Sheldon's site. Built up two sets of wheels that are still true and round after 1000s of miles. This site also looks very helpful:
http://miketechinfo.com/new-tech-wheels-tires.htm
Have fun!

My favortie was :
The Art of Wheelbuilding by Gerd Schraner

I like that book too. The supplemental articles are enjoyable to read.

This e-book is supposed to be good:
http://www.wheelpro.co.uk/wheelbuilding/book.php

Right length spokes are key.

Good tools really help - spoke wrench, tensionometer, and, if you can get one, a decent wheel truing stand.

The best thing to do is to build a wheel properly and slowly. Then do it again. And again. And again.

Book learning is good, but like some things in life, you have to practice it in person to get the hang of it.

My first wheel took me a good 3-4 hours, and I had someone telling me (between phone calls, customers, and repairs) what to do. Now I'm disappointed in myself if I don't produce a raceable wheel in 45 minutes. My record is lower, I can't remember, but something like 19 minutes for a front wheel. A mechanic that worked with me used to work in a factory in South America assembling wheels piecemeal (he got paid by the wheel, not by time). He could build a raceable front wheel in 12 minutes (well that's what we witnessed him do - he claims that wasn't his fastest, and I believe him).

For me, "raceable" means you put on a tire, put the wheel on your bike, and do a slammin' 25 mile crit, head down a 55 mph descent with switchbacks and potholes, or for a out and back 130 mile ride - you have to put absolute faith that the newly built wheel is in excellent shape and will not fail.

cdr

I have both the books, and I find this e-book to be the best of the lot at taking you through the steps. The miketechinfo.com link is also very useful.

Used the e-book to build up a pair of 29er wheels, which are going stroing, and am going to build a pair of bomb-proof 700cs next month as well).

V.

Use brass nipples ;-)

Bingo

Getting the right length spokes is also the "hardest" part. (I put that in quotes because it really isn't that hard...). Building wheels is a great excuse to get nice tools...

I've read both Schraner's and Brandt's books. Both are interesting but I found Schraner's to be more helpful for learning to wheelbuild.

Spoke lengths are easy to figure out if you have the right hub and rim specs. However, if you buy all your wheelparts from one vendor, ask them to also calculate the spoke lengths...if it turns out to be wrong, its clearly their fault, not yours.