My First Wheel Build!!!
 

So my fuji wheel that came with my bike was way out of whack, constantly out of true, and spoke tensions were all over the place... so i decided it was time to build a new wheel.

I'm impatient, so i decided to build with the 32hole Formula hub i already had and i knew we had several Mavic Open Pro rims at the shop, so i just went for it.

in order to give it my own special touch, i laced it up using black spokes on one side, and silver on the other so that at the rim, its alternating. also, i used red nipples on the black spokes and gold nipples on the silver spokes.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...r/WKR_0041.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...r/WKR_0043.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...r/WKR_0044.jpg

feedback appreciated

Looks great, I like the different spoke / nipple colors. How does it ride?

Congratulations!

Nice job, but I think I'd have moved the valve hole over two spokes to the left (on your view)…

- Wil

rides pretty awesome so far... i need to make a few other upgrades tho as far as ride quality goes... the RPM cranks are just not doin it for me...

also, im now running the ksyrium elite wheel from my road bike on the front.

im kinda mad at myself for not being patient enough for new hubs and maybe different rims, but really im pretty happy with what ive got.

yea, i didnt really follow the rules as far as the key spoke goes... but by the time i realized it, i was nto about to redo it. ha

so far so good though!

only problem im running into is with the nipples... ive got alot of tornsion on some of the spokes... it just want tighten, just twists the spoke, then i ride it and the torsion pops out... makes truing a real pain, and ive had to true it 3 times in the first day or 2 days... which i understand to be normal at first with a hand built

but i havent trued it for two days and its still perfect!

if u can, build ur own wheel... very satisfying

Next time, you have to ehm, 'kraak' your wheel a few times while trueing: just lay it down flat and push with two hands on the rim while rotating the wheel, turn it around and do the same. It'll do the same as riding it, but making trueing much easyer.

i dunno why i never thought of that.... ha

Hey, no problem… I've done exactly the same thing when I've been in a hurry, but the neat thing is that having done one, you're now equipped to fix it when you get the time. If you're thinking of doing a lot of "rolling your own" then a tension meter is a very good investment. I've found the Park Tool TM-1 to be very good value for money.

Back to your wheel; I'm sorry if this appears to be over analytical, but I couldn't help noticing that the label on your wheel is at 90º to the valve. On all the wheels I have here at the moment (11x700C and 4x26 MTB) all the labels are at the join which is also at 180º to the valve. None of my 700Cs are Open Pros, but I do have a mixture of Open Sports and MA3s. It's just a curious detail, but I wonder if anyone else has noticed it?

- Wil

I would have relaced it, since you spent all that attention on details. But that is just me. did you read up on wheelbuilding before attempting it?

That's what Mavic does now on all their rims, they put another label at the join

Sorry dude. You defiantly to to re-lace it. Also remember to be able to read the hubs logo through the valve hole

And Filtersweep. No need to run down to your bike room. I have the pics :D

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...sfixwheel3.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...sfixwheel2.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...sfixwheel1.jpg

i read some stuff from sheldon brown.

eh... im too lazey to relace it... im not racing on it, this is my fun/commuter bike. Now i know what to do for next time though.

I think it's more of an issue for the above posters of "you spent all this time on these tiny little color details, but it's a janked up lacing job."

Also, it's a ***** to get some mini-pumps to the valve if it's not laced such that the key spoke is next to the valve hole.

If it were me, I'd relace it, because I (you, in this case) can always use the practice at building wheels, but you're not me.

Did you use a truing stand? I find I can get lateral adjustments good enough on bike, but fixing out of round(vertical) is tough(my rear wheel aint perfect)

/me is not a wheelbuilder

i totally get what ur saying veggiemafia... im a colege student tho, and i just hapened to have time off work ths weekend. and like i said, this is my commuter, this is how i get to class, this is how i get to work, everywhere... so i dont have time to work on it over several day a little at a time...

plus i dont have the tools to remove the lockring here... i could go on forever why i just cant relace it right now...

but when i get some free time, i will. cause ur right, i could use the practice, and i wanna end up being good at this.

and yes, i used a truing stand.

as for all the attention to fine details and not to proper building...

i got so excited about doing something custom, that i speant so much time thinking about what it would look like, and not the right way to do it.

and the best excuse i have, well, i had all the parts and iw as contimplating having a guy that works weeks at the bike shop build it for em and paying him.... but i got drunk and decided to do it myself, armed only with a 32hole front wheel with a 3 cross pattern as a guide.

so yea, im an idiot its true... but the wheel works great i tell ya!

Looks nice! Did you use spoke prep? It really helps with the spoke wind-up, especially with alloy nipples. I also agree with ^oz, you have to relieve tension while you are lacing them. I have seen old skool dudes lightly tap the cross point with a rubber mallet while sitting down and holding the rim between their feet and with one hand at the top, and they all pressed down on the spokes with the wheel flat on the bench after they were laced but before any real tension. They said it was to help seat the spokes and to take out the bow before applying tension.

??? i guess i've been super lucky with my last 3 sets of wheels... in fact the set on my IRO hasn't been on a stand since my boy took them off after completing the build.

edit: i guess the 500lb wheel press they have could have something to do with it. he claims it's pretty rare.

Damn, it sounds nice. yea... like i said... initially, it was a pain... but its working cool now.

i wish i would have known about spoke prep... i really just did this on my own without any training, just a basic knowledge of truing wheels, just to see if i could do. (when u get everything at employee purchase price u dont have much to lose)

word... just like anything, you have to start somewhere.

just keep on giving it a quick check here and there if you're riding it that much.

On your last few times around the wheel for final tension turn nipples a full turn then back off 1/2 to unwind.

And Buy this book!
http://www.amazon.com/Bicycle-Wheel-.../dp/0960723668

when lacing the wheel, i bend all the spokes at the flange so that they point straight to the nipple hole in the rim...you just push the spoke down or pull up depending on if it's leading or trailing. seems to help with truing.
Al nipples are a *****. if you're gonna relace it, do it now. i used Al nipples on a wheel i had to relace and i had to cut a few spokes out because the nipple froze and then broke...i rode it in the rain alot though.

Congratulations on your first wheel build. IMHO, being able to build and true a wheel is an oft-overlooked skill.

Truth! That is the only thing I would have changed (aside from the valve hole jazz). Brass nipples FOR LYFE.

haha... i'll keep that in mind....

so now that i can build a wheel, i just have to work on doing it right...

Well done wackster! Looks good... except for the colors. Shoulda been blue & orange instead! (i.e., SKC!) :D

I'm currently planning out a fixie conversion of my own, including some sweet wheelbuilding. We'll have to do a ride when you make it back next.

P.S. What happened to my Babcook photo CD?!? :cry: Ha

- BR