So I’m about to embark on my first wheel build – rebuild really as I’m like for like replacing the rim on existing.

I have a copy of Roger Musson
I have the various bits of tooling
I have the components (subject to receipt of the rim)

The one thing I don’t have [an answer to] and need before I start and make some catastrophic mistake is this:

What beverage for wheel building?

Is it a beer job? Or should I approach with single malt or a brandy? Maybe even something left field like a pastis? Possibly even an espresso or two?

Any help greatly appreciated.

Mug of tea.

It’ll go cold as you try to work out why you have one more spoke than hole.

Morning wheel build – espresso
Afternoon wheel build – tea
Evening wheel build – beer

I prefer a nice bottle of red

If it’s your first wheel build, allow at least a couple of hours. So choose a drink you can happily sip away at for a couple of hours, while maintaining concentration (and probably increasing it in the stress-relieving fine-tuning end stage).

I wouldn’t go higher than about 5 per cent. 😉

It doesn’t matter. You will be so busy concentrating on the wheel and not wanting to lose track of which spoke you tweaked last that you won’t drink it anyway

simondbarnes – Member
I prefer a nice bottle of red

The issue with that is it means either breaking the rule about no nice glasses in the garage (this is a trade off with swmbo for no nice glasses in the dishwasher) or drinking from the bottle. I’m not sure i like the consequences of either.

Still it sounds as though general consensus is that there isn’t a right drink for the job, just that maybe success is inversely proportional to consumption.

Camelback with wine.

You need something very nice to sip whilst watching a self built wheel spinning perfectly true in the stand. One of the most gratifying bike maintenance feelings (built my second wheel on Saturday!)