How satisfying is that. They almost come out true without any tuning. But what I want to know is how long it takes a pro to lace a set excluding trueing.

i can do a set in about 20 minutes. We are talking about shoe laces right?

Wasn’t ‘pro’ but used to build wheels for cash, piecework so had to be quick! Did a fair few (40-50) and could knock a pair of tight true wheels out in about 45-50 mins, so lacing a bit under 15 mins each I guess.

Always satisfying, almost like art to me too.

Dunno about lacing, I used to build a pair in an hour I think.

Well worth doing then. My spoke keys is fubered so I’ll be getting them shop trued.

I should add, I’d never build my own wheels that quickly.

Pint of tea, chill out and enjoy the process.

I built one the other evening. Lacing took about 35 minutes and as I knew my spoke lengths used and actual spoke lengths required I was able to wind one side in a bit more than the other, giving me a nice roughly tru wheel. A bit of dishing to get the rim central and it was done, probably to an acceptable standard in about an hour.

I guess it took me another hour again as I was getting a bit anal about the truness & dish, had a bottle of wine open, the MiL was watching crap on tele, I was on the phone to my dad and I had plenty more wine available so time was of no object that evening….

Bloomin bob on now though… 😀

I love building wheels. Art coupled with geometry, physics and attention to detail.

Guess a pro must take not much more than 30 – 40 minutes or they’d be skint. I’d say my 2 hour wheel would be better though. I don’t believe its something to be rushed.

Oldgit, spoke keys are only £5 or so. plus truing is THE best bit.

Yeah I know, but he does a sweet job never had one go out of true that he’s done.
The only wheels I true myself are my crossers ones.
Need a proper jig as well, not a home made one.

7 minutes 20 seconds.

About 2 mins 20secs in , but try not to blink or you may will miss it

Took me longer than that to work out how to, and thread one bladed spoke.

i did my first ever last week and it took about two and a half hours!

Mind you that was just a new rim that i bought and so i had it next to the old rim and was undoing one spoke on one rim and then doing it up on the other one.

Plus swapping out about 7 spokes that had seen better days.

But i don’t charge by the hour so jobs a good’un. Plus saved 45 grams on weight on the new rim 😀

Lacing for me is usually under 10 minutes but then a build will be about an hour a wheel. I can’t see how it is possible to build a properly tensioned and de-stressed wheel in much under an hour.

Guess a pro must take not much more than 30 – 40 minutes or they’d be skint. I’d say my 2 hour wheel would be better though.

to you…yes…in reality no!