I fancy trying to build a set of wheels, I’ve never attempted it before.

I’ve got a pair of 36h Hope XC disc hubs and I want to build them into a pair of Mavic A319 700c rims, spokes crossing thrice front and rear. They will be for road touring.

What would the spoke length be and where best to buy the spokes online?

There are several spoke calculators online.

They will tell you the info you need to calculate – bit of Googling is required.

This one‘s good and has your hubs and rims in the database. Cross check everything, though – measure the hub and rim and compare with the dimensions on the calculator then use a different calculator (try DT Swiss, for example) and enter your measurements in that, too.

Always cross check spoke calculators. I paid for a cycling Android app with a spoke calculator in it and it was plain wrong, by about 5mm, on the first set of wheels I used it on.

EDIT: sorry – forgot the link!

Also, Sheldon Brown’s guide to wheelbuilding is excellent. Still rolling on my first set I built – on the DH bike too!

sdeals is cheap for ACI spokes.

Based on an ERD of 601mm…

DT…

IMAG0093 by pten2106, on Flickr

Spokecalc…

IMAG0095 by pten2106, on Flickr

But rather than list the info needed mavic list the ERTD, (thats different. ) 😐

Cheers guys.

Ok, I cross checked the web spoke calculators against the hub dimensions and they come out at takisawa2’s calculations on the DT site.

So, I’ll need 18 x (287, 290, 288, 289) spokes. Numpty question, given that there is ‘only’ 3mm between the longest and shortest spokes could I buy 72 spokes @ 290mm?

EDIT, they dont appear to be common sizes.

should work fine Pete. You want me to build BTW?

takisawa look up “ctrl-print-screen” 😀

should work fine Pete. You want me to build BTW?

I’m keen to give it a go Al, I’ve never tried wheelbuilding before. I watched a couple of youtube vids, I have an ancient cast iron wheelbuilding jig I’ve been dying to use. If I screw up, I’ll give you a shout.

Al, just being lazy mate. 🙂
Grabbing a pic & uploading to Flickr is a couple of taps on my phone.

McMoonter…grind up a nipple driver, & if you haven’t already, download the wheelpro pdf. I’ve done so few now & all have been spot on. I’d buy 36- 288’s & 36- 290’s.

cynic-al – Member
sdeals is cheap for ACI spokes.

Al, would ACI spokes be your preference over DT Swiss?

72 spokes = £20.16 seems reasonable for ACIs.

McMoonter…grind up a nipple driver, & if you haven’t already, download the wheelpro pdf. I’ve done so few now & all have been spot on.

I’ll do that. Thanks

bit expensive, but really do consider a spoke driver. Makes life loads easier.

but really do consider a spoke driver. Makes life loads easier.

A quick google turned up this, anyone tried it?

http://www.urbanvelo.org/issue26/p88-89.html

Roger Musson’s e-book is well worth it. He has his own DIY nipple driver made out of a screwdriver with a point in the middle. This causes the screwdriver to disengage when the spoke gets to a certain depth which makes it very quick to get the wheel laced to an even starting point. He talks about bending the blade so that you get a handle but I just left the screwdriver straight and it worked fine.

I made mine with a £1 B&Q screwdriver and a few minutes with an angle grinder.

Mavic have a fairly simple spoke calculator which will know the Mavic rim dimensions and show you what measurements you need from the hub to fill out their calculatorizations

Another spoke is a good spoke driver/ nipple applicator. Just feed the nipple on the wrong way and push it thru the hole onto the next spoke

What billyboy said. Proper tools are nice but a screwdriver works fine.

Pete ACI are AFAIK as good as DT. ALOT of guff is typed about spoke brands.