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I've just finished building my first set of wheels and the initial ride, 200 yds up and down the street, didn't result in my agonising death in a hideous maelstrom of exploding spokes.
Should I take them for a pootle of a few miles then check them for rounditude and wobblicity, before giving them a proper hammering, or just go for it? How long before they are likely to settle down and stay true?
Go for it I say*.
It took me 2 months to build my 1st pair - it turned out to be less fun than I expected, hence I wasn't too motivated.
I killed the rear one on ride number 5 in an ill-conceived drop to flat incident, got a rim swap at my LBS and it turns out my month wasn't totally wasted as at least mine was round! ****ing LSB effort is all bobbly!
Anyone know of a decent bike shop in S. Leics? I fear I'm gonna have to resort to building my own agen and I'm not looking forward to it.
*My advice not always reliable.
My first set lasted 3 days of uplift before going properly out of shape. Re tensioned them with a tension guage and they've been perfect since.
Rob - I'm in Melton and I'm pretty decent with wheel building if you're interested?
Going for it this evening. I really enjoyed the process of building them and may have to invest in a tension gauge, but a best price of £45 seems a bit steep.
my first 8 or 9 wheels were fine with only one needing minor adjustment after a massive whack.
the next set (first road wheels) went loose, really loose 10 miles from home, resulting me in a cafe with a spoke wrench putting my wheel back together & being given the name backwheel thom 🙄
i'd go for 5-10 miles and recheck if i were you.
whatever you do pack your spoke key. 😀
i would go for a local loop if the spokes are going to loose tension they will do it quite quickly [ not mine but a mates I was teaching the art ] ...more risk if you have alloy nipples as well IMHO
Just ride it and see
schmiken - MemberRob - I'm in Melton and I'm pretty decent with wheel building if you're interested?
Cheers schmiken, may well be in touch. Stuck this in my favourites for future use - currently ok as the bobbly wheel is on a frame I broke a couple of weeks ago in another ill-advised, unconnected, incident 
If you're ever a bit further north, Mansfield area, give me a shout if you like & I'll happily check it over for you or build you one if it needs doing.
Did it make any pinging noises on the first ride? If not, then hammer it. If it did, do a local loop then check.
Did it make any pinging noises on the first ride? If not, then hammer it. If it did, do a local loop then check.
check tension is even, and compare it with a known good wheel.
It seems evenly tensioned, and the same tension as my other wheels, using the "squeeze" test, and didn't ping on first riding. Pootling to the pub, 5 miles flat each way, with my missus this evening (spoke key in pocket).