So I built a wheel!

Never done it before. Rather enjoyed the process. Followed Musson’s book and it was all pretty straightforward. Not ridden yet though!

Picked up a cheap powertap hub in a wiggle sale. Built it with DT Swiss Competition spokes and an Archetype rim. Went 3x both sides. Brought the cheap Rose bikes wheel stand and dish gage as I’d never get around to building my own.

Rounded down on the spoke length. Think I’d have been better off rounding up as it might have given me an easier time with the nipple driver.

Initially evened out the tension by plucking, then used the Park tools tension meter at the end just to check and it all came out about right. Seems radially and laterally true too. Taking your time, reading the instructions properly, and having a good think about what you are trying to do before you do it, seem to be key. I’d also check the dish earlier in the process and be more vigilant for spoke twist.

Now those light bicycle rims are tempting me 🙂

Well done. It’s really quite easy isn’t it? 🙂

(video the first use 🙂 )

I’m hesitant to say it’s easy until I’ve ridden it properly! Reckon round the block a few times and then a good checking over.

Result!

I’ve built quite a few over the years, like everything you get better and better with practice. A decent spoke key is a prerequisite. My second attempt wound up completely on the wonk, but then I’d sunk an entire bottle of Merlot whilst twiddling away and had mixed up my driveside and non-driveside spokes. 😳

Once you’re chasing that final millimetre of tolerance in the rim then you’re able to start sinking the celebratory ale without fear of completely messing it all up.

At uni I built a lot of wheels for mates. My deal was that they gave me beer while I built them. Never seemed to affect the end product though it maybe took a little longer 🙂

There was no mention of Merlot in Musson’s book 🙂

I’m hesitant to say it’s easy until I’ve ridden it properly!

Good call. My first attempt managed 3 miles before it lost all spoke tension. Rebuilt with a bit more tension and it’s been absolutely solid and true for well over 10k miles.

So how much for all the gear to build & true your own wheels (not including the wheel components)?

I quite like the idea of giving it a go.

I’m hesitant to say it’s easy until I’ve ridden it properly!

Mr B

What could possibly go wrong 😉 🙂

Stumpy01, think the stand and dish tool cam to 40 quid from Rose. Spokey was 5 quid. Nipple driver 23 quid from amazon. And the Park tension meter was 50 quid. So 120 quid total. Not sure if you really need a tension meter but I wanted one for a bit of peace of mind. The instructions to build your own stand, dish tool and nipple driver look pretty easy too, I just didn’t have the time. Reasonable investment I reckon as I can now build (or rebuild) my own wheels.

fasthaggis, WTF is that?!

So how much for all the gear to build & true your own wheels

A spokey for about a fiver.

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/buddy/spokey-spoke-key-red-euro-nipples-ec012165

Everything else makes it easier but isn’t necessary. I’ve built loads of wheels with a frame/fork and zip ties to act as markers. It’s not quite so convenient but it doesn’t affect the end result. Of course I’ve also used some lovely (and some less lovely) jigs but then they’re quite expensive.

I’ve built hundreds of wheels without a tension-o-meter. They’re a nice thing to have but definitely not necessary – you can feel if tensions are way out.

Everything else makes it easier but isn’t necessary.

I’d agree with that. Having decent tools does make it easier and speeds the job up. The Rose stand is pretty shonky TBH but it does the job. If I did it a lot I’d get a better stand. Though, as said, you could get away with an upside down bike and zip ties.

I’ve built hundreds of wheels without a tension-o-meter.

I’d agree with this too. I only used it after I’d built the wheel to check it was ok. Nice to have though so I know I’m not way out. Gives me a bit more confidence in what I’ve built.

When I successfully built a set of wheels I was so proud of them, you’d think I’d actually physically gestated them in my body for 9 months, then given birth to them.

Then I had that realisation: if I can do it, then it can’t actually be that difficult 😀

Blimey, cheaper than I thought. So about £70 to buy the bits, or less if you make the tools yourself.

The book you mention – is that the download via pdf book that I stumbled across a while ago?

Well done. It is easy when you know how, and not as hard as it’s sometimes made out to be.

I used my frame and a few zip ties to do the dish on my MTB wheels!
They are within a mm easily, and thats good enough for me. 🙂 Taken some stick on a rigid steel bike too. One day I’ll get a proper stand though, especially If I get some LB rims.

It is quite easy if you’re methodical in your approach. Always round the spokes down (shorter), you can run out of threads and be stuck with not quite tensioned enough wheels.

Binners, I am bordering on that.

stumpy01, book is a download from here.

It is quite easy if you’re methodical in your approach. Always round the spokes down (shorter), you can run out of threads and be stuck with not quite tensioned enough wheels.

I did look into that, some say round up, others say round down. Found with shorter ones it was a pain with the nipple driver to get the same number of turns on all the way around. Might have been the same if I’d rounded up though. Guess 1mm isn’t going to make a huge difference!

I’ve been building a set up this week. Front one is done and the back one is laced for trueing.

I got the Park spoke tension thing as well, just for peace of mind. The spoke tensions were towards the high end of the range, so just hope the spokes don’t rip out of the rim!

stumpy01 – Thats the book I used. And its brilliant. The fact that I managed it goes to show that it is quite literally idiot-proof.

I remember when I said I was going to give it a go, I was told by people that had done it that you’ll either find it really therapeutic, or it’ll drive you mad! As I possess the mechanical aptitude of a one-armed, brain-damaged gibbon, and the patience of a mongoose on PCP, I assumed it was only going to go one way

In the end I really enjoyed it, and the sense of accomplishment you feel is amazing 😀

I did it just using a borrowed wheel stand, and a Park Tools spoke key

How many wheels would one have to build before one could say they were a boss at wheelbuilding?

I remember when I said I was going to give it a go, I was told by people that had done it that you’ll either find it really therapeutic, or it’ll drive you mad! As I possess the mechanical aptitude of a one-armed, brain-damaged gibbon, and the patience of a mongoose on PCP, I assumed it was only going to go one way

Thanks binners, my sense of achievement has been put in its place! I didn’t expect that to happen until Mrs Blobby got home 🙂

mrblobby – Member

stumpy01, book is a download from here.

binners – Member
stumpy01 – Thats the book I used. And its brilliant. The fact that I managed it goes to show that it is quite literally idiot-proof.

Great! Thanks. Will be downloading that this evening then! Perhaps a couple of bits to put on my Christmas list.
Gonna get quite adept at all this tinkering malarky; I keep meaning to get some cone spanners, new ball bearings and give all my cup/cone wheels a service (that’s all of them). Gonna do a first run through on a knackered set of WTB wheels I’ve got in the garage. I wonder if I could take them to bits and use them as my first ‘build’.

mrblobby – Don’t let me put the dampers on it, by being a miserable sod! I’m not taking anything away. Its still pretty damn impressive. I was inordinately chuffed with myself. I was even more chuffed when I sold the bike nearly 2 years later, and the wheels were still true and straight, despite miles of my clumsiness underneath them 😀

My latest set have frustrated me. They are not radially true enough and in the last 10 months of use I’ve had about four spokes snap. I’m guessing differences in tension are causing problems but previous wheels have gone together absolutely fine.

Were the rims new when you built them? What rims? Some rims I’ve found aren’t actually very round, especially around the joint.

Few things are as satisfying as a newly built wheel spokes tinking upon their first few load bearing revolutions!

Yeah, new rims and spokes. 36 hole rear Deore on Mavic 231?/DT.

Frustrating, as I’ve done various combos of old spokes, rim swaps, hub swaps, all new etc and this last one is way worse. I’m always quite meticulous and it takes me ages!

Few things are as satisfying as a newly built wheel spokes tinking upon their first few load bearing revolutions!

Er…. is someone going to tell him… ? 🙂

Er…. is someone going to tell him… ?

😆

I’ve built 4 now, last two yet to be ridden but the last one I built is perfect, pretty happy with it. I don’t have a tensionometer but now go round pinging people’s spokes, they’re tighter than hope hoops anyway.

First two I built were LB carbon rims, though they are very stiff and easy to keep true, they aren’t made very well and the uneven sanding and layering around the spoke holes and seams is a bit of a pain compared to alu rims.

Used ACI spokes for the last two and found them much nicer to work with than the DT’s I’d shelled out for for the first two, can’t explain why.

Er…. is someone going to tell him… ?

By your comment I assume this is a bad thing! Spokes unwinding due to twisting?

I built most recent wheels drunk, I don’t recommend it.

You make an arse of them then have to sort it with a hangover 😐

Spokes unwinding due to twisting?

Yeah. Actually, it’s usually not a major problem unless building with really twisty spokes like DT Revs but it does often mean the wheel is then less true than you thought it was. Less of an issue with discs compared to rim brakes.

Shall listen out for that. These are for the road bike so will definitely be popping the spokey in my back pocket for the first few rides.

It can become addictive.

Mrs Ratadog failed to see the usefulness of me building a wheel in the middle of the dining room table on Xmas Eve even though it was a red rim and a white jig and I tried to claim that it would make an appropriately festive centerpiece for the Xmas table.

I started with a spokey and the jig and nipple driver from Musson’s book. Total cost around 20ukp as I had the MDF and wood already sitting around.