So Iv just built up a new rear wheel and after seeing some images of others on the net I think I’ve laced it wrong. I’m pretty sure I followed Sheldons instructions but I think the trailing and leading spokes are facing the wrong way.

What do the experts think, is it rideable, will I die and am I a biff?!

Yeah, you built it the wrong way around. You won’t die but it maybe more vulnerable to going out of true in the future. Rebuilding wheels out of used and a bit grubby parts is less fun than out of new parts (esp spokes and nipples). If it was me I’d be redoing it now for peace of mind.

edit – hang on. I’ve looked again at Roger Musson’s ebook and following that you are def wrong. However looked at wife’s (factory built) bike sat here and it’s the other way around and if you say Sheldon specifies that way around you have built (never looked at his guide – is it still available, what a legacy that man left) it clearly makes sod all difference.

2nd edit – looking more closely at the picture – that’s a pre-used hub isn’t it? With it laced differently the first time. I think I can see the holes ‘stretched’ slightly differently from the first use. That’s a bit of a no no if I’m seeing it right. You should always lace to use the holes in the way their were deformed from first use when reusing.

Looks ok to me, trailing spokes on inside of driveside flange. That looks how sheldon recomends. Did you get it right at the valve, thats the bit i always mess up not getting the valve in the middle of a pair

Yes it’s an old hub but new rim,spokes and nipples. I followed Sheldons guide and just thought it was built wrong before hence the marks on the flange.

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/wheelbuild.html

I’ll be well pissed if I’ve got to rebuild it as I’ve got it spot on…….apart from the spoke direction possibly!

Pretty sure the advice I read somewhere, may have been Roger Musson, was to rebuild the same way as before with a used hub.

I have had 2nd hand hope hubbed wheels that seemed to be built the “wrong” way but not sure who built them.

I’ve jut built my 3rd wheel using the Sheldon Brown Guide and my leading spokes are the same side of the flange, but are angled so they are angled left rather than the right in your picture. Presumably the same way that wheel was built before. I guess I’m terms of strength it would be the same, but in terms of rotation (especially with that being a back wheel) it could go out of true more quickly?

Its not how I would do it (I would advise as per Shimano instructions below), however you see wheels built both ways, and arguments for both.

I have an e bike wheel in the workshop for bearings that is over a year old laced like yours with no apparent issues.

I have never paid attention to it and have never had a single issue with any wheels I have built so don’t think you will die.  Unless of course I got them all right by luck…

It is odd how there are ‘rules’ but the big boys regularly break them with seemingly no ill effect. I have some old Mavic Kryserium SLs that are (deliberately) laced radial on the drive side of the rear. That is meant to be instant death.

But as I said in my edit – I’d rebuild to match the ovalisation of the holes created by the first build. Unless they are now stretch in the new way already in which case probably nothing you can do about it.

I’ve built a few wheels following Musson’s book. He laces the wheel the opposite way to what is considered correct by many folk. I’ve had no problem other than the valve hole not properly lining up with the name on the hub and being criticised by a pup in a bike shop.

As far as I remember RM says to relace a used hub with the original pattern purely for aesthetic reasons.

Now rebuilt properly. Thanks for your thoughts all.