Wheel building – resources?

Had a clear out and discovered I have a couple of xc717 rims ‘loitering’ and completely hub-less. Can’t recall how I’ve got them but the two xt hubs I also found in a box might indicate I dismantled them at some point…(dunno why, fit of rage/frustration?)
Thinking I could whack on some hope hubs and keep them as a couple of tidy spares but I’ve never build my own set before. Are there any good resources out there worth checking out that explain how to do it? there’s a few clips on youtube, is that really all there is to it? they do make it look easy, seems like a skill worth having…

There’s a very easy to follow guide by Sheldon Brown…

http://sheldonbrown.com/wheelbuild.html

If you want to go into more depth then the Bicycle Wheel by the recently departed Jobst Brandt is an excellent book and well worth a read.

There’s also Roger Musson’s eBook which is worth a read.

Basically it’s a recipe – follow it and you’ll build a wheel. Don’t try and do any shortcuts, it takes a bit of patience. Your first wheel will take a long while but subsequent wheels will get quicker as you don’t have to keep referring to a book and you begin to memorise the lacing patterns and the sequence of tensioning.

ah, see thats the sort of thing these clips omit – different lacing patterns and tensions etc.
I think they’re standard 32 hole rims, only vaguely aware differing lacing patterns exist but no clue on benefits of one over another. I’ll see if I can dig up the resources referred to above. Thanks chaps.

+1 roger musson’s book

+ n for Roger Musson, but Shelodon’s site was ok too

Done six wheels with Musson’s book now, very good.

Sounds like the one to get. At £9 can’t realky go too wrong.
Just have to make sure I get the right sized hub! So much for standards, some joker decided to bring out 142 and 150mm widths when I wasn’t looking…
Assuming the 135 was the standard until those came along, thinking I might change qrs to bolt through, do they become 142 then? Who thought all these numbers were a good idea?

Went with Sheldon’s guide but my conclusion is my brain isn’t wired that way 🙂

One of those jobs I’m happy to leave to a pro who builds more wheels in a year than I would in a lifetime. Think it’s definatley one of those things that you either get or you don’t.

and on hubs 150mm has been round for yonks as a DH standard.

135/142 is essentially the same hub with different axle configs for different dropouts.
The choices are
135 QR – probably what you have
135 10 (and maybe 12)mm axle – if you put a bolt on normal dropouts instead of your QR
142 12mm for a dedicated 142mm setup which is bolt only and a little wider.

If you are going Hope the 135/142 is the same hub with different end caps for Pro II Evo and later. Pro II is 135 but can have the innards swapped to make it 142.

If your near lowestoft ill show you how if you want dude and walk you through building them

and on hubs 150mm has been round for yonks as a DH standard.

135/142 is essentially the same hub with different axle configs for different dropouts.
The choices are
135 QR – probably what you have
135 10 (and maybe 12)mm axle – if you put a bolt on normal dropouts instead of your QR
142 12mm for a dedicated 142mm setup which is bolt only and a little wider.

If you are going Hope the 135/142 is the same hub with different end caps for Pro II Evo and later. Pro II is 135 but can have the innards swapped to make it 142.

Ah, well that’s all nicely explained. Cheers for that 🙂 yes sounds like a reasonably simple process going to bolt through from qr – pop end case off, swap axle, new caps on and go ride! Have to love hope for that bit of cleverness