Wheel building

[baron von greenback]

Thanks Frankenorange I have a read mate twozaskars I was watching a video on tubeless he said that gorilla tape worked just as well as rim tape that's the exact answer is why I asked thanks on another one I have hope ti hubs with a screw on freewheel I think so I need a different one to them push in one with the 4 spring clips that sit in all them teeth in the hub has any one got a pic of what I need thanks

 

[DaiP]

I’m a bit late to the party on this thread but this is my go to reference for wheel building.

 

[DaiP]

And I’ve just seen how much money people are asking for it online. It’s a good book but not 100 to 200 quids worth of good. I bought mine a long time ago for an awful lot less. Perhaps I’ll look after it a bit better now.

 

[grahame]

The late, great Sheldon Brown's website is a great starting place for aspiring wheelbuilders.
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/wheelbuild.html

 

[bikeworkshop]

It doesn't make much sense to do a Hub Swap
- this means dismantling a (probably) professionally built wheel to make an amateur, "first-go" one, using quality vintage parts.

if you've got the wrong wheel, sell it and buy the right one.

If you want to learn wheelbuilding, take apart a basic or obsolete one and rebuild it.

Twice.

You dont even need a spoke key,
or a jig, but they make it a lot easier.

I only use a tension meter when dealing with alloy, carbon or bladed spokes, or a superlightweight rim with limited spokes, as you need to reference manufacturers' figures- challenging if the parts are 25 years old plus.

If you're starting with a built wheel, you can feel and ping the spokes for your point of reference on tension

The fingers and ears do the job perfectly - they are incredibly accurate tools.

The most vital tool for wheelbuilding is experience.

Your first wheel will not be your best.

 

[baron von greenback]

Ye mate I agree with that but it's very difficult to find the wheel combination you want cheers

 

[Antstark]

The latest iteration of a spoke length calculator thats been around for years. Has a lot of retro parts in the db so very useful for this community
https://leonard.io/edd/
Also the thing that took me from building ‘ok’ wheels to ‘very ok’ wheels was a spoke tension meter. Getting the right and equal tension massively increases the strength of your wheel.
I have just inherited a VAR jig to replace my Park one ..but no wheels to build yet

 

[bikeworkshop]

Ye mate I agree with that but it's very difficult to find the wheel combination you want cheers

my main point is this:
Don't do this one as your first.

You'll need similar hub flange size if you want to reuse the spokes.
Many Freehubs are significantly wider.

Have a close look at spoke condition by the hub on the drive side
- they've often been chewed by the chain,
it's not worth reusing them if so.

Check nipple quality and condition too.
Low quality nipples and spokes aren't worth reusing.

If you're fitting a "used" hub, you want to make sure the spokes are in exactly the same pattern as previously, as the flange will have grooves from the spoke tension,

and if you lay spokes across those ridges, your going to get awful settling and stability.