DIY wheel building

stubs
stubs Posts: 5,001
edited September 2007 in MTB workshop & tech
Are there any books that can teach you how to build mountain bike wheels or do I need to go on a course :?
Fig rolls: proof that god loves cyclists and that she wants us to do another lap

Comments

  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    before spending money on a book have a read of sheldons online example.

    linky below.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • rogerwp
    rogerwp Posts: 26
    There is a book that will show you how to build wheels. A quick google on "wheelbuilding book" will pop up the answer.

    I'm wondering if there is a demand for teaching people how to build wheels. Talking to a racing guy at the weekend he told me all his serious riding mates buy online wheels then fettle them to bring them up to decent quality. If you don't have the skill to do this I'm guessing many of you are riding on sub-standard wheels. Often this will not be a problem because if you ride gentle trails then the wheels have an easy life and any deficiencies in them will not show up. But if you race, jump or ride hard - what happens?

    So questions:

    1) Are your wheels (the wheelbuilding part of them) strong enough for the demands you place on them?

    2) Would you like to learn how to build the perfect wheel?

    3) If some of you have been on wheelbuilding courses were they any good, and if you don't mid sharing the info - what did they cost (email me if you want).

    I used to take wheelbuilding courses a few years back and was thinking about doing some more.

    Cheers
    Roger Musson
    DIY
  • toasty
    toasty Posts: 2,598
    I've heard a few people saying they've had duff builds from CRC/Merlin, sadly they seem so cheap the raw components are more than the wheels cost. I used to true my wheels when I was younger on an ancient bike using just a spoke key and wiggling spokes to test tension. Interesting stuff, I think I'll get a copy of your e-book.

    Cheers Roger :)
    Stumpy FSR 29er
  • Tom Patey
    Tom Patey Posts: 8
    Roger,

    (Long time no see)

    I'll come on a wheelbuilding course. Not that I'm intending to build many, but I'd like to know how to maintain what I've got, along with the basic theory behind spoking/tensions and all the other bits.
  • John Stevenson
    John Stevenson Posts: 962
    There's also 'The Bicycle Wheel' by Jobst Brandt. Way back in my bike shop days we taught mechanics wheelbuilding from this, and had a very very low rate of wheel problems.
    John Stevenson

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