Wheel building

Fred Steele

I'd just like to share with everyone the fact that on New Year's Eve I built my first wheel. It was a Mavic Open Pro 32h araound a 105 hub with DT Swiss double-butted spokes. It came out perfectly.

I first went to Condor, where the 2 young sales assistant laughed at me and patronisd me. One then gave me a rim with 2 more holes than the hub, and poor-quality spokes that were the wrong length. He then said "If you manage to build it come back and we'll check it over for you". What a pilchard.

Why do they make assumptions about your skill, experience and understanding? I'kll never go back there. Now that I have a scientific calculator I'll always work out my own spoke lengths.

djheaton321

Well done, built my first set a couple of months ago so I know the feeling of self satisfaction you get from it. Out of interest, where did you get your spoke calculator from?

Fred Steele

Thanks, yeah it feels great.

I just used the formula in "The Bicycle Wheel" book by Jobst Brandt, and used a Casio scientific calculator to work out the Cos, Sin, squares and square roots in the equations.

Calculators have come a long way and are much easier and clearer now than when I was at school - you can do whole equations easily.

djheaton321

Thanks for that, that's the book I learnt with. A very good book indeed. Happy riding with your new wheels!

SDP

well done..
lets hope someone from condom....sorry condor cycles reads this ..

used to always go in & buy something when i was down in london but now i dont bother ...

aracer

Fred Steele wrote:

One then gave me a rim with 2 more holes than the hub

A 34h rim? :shock:

Fred Steele

whoops I meant 4 more. Even I make mistakes!

Monty Dog

Use the DT Swiss online spoke calculator - put in the numbers and it does the rest!
No excuses for the behaviour from the guys in Condor, Bern frequents these parts and Condor traditionally has a great reputation for wheel building.