Building Be-spoke Bike Wheels (geddit?)

Marjory Stewart BAxtor
edited February 2008 in MTB workshop & tech
So I've recently completed a new build on my bike (Marjory Stewart Baxtor) and one thing I'm lookin to upgrade now are the wheels that came off my old mounty bike.

So far as I can see shops aren't really encouraging wheel builds as I'm finding it difficult to get clarity on what spokes I'll need and any sort of varity in range.

Is it worth me, as a novice with a spokey, to be building my own wheels? I REALLY want the satisfaction but I don't want to be chewing up a fancy DT Swiss spokes and buckling a mavic rim.

also, how does prices compare between own builds and factory wheels?

ben
Train hard, ride easy

Comments

  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    if you have not tried it before practice on your old wheels.

    have a read of sheldons wheel building pages. Many of the mail order shops offer built to order wheels.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • Well last night I dismantled and re-mantled an old front wheel without *too* many problems, however that was a cheap one and spokes are almost as bent than mugabe. (Could NOT have done without the blessed Sheldon Brown - what a legend!)

    Ergo I think I'm ready for the next stage. lacing a front wheel I can do and I'm sure if I can't dish and true a wheel 100% my friendly local shop will be more than happy to.

    But how do I go about shopping for parts? presumably any 32 hole MTB rim and 32 hole MTB hub will be compatible but what about calculating spokes?
    Train hard, ride easy
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    Yo ucan get online spoke calculators: may have to do some measuring.
  • All things considered is it possible to measure the required spoke length before the wheel is build??
    Train hard, ride easy
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    You must get the right spokes before the wheel build starts. Try going to the DT website: the calculator may have the hubs/rims you require: enter a few parameters and it will give you the spoke lengths needed.
  • Sweet.

    So how does cost compare between factory and self build?
    Train hard, ride easy
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    Some mail order handbuilt wheels (not factory builds) are such good value it amazes me how they do it! For example at Merlin:

    XT hubs on Mavic 717 rims with DB ACI spokes for 109 quid. You'd struggle to pick up the raw parts for that!
  • robbarker
    robbarker Posts: 1,367
    I'd highly recommend reading Roger's book: www.wheelpro.co.uk - more systematic than Sheldon.

    Online spoke calc here:

    http://www.dtswiss.com/SpokesCalc/Welco ... anguage=en

    You can buy the bits fron Chain Reaction, although they do have an annoying habit of speccing 14mm nipples.
  • I've just had troubles with my freehub slipping, and seeing as no local bike shop has seen the parts I'm after for more than 2 years, I'm now looking at new wheels.
    I'm looking for an 8 speed hub with a disc mounting.
    What I've found / been offered:

    New wheel, with formula hub, MX (?) rims: LBS1-£60, Halfords-£45.

    Factory built wheels with a deore hub: LBS2-£80, LBS3-£45.

    Hand built wheels:LBS2-£105.

    Parts for a selfbuild, LX hub, Double butted spokes, Mavic rim: LBS2-£85!, or sourced myself through the internet, approx £45.

    So a huge range of prices for similar stuff. I don't know what price range you are looking for, but as you noticed, local bike shops don't seem keen on supplying parts for a home build.

    For my case, I don't do anything manic, and going overboard with Hope Pro II's etc, would just mean that my back wheel would be worth about 50% of the whole value of the bike!

    So for now I've completely stripped my free hub, cleaned, re lubed and rebuilt. In the near future, I'll be popping into my nearest LBS and seeing if they can get reasonably near a price match, as I'd like to use them, if not I'll be sourcing through the internet for a home build, or off to Halfords!

    My local bike shop are great, and a lot of help, so I'' use them when I can, but can't extend that to paying £60 for a product I can get for £40. That's just to far to go. Shame really.
    Proved by testing to be faster than a badger.
    The world's ultimate marmite bike
  • went in today to local bike shop and they ofered me deore back and deore xt front discy hubs for 25 quid, pair of mavic ceramic rims for 30 and a set of dt swiss black spokes for 20.

    I'm not complaining :)
    Train hard, ride easy