Building my own wheels - where to start

mackdaddy

As a project, I'm thinking of having a go at building my own wheels.

Where is the best place to get a good range of rims. On t'internet would be preferable as my lbs don't sell them. I'd like to go to a deeper section 30mm+ i I can.

Have any of you folks got recommendations for either rims or sources?

Thanks

nicklouse

first i would have a read of Sheldons wheel building pages (linky below) then i would buy Mr Munsons (Wheel pro) book on wheel building then think about making the tools he suggests.

then decide on what hubs and rims you wish to use then work out the spoke lengths needed.

Kléber

I'd build a set of practice wheels. Get the cheapest hubs, spokes and rims you can find and then just tinker around and get a feel for it all. It is half-engineering, half-intuitive feel. So best to play at least once before you pick some fine parts to make some performance wheels.

mackdaddy

Was planning to use the Sheldon stuff, but still haven't found a decent source of parts.

andrewgturnbull

Hi there.

Planet-x will sell you their 50mm deep rims as parts.

Cheers, Andy

mackdaddy

Thanks Andy, I hadn't clocked this. I think though, that they may be out of my range for a first go.

alan_sherman

I used an old wheel and replaced the hub for my first wheel build. Re-used the spokes as they would all be the right length and it when fine. A cheap wheel, life prolonged with new hub, and I learnt from it. A good idea! You could even just take apart and put back togehter an old wheel to try, but I'd find it hard to be motivated to do something with no real physical gain from the activity.

In terms of parts a shimano hub is about £20 from online shop of your choice (avoid cheap campag hubs as the seals are rubbish), I just bought 32 alpina double butted spokes with brass nipples from Velomax for less than a tenner, combine with a rim of your choice (say £20) and you get a wheel for approx £50 - just don't factor in your labour costs as it takes ages when you first try it out!

acorn_user

Try Spa cycles for Rigida, or Sonic cycles for Mach1. Those makers get little love online, but make fine rims. Withington cycles carries the whole DRC Milan line, but I would wait before building up a pair of 30mm deep rims. Incidentally, there are not many really deep (>30mm) alloy rims around any more. About the only one you might find is the Gipiemme Tecno 416.

DavidBelcher

acorn_user wrote:

Try Spa cycles for Rigida, or Sonic cycles for Mach1. Those makers get little love online, but make fine rims. Withington cycles carries the whole DRC Milan line, but I would wait before building up a pair of 30mm deep rims. Incidentally, there are not many really deep (>30mm) alloy rims around any more. About the only one you might find is the Gipiemme Tecno 416.

Sadly Withington Cycles are no longer going. Alternative DRC stockists include www.velokit.co.uk (South Wales based), Surosa Cycles in Oldham and Rick Green in Wilmslow.

David

cougie

cant you just disassemble an old pair and see if you can build them back up ? Its only practice isnt it ?

robbarker

Building your first set of wheels with used componenets is a quick route to madness.

To give the best chance of success I would advocate tried and tested components - Ultegra or Centaur hubs, DT 1.1 rims and DT champion plain gauge spokes. These will be easy to build with, limited spoke twist which would be more of an issue with double butted, and will end up as a nice pair of wheels at a good price that will be great for training once they are eventually upgraded.

For me, the secret to success on my first build was following Roger Mussons book (from www.wheelpro.co.uk) to the letter.

dgrier

Hi there. I've now built 4 wheels from scratch using Open Pro rims and ultegra hubs - following the advice in Zinn and the art of road bike maintenance. No previous experience, but not difficult and very enjoyable. So far they have stayed true - etape, marmotte course and LEJOG!

Best wishes,
Dave

Captain Fagor

I am quite interested in learning to build my wheels from scratch. Having successfully tinkered with trueing over the years, I now want to strip a set of wheels and re-build them from scratch. In particular, I want to sort the hand-finished semi-factory rear wheel that came with my '05 Litespeed Tuscany. The rear wheel is hopelessly weak due to inadequate spoke tension. They're bladed, straight pull spokes that the original builder has obviously twisted to hell and back during the original build.

Anyway, are there any online retailers that sell a good range of spokes?