I just built my first wheel!

PBo
PBo Posts: 2,493
edited December 2011 in Commuting chat
And I'm feeling a great sense of achievement!

My commuter has got 700c wheels with disc brakes so once I knacked the rim I decided to salvage the hub, and purchased a rim. That was over a year ago, but finally got round to doing it and now feel very happy!

Comments

  • Gussio
    Gussio Posts: 2,452
    Nice one :)

    Has been on my to do list for more than a year. Bought the Roger Musson book, built the truing stand, but haven't gotten round to taking the plunge...
  • PBo
    PBo Posts: 2,493
    It wasn't difficult, but obviously took a lot of patience to get it trued. Go on, have a go!
  • Gallywomack
    Gallywomack Posts: 823
    Gussio wrote:
    Nice one :)

    Has been on my to do list for more than a year. Bought the Roger Musson book, built the truing stand, but haven't gotten round to taking the plunge...

    I've only got to the 'bought the book' stage so far :)

    Good skills, PBo
    Pompino
  • PBo
    PBo Posts: 2,493
    I'll let you know how exactly how good my skills are after riding it for a while. If its an egg shaped taco in a week then obviously they're not up to much!
  • Gussio
    Gussio Posts: 2,452
    Here's hoping that you don't disappear in an explosion of spokes and rim tape the first time you apply the brakes :lol:
  • walkingbootweather
    walkingbootweather Posts: 2,443
    Well done PBo,

    I've always fancied building some wheels but always afraid I might put my foot in it.

    Shoe_Powered_Cycle-765429.jpg

    Apologies for stealing image from earlier thread
    Nobody told me we had a communication problem
  • SteppenHerring
    SteppenHerring Posts: 720
    Most rims are directional these days. You did make sure you put it on the right way ...
  • tgotb
    tgotb Posts: 4,714
    Congrats! Now you need never buy another wheel :-)

    So long as the spoke tensions are even, you'll be surprised how well it stays true...
    Pannier, 120rpm.
  • t4tomo
    t4tomo Posts: 2,643
    TGOTB wrote:
    Congrats! Now you need never buy another wheel :-)
    ...

    Thats a bit like my dad's brush he's had for the past 20 years and it still looks a good as new - he's only had to buy 5 new shafts and 8 new heads for it. :D


    @OP bet its a satifying feeling building up your own wheel - well done.
    Bianchi Infinito CV
    Bianchi Via Nirone 7 Ultegra
    Brompton S Type
    Carrera Vengeance Ultimate Ltd
    Gary Fisher Aquila '98
    Front half of a Viking Saratoga Tandem
  • PBo
    PBo Posts: 2,493
    SteppenHerring wrote:
    Most rims are directional these days. You did make sure you put it on the right way ...
    no sign of any directionality.

    Why are rims directional? Is it anything to do with braking surface patterns? 'cos these are disc specific rims, so have no machined braking surface.
  • desweller
    desweller Posts: 5,175
    PBo wrote:
    SteppenHerring wrote:
    Most rims are directional these days. You did make sure you put it on the right way ...
    no sign of any directionality.

    Why are rims directional? Is it anything to do with braking surface patterns? 'cos these are disc specific rims, so have no machined braking surface.

    I think a little winding-up may be taking place ;-).
    - - - - - - - - - -
    On Strava.{/url}
  • UndercoverElephant
    UndercoverElephant Posts: 5,796
    DesWeller wrote:
    PBo wrote:
    SteppenHerring wrote:
    Most rims are directional these days. You did make sure you put it on the right way ...
    no sign of any directionality.

    Why are rims directional? Is it anything to do with braking surface patterns? 'cos these are disc specific rims, so have no machined braking surface.

    I think a little winding-up may be taking place ;-).

    Not so, the spoke holes are usually drilled a little off-centre to aide in the lacing. It's not a big deal if you do it the wrong way round, but you're making it harder for yourself. OP, well done, wheel-building is a real joy, my first pair have been rock solid for the past six-thousand miles.
    Sun - Rain - Snow
  • desweller
    desweller Posts: 5,175
    UndercoverElephant wrote:
    DesWeller wrote:
    PBo wrote:
    SteppenHerring wrote:
    Most rims are directional these days. You did make sure you put it on the right way ...
    no sign of any directionality.

    Why are rims directional? Is it anything to do with braking surface patterns? 'cos these are disc specific rims, so have no machined braking surface.

    I think a little winding-up may be taking place ;-).

    Not so, the spoke holes are usually drilled a little off-centre to aide in the lacing. It's not a big deal if you do it the wrong way round, but you're making it harder for yourself. OP, well done, wheel-building is a real joy, my first pair have been rock solid for the past six-thousand miles.

    Why does that make them directional?
    - - - - - - - - - -
    On Strava.{/url}
  • SteppenHerring
    SteppenHerring Posts: 720
    Yeah, I was teasing. Sorry - I should be over on Road trying to sell them directional innertubes.

    Not directional but the nipple drilling (?) on many rims does offset to the side that the spoke goes to (if you see what I mean).
  • UndercoverElephant
    UndercoverElephant Posts: 5,796
    DesWeller wrote:
    Why does that make them directional?

    Because when building them you start at the hole next to the valve hole and on the drive side of the hub, if you get it the wrong way round, your spokes get laced the wrong way. Messes with the spoke length and makes the angles tighter, but not a disaster, as I said.
    Sun - Rain - Snow
  • suzyb
    suzyb Posts: 3,449
    UndercoverElephant wrote:
    DesWeller wrote:
    Why does that make them directional?

    Because when building them you start at the hole next to the valve hole and on the drive side of the hub, if you get it the wrong way round, your spokes get laced the wrong way. Messes with the spoke length and makes the angles tighter, but not a disaster, as I said.
    And that there has convinced me to never try building wheels :wink:
    Whippet
  • PBo
    PBo Posts: 2,493
    SteppenHerring wrote:
    Yeah, I was teasing. Sorry - I should be over on Road trying to sell them directional innertubes.

    Not directional but the nipple drilling (?) on many rims does offset to the side that the spoke goes to (if you see what I mean).

    i'll have 2 directional innertubes please!
  • PBo
    PBo Posts: 2,493
    UndercoverElephant wrote:
    DesWeller wrote:
    Why does that make them directional?

    Because when building them you start at the hole next to the valve hole and on the drive side of the hub, if you get it the wrong way round, your spokes get laced the wrong way. Messes with the spoke length and makes the angles tighter, but not a disaster, as I said.


    ah, right, i did account for this, due to sheldon brown's clear instructions. just didn't think of this as directional, but i see what you mean.
  • Torvid
    Torvid Posts: 449
    PBo wrote:
    SteppenHerring wrote:
    Yeah, I was teasing. Sorry - I should be over on Road trying to sell them directional innertubes.

    Not directional but the nipple drilling (?) on many rims does offset to the side that the spoke goes to (if you see what I mean).

    i'll have 2 directional innertubes please!

    Hang on before we get carried away here are they lighter? if so i'll have 2 too
    Commuter: Forme Vision Red/Black FCN 4
    Weekender: White/Black - Cube Agree GTC pro FCN 3
  • SimonAH
    SimonAH Posts: 3,730
    Congratulations, satisfying isn't it.

    SuzyB, really - if you have any practical bent at all - it's not too tough I promise. And as with anything similar there is the deep joy at smugly thinking "I did that" afterwards.
    FCN 5 belt driven fixie for city bits
    CAADX 105 beastie for bumpy bits
    Litespeed L3 for Strava bits

    Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast.
  • veronese68
    veronese68 Posts: 27,773
    I keep thinking I should have a go. The thing that concerns me is getting the right bits to go together. It would be really dull if I ordered spokes that were a fraction too long.
    Presumably I should get the book and that will teach me what size to order to go with a particular lacing pattern and diameter.
    Wheel building book just been added to the Christmas list.
    Kinesis Pro6
    Marin Nail Trail
    Cotic Solaris
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    Tempted to have a go on the new (old) wheels for my Raleigh Record Ace. They are OK but hardly spot on, the nipples are a bit rounded and the spokes are non stainless (though currently shiny). I reckon I may dismantle the old steel wheels and see how well I can re-assemble them! If that works, I can have another go on the new wheels.
    Faster than a tent.......
  • flimflam_machine
    flimflam_machine Posts: 263
    Excellent work PBo. Out of interest, what did you use to check the spoke tension?

    I built my first wheel earlier this year after the spoke flange on my front hub cracked. A quick trip to eBay for a cheap hub that would use the same length spokes and I was away. I couldn't justify buying a truing stand so I just turned my bike upside down, zip tied a steel rule across the forks and put on two paper clips which I moved gradually further in as the wheel got more and more true. When I got the horizontal wobble down to less than 1mm I though that would be good enough. It's still running quite happily after a few hundres miles.

    I've yet to build up the courage to build a rear wheel since I haven't worked out how to dish a wheel yet, but I'd highly recommend wheelbuilding to anyone, it is really satisfying!
  • sufferingpete
    sufferingpete Posts: 524
    Well done! - a skill worth learning.

    The first one I built I used for a couple of times and then re-trued it since I didn't bother "setting" the spokes.

    But now I know how to build one truing takes ten minutes maximum so it is not an issue.

    Starting with new components is slightly easier than re-riming since i find adjustment smoother.
    Racing is rubbish you can\'t relax and enjoy it- because some bugger is always trying to get past.

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