My first wheel build - What an experience...a test of endura
tbikeradar
Posts: 129
Evening everyone...
I just thought I would share my experience of building my first wheel.
Well, I got started yesterday at 5pm, laying out all the bits and pieces:
- Sapim race spokes
- Brass spoke head washers - for a stronger wheel.
- Mavic XC717 disc rim
- spoke wrench
- minoura cheap wheel jig
- the dish stick
- brass nipples
- a bit of oil and grease
- kitchen roll
- masking tape
- glass of water, haribos, radio on.
Lacing the spokes wasn't too bad, following the 3 cross pattern from the various websites out there. Mounted the wheel onto the jig and then screwed the nipples on until no thread was showing. A spin of the wheel and sure enough there were a few wobbles.
An hour later after getting ride of the wobbles and checking the dish I discover radial hops!!! Oh man! So I get to work truing those out adding tension, taking some away...taking ages. I have to admit that at one point I started losing concentration and was undoing tension by accident and truing the dish to the wrong side. It is worth noting down on paper which way you want to wheel to go visually.
Bit of food and water...classic fm is on. When I think it is done, I check the tension with my fancy blue Park Tool tension meter (recommended investment). Tensions seem uniform, but I do go around the wheel scientifically trying to get accuracy. A bit of OCD here! Mmmm...all looks ok, so after about 4 hours of strangely therapeutic efforts I have a wheel. It is round and strong! Haha
But then, I decided to convert my tyres to tubeless and something like this happens!
The stans liquid explodes everywhere...like being slimed from Ghostbusters!
So what did I learn. on your first wheel build, do it in stages over a one to three days, possibly a week. Break it up...oh and read Sheldon browns BEFORE you start!
sheldon brown wheel guide
I finished at midnight!
Hope you enjoyed reading...perhaps share your first wheel builds with us?
Thanks,
tBike. (junior wheelbuilder)
I just thought I would share my experience of building my first wheel.
Well, I got started yesterday at 5pm, laying out all the bits and pieces:
- Sapim race spokes
- Brass spoke head washers - for a stronger wheel.
- Mavic XC717 disc rim
- spoke wrench
- minoura cheap wheel jig
- the dish stick
- brass nipples
- a bit of oil and grease
- kitchen roll
- masking tape
- glass of water, haribos, radio on.
Lacing the spokes wasn't too bad, following the 3 cross pattern from the various websites out there. Mounted the wheel onto the jig and then screwed the nipples on until no thread was showing. A spin of the wheel and sure enough there were a few wobbles.
An hour later after getting ride of the wobbles and checking the dish I discover radial hops!!! Oh man! So I get to work truing those out adding tension, taking some away...taking ages. I have to admit that at one point I started losing concentration and was undoing tension by accident and truing the dish to the wrong side. It is worth noting down on paper which way you want to wheel to go visually.
Bit of food and water...classic fm is on. When I think it is done, I check the tension with my fancy blue Park Tool tension meter (recommended investment). Tensions seem uniform, but I do go around the wheel scientifically trying to get accuracy. A bit of OCD here! Mmmm...all looks ok, so after about 4 hours of strangely therapeutic efforts I have a wheel. It is round and strong! Haha
But then, I decided to convert my tyres to tubeless and something like this happens!
The stans liquid explodes everywhere...like being slimed from Ghostbusters!
So what did I learn. on your first wheel build, do it in stages over a one to three days, possibly a week. Break it up...oh and read Sheldon browns BEFORE you start!
sheldon brown wheel guide
I finished at midnight!
Hope you enjoyed reading...perhaps share your first wheel builds with us?
Thanks,
tBike. (junior wheelbuilder)
0
Comments
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Moral of the story is fark tubeless and get your wheels built by a shop!0
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side on view?"Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
Parktools :?:SheldonBrown0 -
tbikeradar wrote:An hour later after getting ride of the wobbles and checking the dish I discover radial hops!!
Radials are hardest to get ride of, so worth doing these first.
Its worth alternating between radial & lateral truing, give it say five minutes for each, then work on equalising tensions for a few minutes. Then back to radial/lateral. TBH the radial problems can usually be 99% ironed out after the first go at them, leaving you with just lateral & tension to worry about.0
