building my own wheels - 36 spoke advice needed

DazzaBT
DazzaBT Posts: 37
edited May 2014 in Workshop
Right. I know I'm going to need new wheels on my commuter/training bike soon. I have a set of handbuilt ones on my Sunday spesh bike and would like similarly strong ones on my commuter.

I love tinkering and fancy throwing myself at some wheel building. Done loads of reading and am ready to shell out some cash on the right equipment, but I have to say I'm a bit stumped on what rim/hub/spoke combination to use. I want 36 spokes on the back and 32 on the front as I'm a big chap and the roads I generally commute on arent the best.

Can anyone recommend a good combination of decent (neither high or low end) rims and hubs please?

Ta!

Comments

  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,310
    Ultegra hubs 6800.. .Sapim Race spokes and you can choose between a variety of rims. For a beginner, something with double eyelets will make life easier. Mavic Open PRO or Ambrosio Evolution are good bets or Rigida Chrina for something cheaper
    left the forum March 2023
  • DazzaBT
    DazzaBT Posts: 37
    Thanks! I've found the hubs and rims for front and back. An online calculator (http://leonard.io/edd/) shows the desired rear spoke lengths as: Spoke left 294.1 mm and right 292.1 mm and the front as 296.6 mm both sides.

    Is there a good online source where I can buy all of these length variations? Everywhere I've looked has one or another, but not all three?

    Ta!
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,310
    THen get some Alpina double butted spokes (also called ACI), both cyclebasket and sdeals.com have the lengths you require.
    They are nice spokes, I have used several thousands of them and never heard a bad word
    left the forum March 2023
  • DazzaBT
    DazzaBT Posts: 37
    Cheers! Just ordered them:)

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