Building wheels, what do I need?
Discussion
I'm wondering about building myself some wheels as a little project but don't really know where to start.
- What tools do I need - some kind of jig?
- Where should I buy the bits from?
- Is it going to save me enough cash over buying them pre-built to make it worth doing?
- What bits should I pick? I weigh a fraction over 60kg, ride mainly on very well surfaced roads and do a fair bit of climbing
I built my first pair using no more than a spoke key and the frame and brake calipers as a jig and an article in the American mag Bicycling for guidance (That was in 1992 and I still have the magazine now). That's all you need to do to dip your toe in the water, mine came out all right as I raced on them for two years.
Open Pro rims are ideal to build with as they are good quality, and DT Swiss for spokes would be my choice. There are plenty of spoke length calculators online, as to cost you don't save much if anything but wheel building and truing is a skill worth having.
Open Pro rims are ideal to build with as they are good quality, and DT Swiss for spokes would be my choice. There are plenty of spoke length calculators online, as to cost you don't save much if anything but wheel building and truing is a skill worth having.
Edited by Razor O Rourke on Monday 30th January 18:16
I built my first last year and another couple since.
Roger Musson's ebook will guide you through.
Rose seem have the best prices on DT Swiss spokes and nipples (and rims, if you wanted a DT rim). Some great prices on Shimano hubs too.
I built my first with just a spokey and a screwdriver. But subsequently bought the cheap Lifeline truing stand and dishing stick from Wiggle. (Musson tells you how to make these but I didn't have the necessary scrap lying around, and I'm lazy). Wiggle even have a cheap £20 Lifeline tension gauge now, that looks identical to the Park one. None of those tools are essential, but make it easier to work to smaller tolerances than using the bike frame or forks.
I enjoy the process but it's hardly cost effective as it takes me half a day, from start to finish. I could pay an LBS £25, but the last time I did that I had to redo it anyway, when they came untensioned on the first ride.
I've only built for my bikepacking bike though. High spoke count wheels are easier. I still go factory-built for lightweight, low spoke count wheels on the best bike. For now, at least.
Roger Musson's ebook will guide you through.
Rose seem have the best prices on DT Swiss spokes and nipples (and rims, if you wanted a DT rim). Some great prices on Shimano hubs too.
I built my first with just a spokey and a screwdriver. But subsequently bought the cheap Lifeline truing stand and dishing stick from Wiggle. (Musson tells you how to make these but I didn't have the necessary scrap lying around, and I'm lazy). Wiggle even have a cheap £20 Lifeline tension gauge now, that looks identical to the Park one. None of those tools are essential, but make it easier to work to smaller tolerances than using the bike frame or forks.
I enjoy the process but it's hardly cost effective as it takes me half a day, from start to finish. I could pay an LBS £25, but the last time I did that I had to redo it anyway, when they came untensioned on the first ride.
I've only built for my bikepacking bike though. High spoke count wheels are easier. I still go factory-built for lightweight, low spoke count wheels on the best bike. For now, at least.
I bought Musson's book and built up the truing stand to his design because I properly bent a rim in a crash. I bought an archetype rim and substituted it in but not got round to tensioning the the laced wheel. I had a spoke snap on one of my other bikes on Sunday so I have a queue building up now! Must get on a with it.
SixPotBelly said:
I built my first last year and another couple since.
Roger Musson's ebook will guide you through.
Rose seem have the best prices on DT Swiss spokes and nipples (and rims, if you wanted a DT rim). Some great prices on Shimano hubs too.
I built my first with just a spokey and a screwdriver. But subsequently bought the cheap Lifeline truing stand and dishing stick from Wiggle. (Musson tells you how to make these but I didn't have the necessary scrap lying around, and I'm lazy). Wiggle even have a cheap £20 Lifeline tension gauge now, that looks identical to the Park one. None of those tools are essential, but make it easier to work to smaller tolerances than using the bike frame or forks.
I enjoy the process but it's hardly cost effective as it takes me half a day, from start to finish. I could pay an LBS £25, but the last time I did that I had to redo it anyway, when they came untensioned on the first ride.
I've only built for my bikepacking bike though. High spoke count wheels are easier. I still go factory-built for lightweight, low spoke count wheels on the best bike. For now, at least.
This pretty much echo's my wheel building process too. It's basically not a 'cheap' way of building wheels unless you're not in a hurry and can pick and choose buying all of the components when you see bits that you want in the Sales. It is fun though. I've built 13 wheels now for myself, friends and family and it's a handy skill to have. Roger Musson's ebook will guide you through.
Rose seem have the best prices on DT Swiss spokes and nipples (and rims, if you wanted a DT rim). Some great prices on Shimano hubs too.
I built my first with just a spokey and a screwdriver. But subsequently bought the cheap Lifeline truing stand and dishing stick from Wiggle. (Musson tells you how to make these but I didn't have the necessary scrap lying around, and I'm lazy). Wiggle even have a cheap £20 Lifeline tension gauge now, that looks identical to the Park one. None of those tools are essential, but make it easier to work to smaller tolerances than using the bike frame or forks.
I enjoy the process but it's hardly cost effective as it takes me half a day, from start to finish. I could pay an LBS £25, but the last time I did that I had to redo it anyway, when they came untensioned on the first ride.
I've only built for my bikepacking bike though. High spoke count wheels are easier. I still go factory-built for lightweight, low spoke count wheels on the best bike. For now, at least.
Wiggle do a bunch of cost effective tools, as do Rosebikes if you look at one of their 'Centering Sets' (although since the pound has gone downhill they're not as cheap as they were).
Start by buying the Roger Musson Book from the link as it's a great way to spend £10ish and it really does tell you exactly what to do. I've got a few of the pages printed out in my toolbox which I still use now to remind myself how to do it.
I built this pair over the weekend for a mate. They are DT-Swiss rims, spokes and nipples, laced to Novatec hubs. Cost was just shy of £140 and they are a really nice build.
For rims I would recommend the dt Swiss r460 (rim brake) or r460db (disc). You can get these from one of the German shops for about £25 - Rose, bike24. They are the more modern 18mm internal width compared to open pro which is ~15mm. The cycle clinic has some good articles on why wider is better
Treb0r said:
For rims I would recommend the dt Swiss r460 (rim brake) or r460db (disc). You can get these from one of the German shops for about £25 - Rose, bike24. They are the more modern 18mm internal width compared to open pro which is ~15mm. The cycle clinic has some good articles on why wider is better
I've also used the R460DB on a build. Great rim for the modest price. And it's tubeless ready too.Recommend DT Competition spokes and DT brass nipples.
Hubs to taste.
Treb0r said:
For rims I would recommend the dt Swiss r460 (rim brake) or r460db (disc). You can get these from one of the German shops for about £25 - Rose, bike24. They are the more modern 18mm internal width compared to open pro which is ~15mm. The cycle clinic has some good articles on why wider is better
Which German shops? All I can find is places where they're £50 or so. What about number of spokes? Can you get 16 hole rims for the front or does it have to be 20 for front and rear?
https://www.bike24.com/1.php?content=8;product=123...
https://www.bike24.com/1.php?content=8;product=155...
Bike24 have them in all shapes and sizes. 20H looks to be the min in rim brake, and 24 in DB.
https://www.bike24.com/1.php?content=8;product=155...
Bike24 have them in all shapes and sizes. 20H looks to be the min in rim brake, and 24 in DB.
Usually there are more spokes at the rear than the front. I am about to build some r460s with 24h radial front and 28h 2x rear. Using sapim laser spoke (lightweight) for the front and sapim force (triple butted) for the rear.
You'll probably need fewer spokes than me as you're significantly lighter!
I'm using miche primato hubs which look great.
You'll probably need fewer spokes than me as you're significantly lighter!
I'm using miche primato hubs which look great.
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