OP
OP
Twilkes
Guru
Building a bicycle wheel is like making love to a beautiful woman - grease the nipples, lace her up, a few good screws and when she stops going ping you know you're done.
Is there any point in building your own cheap wheels?
- Thread starter Twilkes
- Start date
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Building a bicycle wheel is like making love to a beautiful woman - grease the nipples, lace her up, a few good screws and when she stops going ping you know you're done.
rogerzilla
Legendary Member
It's often cheapest to buy a wheel someone else has built, using components you'd choose yourself, then finish it off properly. I've done this a couple of times where the complete wheels were a fair bit cheaper than I could have bought the parts.
- Location
- London
Yes, Taylor Wheels of Germany are good for this.
Pity they don't do builds with Sputniks though.
Plan to build some wheels of my own soon - have tinkered a fair bit, trued wheels, evened out spoke tension, so the only skill/thing I need to acquire I think is the initial lacing - have also bought Roger Musson's book which explains everything clearly.
My plan is to hardly ever buy a complete new wheel again - just rerim and service what I have, build others, bring old wheels back from the dead - recently got on old quality wheel in a virtually as new condition by reviving it with a hub and spoke service.
In short, I think wheel building is something well worth doing. Once I have accomplished it, I don't thing there's much that could go wrong with any of my bikes on tour that would worry me.
- Location
- London
were you following advice from anywhere?
Roger Musson's book is very reassuring.
He essentially tells folk that there is no magic about it at all - it's just about being methodical and taking your time.
Notafettler
Guest
Sputniks are still available and updated (think its the same just different name). Previous owner did a 20,000k tour. Guessing I think I have done 5,000k possibly 10,000k. Never a problem with wheels and they show no sign of wear. I have 2 bikes with them on now. Obviously they will wear out before I go but this only because I don't intend on dieing.....ever.
- Location
- London
Yes, I have heard worrying things about Sputniks disappearing, at least in 26inch size, though Spa still sell the rims.
What is this new name/branding you speak of?
As I see it they don't need updating - what has changed with the updated versions under whatever name you mention?
Unfortunately with today's bike market, updated/improved/refined very very often means compromised/farked up for idiot purchasers.
Jody
Stubborn git
Thanks. I'll have a read into that
- Location
- London
Am planning my own Mavic beating build.
I have a pair of wheels on XT hubs built onto Mavic CXP22 rims.
A very decent good rim.
One on my rear wheel has split near a spoke hole, though this may well be due to me overloading the wheel, so not complaining.
What I am complaining about is Mavic "improving" the rim to the Elite.
Elite as in marketed at idiots.
For as I understand it they have achieved elite status by shaving off a significant percentage of the wearing brake surface.
Luckily I managed to find two NOS CXP22 rims on the bay - they cost almost as much as the new elite rims - but then they are a f**ing sight better.
As the nights close in I plan some rerimming.
And also swerving Mavic as much as possible in the future.
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- Location
- London
yes, I'll generally be sticking to 36 - simplifies spares holding as well.
For my type of cycling no great benefit to shaving 4 spokes, though my CXP22's are 32.
- Location
- London
tempting I know (I have the book) but it does require woodworking skills and kit.
My teenage woodwork tray (my foolishly proud mum still has it though wisely doesn't use it) had to be finished by the woodwork teacher and it was only really four bits of wood joined together with a base glued on.
- Location
- London
where did you get your sputnik wheels?
(I have 3 pairs I think - one Spa, one Hewitt, another bought off a forum <not this> member who had built them themselves. )
How does the Andra 30 compare to the Sputnik?
Hope my wheels last as long as yours - I am pretty careful about cleaning rims and blocks.
- Location
- London
For my wheel fettling I generally use an old frame minus its handelbars with a broom handle threaded through the stem instead of the bars. That sorts the front fork.
The rear forks end up in awkward place so I just clamp the same old frame in a bike maintenance stand and all is fine.
Some folks use cableties for the indicators, and I sometimes do, but despite a certain online mockery (not here) I rather rate this:
https://www.bikeinn.com/bike/unior-...VhOd3Ch3IuQTwEAQYAyABEgKvqfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
The guide indicator is essentially the same as they use on their stand, which I also have, though not at home.
davidphilips
Veteran
- Location
- Onabike
Lol, Am sure all the evidence proves are right Blue Hills, but still believe its an art form or type of magic that i just can not learn? Have watched Utube etc and tbh looks really easy but still goes literally pear shaped for me when i have tried it?
- Location
- Inside my skull
Always makes me laugh when people get low spoke wheels then carry spare spokes. Why not build the spare spokes into the wheel to start with!
