spoke length calculator

[FrankCrank]

...on my next wheel build I'll use the same spoke calculator and go for the nearest size under the recommended length.

My guess is the reason spoke nipples are that length is to allow for all the discrepancies and tolerances involved. The skilled part is the truing process, but I found that easy enough with a bit of patience. I'm lucky in that my LBS has loads of spokes, and it's easy to go grab a bunch and have a play - wheel-building is nothing to be feared, and is really quite enjoyable - but don't do it with a hangover......

 

[Spoked Wheels]

...on my next wheel build I'll use the same spoke calculator and go for the nearest size under the recommended length.

My guess is the reason spoke nipples are that length is to allow for all the discrepancies and tolerances involved. The skilled part is the truing process, but I found that easy enough with a bit of patience. I'm lucky in that my LBS has loads of spokes, and it's easy to go grab a bunch and have a play - wheel-building is nothing to be feared, and is really quite enjoyable - but don't do it with a hangover......

Using the same spoke length calculator makes sense, you learn to judge its limits. I use the Wheelpro calculator with the advantage that RM has designed it and tuned it so I'm quite happy to follow his guidelines as to how interpret the results. With that in mind, I'm pretty sure 2.5 mm shorter spokes would not be adequate (if I got my measurements right)

In building a wheel. there is definitely more skill involved that just truing a wheel.

I totally agree that wheel building is not rocket science but it does take patient, knowledge of what you are doing, concentration and a bit of discipline. Certainly not as difficult as some people made it out to be, having said that, some people just cannot do it, in the same way that some people just cannot drive.