Wheel Building

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
OP
OP
Dale 1956

Dale 1956

Well-Known Member
Location
Caribou, Maine
Congratulations. Wheelbuilding is a good skill to have. Pictures?
What do you use to gauge the wheel to make sure its straight?
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20180911_101025.jpg
    IMG_20180911_101025.jpg
    131.9 KB · Views: 32
  • IMG_20180911_150230.jpg
    IMG_20180911_150230.jpg
    104.5 KB · Views: 39
  • IMG_20180911_150248.jpg
    IMG_20180911_150248.jpg
    66.4 KB · Views: 39
  • IMG_20180911_150259.jpg
    IMG_20180911_150259.jpg
    108 KB · Views: 43

Velochris

Über Member
15 years or so after deciding to learn how to replace a spoke I have ended up with all this.

Wheelbuilders like looking at fellow builders' setups.

I, like others, have accumulated various tools over the years, some made by myself.

Beware. It can become addictive and highly theraputic.
 

Attachments

  • 20180911_211137_resized.jpg
    20180911_211137_resized.jpg
    69.6 KB · Views: 41
  • 20180911_211217_resized.jpg
    20180911_211217_resized.jpg
    73.6 KB · Views: 41
OP
OP
Dale 1956

Dale 1956

Well-Known Member
Location
Caribou, Maine
15 years or so after deciding to learn how to replace a spoke I have ended up with all this.

Wheelbuilders like looking at fellow builders' setups.

I, like others, have accumulated various tools over the years, some made by myself.

Beware. It can become addictive and highly theraputic.
I find it's a lot of fun to build your own wheel set.The last set I had made for me I got screw real good and said that's it I going to start to build my own wheels for now on.
 

chriscross1966

Über Member
Location
Swindon
How many people ride handbuilts now? A small minority I should think.
All of my Bromptons do, LBS chagges 30 quid a wheel, or 60 if i ever take them an Alfine 11 speed hub and want it laced with cut down Sapim tandem spokes into a deep section 349 carbon rim again. Their usual wheelbuilder still has PTSD from that one...
 

mikeymustard

Veteran
How many people ride handbuilts now? A small minority I should think.
As a somewhat heavier rider I've had problems with factory wheels so I had some wheels built for me about this time last year. I checked them the other day and they're still spot on!
Next set I'm determined to build my own though
 
What do you use to gauge the wheel to make sure its straight?
Mounting a pencil with a rubberband to the front forks or seatstays will do the job if you have a bicycle mechanics stand. Ghetto, but ideal for the DIYer who doesn't have commericial considerations.
 

Crankarm

Guru
Location
Nr Cambridge

Looks like a fairly new Surly Disc trucker. Nice. Would they be 26" 36H wheels by any chance? Those rims are certainly in your face rims. Nice job on the wheel build. What width tyres are the SMP+?
I also see you have the Surly front Nice rack so you must be doing some full on touring expedition, carrying a fair amount of weight to use that rack as it is so strong it could survive nuclear attack. It is the best front rack of the market imho, but it is so heavy! Plus the LHT front fork isn't light either. How do you find the combination of both these as it must make the front feel quite ......... heavy, before you even put anything on it?
 
OP
OP
Dale 1956

Dale 1956

Well-Known Member
Location
Caribou, Maine
Yes they are 26" wheels with 36 hole what made me build my own wheel was I order a set of wheels from the place I got my frame set at and the guy screwed me on them.It made me very mad to say.Both of my racks are surly.I have spoke on order to build my front wheel next I'll be using the same kind of rim on it too.It took me a while to build my first wheel but now I know how to build them it's really not hard at all.I use the Park wheel app and that alone help me out.I also pull a BoB Trailer it has a rack on the back of it too.In all I have 6 panniers and the BoB bag with me when I go touring.Just tonight I was able to load up my Garmin touring edge and my garmin 520 plus with a map so I can get to where I want to go and not get to lost lol.Oh and I also have a handlebar bag too.I have been building bicycle from 2008 so it's pretty easy to build one you like.I use a 40,30,22 crank set and 11-34 cassette so going up step hills are no problem even when I am fully loaded.My tire are the Schwalbe Marathon Plus 2.00 best tire I have ever had so far.In the winter I use WTB tires 2.10 and I add zip ties to make chains for my wheels works good too but only if you have disc wheels.My handlebar is the Sala woodchipper2 drop love them too.I use friction shifters only.I had put on index shifters but I did not like them at all they did not stay on a week.But I did give them a try.As soon as I get my other wheel built I'm going to load her up and take a few pictures of her and then take her on a little trip to Canada and back we live so close it's only a few hours away by bicycle.Before I got hit by a woman in Arkansas I had a nice Surly Big Dummy it also had the same drive train on it too.It may only be a 9 speed but it get's me to any place I need to go.
 

alicat

Legendary Member
Location
Staffs
Mounting a pencil with a rubberband to the front forks or seatstays will do the job if you have a bicycle mechanics stand. Ghetto, but ideal for the DIYer who doesn't have commericial considerations.

I removed a brake block and bodged a bradawl on it using cable ties. Made a nice screeching noise when the rim was out. ^_^
 
Top Bottom