Wheel Lacing Tips

[Andy in Germany]

I've mentioned elsewhere that I'm learning to lace a wheel, with mixed success. After trying to work from the instructions I was given and not getting very far, I found this method:



This works, but I hit a couple of problems: I should lace the wheel so any logo or makers name on the hub is visible through the valve hole on the rim, which this method doesn't achieve. Also, I should lace it so that I have "parallel" spokes on each side of the valve hole, and the crossed spokes close to the hub. The method above doesn't do this: In theory I can work out where to "offset" the lacing so it works, but that didn't work very well today. To be fair this was possibly because I was distracted by customers.

I'll try again tomorrow, but does anyone have any lacing methods that will help achieve this?

 

[JonBuoy]

Roger Musson has that covered: https://www.wheelpro.co.uk/wheelbuilding/book.php

 

[lenfield]

Sheldon Brown's method leaves the valve hole between parallel spokes. I've actually used this.
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/wheelbuild.html

 

[Andy in Germany]

Unfortunately the page keeps saying "payment failed" thanks for the link though.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Sheldon Brown's method leaves the valve hole between parallel spokes. I've actually used this.
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/wheelbuild.html

Five minutes in, and I already understand a lot more: thanks...

 

[Ajax Bay]

The 'parallel spokes' either side of the valve drilling is close to a must have. If you compromise, it will p1ss you off every time you attach a pump. Being able to read the hub make through the valve drilling is neat but zero consequence if not.
I recently built and finished trueing a rear wheel before realising the eyeletted spoke hole drillings were asymmetric and I'd got them the wrong way round. I have resisted relacing from scratch but it's going to annoy me till I succumb.
Sheldon was my early 'go to' with his colour coded spokes.
If a 36 spoke wheel, choose your opportunity to make sure you have time for at least 9 spokes without interruption.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Mark the rim spoke hole with some tape. Place first spoke to left of the tape, with it hooked through the side of the hub nearest you. Then on same hub side, place a spoke every second hole, and every fourth rim hole, that is total 9 spokes on 36 hole rim. Do same other side, starting with hub spoke hole just to left of first spoke hole As you look at it From side you laced first. Then rotate rim relative to hub. Should give you the parallel spokes either side of spoke hole. If it does not, rotate in other direction.

Then start adding the crossing spokes. Then repeat other side.

It is worth just repeating each part of the lacing stages whilst learning or been a while since you built a wheel.

 

[wafter]

I used that exact video when I did the wheels on the Routier with good results (hub indexed to valve hole, spokes correct relative to valve) although it was that long ago I can't remember how this was achieved.. I do remember there were a few gaps; perhaps back then my brain was sufficiently capable to fill them in..

 

[KuroSan]

Personally I've never lined up a logo on a hub with the valve opening simply because it would be dependant on that logo being printed in the right place and I'm willing to bet in many cases it isn't, although I haven't built a wheel up for a very long time and maybe that's changed by now, I'll find out soon enough as I'll have to lace up a pair sometime in the near future!

 

[FrankCrank]

This is a very in depth tutorial

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEv9IqMvUnQ&t=9s


Only build a wheel up maybe once a year now, and use this one sheet memory jogger for 36h 3 cross

 

[Andy in Germany]

Five minutes in, and I already understand a lot more: thanks...

I've hit a new problem: The Sheldon Brown method works every time: logo unser valve hole, gap under valve hole; great stuff.

Except that the spoke holes are angled, and when I follow Brown's method all the spokes are in the "wrong" holes: the hole angles right has a spoke going to the left flange, felt angled hole has a spoke going to the right flange, etc.

Any thoughts. When you turn the wheel theresult is the same.

 

[presta]

You can download a copy of Brandt free here.

I've never lined up a logo on a hub with the valve opening simply because it would be dependant on that logo being printed in the right place

If it's a 36 spoke wheel, the logo can never be more than 5 degrees out of alignment, wherever it's printed.

I've hit a new problem: The Sheldon Brown method works every time: logo unser valve hole, gap under valve hole; great stuff.

Except that the spoke holes are angled, and when I follow Brown's method all the spokes are in the "wrong" holes: the hole angles right has a spoke going to the left flange, felt angled hole has a spoke going to the right flange, etc.

Any thoughts. When you turn the wheel the result is the same.

The spoke holes in the hub are not angled, you can turn the hub independently whilst the pattern of spokes remains aligned with the pattern of rim holes.

I recently built and finished trueing a rear wheel before realising the eyeletted spoke hole drillings were asymmetric and I'd got them the wrong way round. I have resisted relacing from scratch but it's going to annoy me till I succumb.

I wheel I had rebuilt by a LBS had a rim with spoke holes that were dished to point the spokes in the right direction. They got the spoke pattern misaligned with the hole pattern, so the spokes emerged heading in one direction, then curved around and went off in a different direction.

 

[Big John]

I'm a bit flummoxed. Lacing a bog standard 36 spoke wheel is easy when you're doing a bog standard 2x or 3x pattern. Get the very first spoke in the right rim hole is the key and everything else, drive side and non drive side, falls into place providing you follow the bog standard rules.

Andy.....you're going to be examined on what they've taught you, I presume. If you're unsure of something ask your course tutor to show you again. Words typed on here will only confuse you till you won't know what day it is. There's nothing quite like seeing it done first hand. That's why many folks do a course, to see how it's done in person. I can show people but I'm blowed if I'd know how to explain it in words. When you do finally crack it you'll be able to do them in your sleep.

 

[Andy in Germany]

I'm a bit flummoxed. Lacing a bog standard 36 spoke wheel is easy when you're doing a bog standard 2x or 3x pattern. Get the very first spoke in the right rim hole is the key and everything else, drive side and non drive side, falls into place providing you follow the bog standard rules.

Andy.....you're going to be examined on what they've taught you, I presume. If you're unsure of something ask your course tutor to show you again. Words typed on here will only confuse you till you won't know what day it is. There's nothing quite like seeing it done first hand. That's why many folks do a course, to see how it's done in person. I can show people but I'm blowed if I'd know how to explain it in words. When you do finally crack it you'll be able to do them in your sleep.

The annoying thing is that it was easy with the video above, until I tried using the method I'm "supposed" to use. The handout I was given was very badly drawn and inaccurate: it doesn't make it clear if a specific spoke should have the end on the inside or outside the flange, and it gave the wrong number of flange holes between the spokes. I tried several times to work out where the problem is today and it was a disaster.

This is why I've been looking for an alternative: the "without the b*llsh*t" video was great: i could lace a wheel in about 20 min; but the spokes crossed under the valve. The Sheldon Brown method worked well in about the same time, but the spokes coming out of the holes are the "wrong" way round. If I lace the wheel by Brown's method the spokes for the right are coming out of the left-hand holes and vice versa, which would be a fail in the exam.

The spoke holes in the hub are not angled, you can turn the hub independently whilst the pattern of spokes remains aligned with the pattern of rim holes.

I meant the rin. As seen below:

I can imagine one way to avoid this would be to lace the wheel "mirrored" so the inside spokes are leading, not trailing spokes, as seen below:

Tomorrow I'm on a short shift with a couple of apprentices, so I'll ask how they've learned.

It doesn't help that some of the clients with learning difficulties have seen this as an opportunity to buff up their egos: this happens a lot with these clients: they are generally fine, but if they see the chance they'll put other people down to make themselves feel better. One today took it upone himself to show me how it was done while making comments about how I must be "doing something wrong". After about twenty minutes of slightly frenetic activity with commentrary, he had to admit the method hadn't worked for him either.