Just built my first wheel + Info for first time builder...

[ScottishRetro]

So I have just completed my first wheel build and can happily say the end result is as good as I have had from my LBS..
I made the truing stand out of off cuts I had in the shed and it worked a treat..
If you are thinking about doing a wheel build give it ago it really is worthwhile and to be honest I should have done it years ago ...

These are the links I used for bits and advice..

cyclebasket.com for spokes and nipples, best prices I could find but highish carriage so get a few spares etc.
Rims and hubs you can find anywhere

http://lenni.info/edd/ I used this to calculate spoke lengh using there data base, If the hub or rim is not in the data base check out

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xN04gHH5YwQ this will tell you everything you need to know, the Leeni site said I needed 292.9mm spokes I did the measurements myself and it came out 293.4 so went with 292mm these where spot on. I was told to always go down to the lower end of the sizing scale...

And http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTb3x5VO69Y for build tutorial "very good"

Overall build time was about 40mins plus 15-20mins for truing (Per wheel)

For final truing see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cU2yKPRglaM

I even got the Hub logo lined up with the Valve hole...

A friend who is a Cycle courier has just seen the results and I have a feeling I may well be doing a few more builds in the near future :roll:...
It really is just a matter of taking your time and following the instructions and you should be fine.. Im far from the hidden monkey leaping dragon fly guru type so that says sommin .....

Hope someone finds this info useful

 

[doctor-bond]

Well done: useful links and inspiriational. I will do this ..... one day.

 

[ScottishRetro]

The 35-45 quid labour charge was enough for me to do it myself

 

[Jamiedyer]

Thank you

Thats a great job that!
Thank you as I have been needing to build a pair of singlespeed wheels and keep thinking I should do it myself. You've definately inspired me and you've also given me the resources so once again and genuinely, thank you.

Jamie

 

[monty dog]

Top job - Some varnish on that wheel jig and it'll be good enough to leave on the dining room table!

 

[Old Ned]

Excellent, I've always considered wheel building to be a Black Art but perhaps you may have inspired me. I have a couple of friends who can do it well so it's been very easy not to have to do it myself. However, I might now be tempted!

Never thought of using wood to build a jig! I'll be off down the shed to rummage through my stock of Very Useful Offcuts that - despite Mrs Ned's protestations - I continue to add to

 

[stevek]

For your first wheel build 1 hour total time is a pretty good time. My first stab at this must have taken me over 2 hours using written instructions. The last time I built a couple of wheels up using good old Sheldon Brown's guide (God bless him) and it took about 20 mins per wheel with about the same time as you for truing up. Well done mate.

 

[ScottishRetro]

It really is easy when you have a video to follow 10min vid 15min to do the job etc.. It really isnt a black art and it was this notion that put me off so many times in the past ...
It reminds of stringing a tennis racket I was a tennis coach for some time and got feed up paying people to do the job for me so I invested in a cheap drop weight machine and within a few hours hey presto im stringing up rackets as good as what the local "GURU" stringer was producing, its always the people that do the jobs that say something is a black art or you need guru type powers to make it work :roll: I have found out this is not the case ... And within a few wheel builds the truing stand even a Park tools one would pay for its self!!...

Im sure a long term wheel builder would find a niggley floor in this wheel something like the hub hole isnt lined up the the "M" on the Mavic logo etc but for me (and the courier friend) its fine!!!

This is a fixed rear wheel so I kept it simple as there is no need to dish the rim, If you are thinking about giving it ago try a front wheel first to get the hang of it and the rest will fall into place ...

 

[Simplex]

While you've got the tools out , one of these is quite handy

 

[pigman]

congrats, good job. There's no black art to it. the most difficult bit is determining spoke length, which is easy these days from an on-line calculator.
The jig is good, but for those who might wanna go, but cant be inclined to make a jig, a good wheel can be built using a mudguardless frame with brake calipers suspended from a door frame. The centreing is done by turning the wheel around till it is in the centre both ways round.
Give it a go, you'll never look back