truing / lacing a bike wheel advice

[drexal77]

I build wheels for a living, from past experience I have shared plenty of knowledge with people. A couple of them decided to start their own wheelbuilding brands as a hobby subsidised by their day jobs, they also got in touch with a few of the brands that I regularly built for and offered to supply them at a cheaper rate than me. Thankfully I had loyal clients that let me know and continued to work with me knowing that this was my only income.

Due to this, I tend not to discuss my process with anyone.

Some of the reason that wheelbuilders charge what they do is overheads, cost of tools and the upkeep of them (recalibration of tensiometers etc) and the price of public liability insurance. Also some wheels only get built after a lengthy discussion with the client, 10-20 emails maybe. This is all time that needs to be charged for. Usually rim tapes/tubeless tape is included in build labour too. There is also the time taken to measure all parts and calculate spoke lengths. We cut and thread spokes in-house to 0.5mm increments for more precision, off the shelf spokes are usually available in 2mm increments.

I encourage people to do as much stuff themselves as they can and be self sufficient, you don’t need the best/most expensive tools out there to do a great job.

But I feel that lots of people think that we overcharge without considering the aspects I’ve previously mentioned.

Sorry! Haha. Rant over!

Thanks for honesty @August Bicycles i promise i'm not starting a company or trying to prise tips off anyone, i just have a few old mountain bikes that all have quite buckled wheels so was hoping i could try and fix them at the same time as building the wheels for this build i've started. Good to know what goes into the wheel building and explains the cost

 

[drexal77]

Oh yeah I almost forgot, here's a couple of spoke calculators for you:

https://www.prowheelbuilder.com/spokelengthcalculatorhttps://spokecalc.io/index.php
Here's a free tip (to help you avoid purchasing the wrong length spokes):
If you change the number of spokes in the build, you'll need to redo the spoke calculations*. Don't ask me how I know this.

*Unless they're laced in a radial pattern.

Incredible thanks so @synchronicity that has probably just saved me hours or days just trying to figure out the spoke and nipple order

 

[Imlach]

I think it's pretty hard getting into wheelbuilding and I commend people that do it themselves. I'm still very much in the beginning stage of learning and I find it hard because I don't have that natural feel for what I'm doing, it is very slow and aggrevating and I often lose track and have to double check everything. I may just be thick but to me it isn't just a matter of a youtube video and I'm good to go. I think the wheelbuilding trade is a great one, and I see it as an artform, and I don't think it should be belittled, which I feel like is what is happening in this thread. The reason for me wanting to do my own wheels is that I can't afford have someone do it for me.

 

[DrmZ]

I think the wheelbuilding trade is a great one, and I see it as an artform, and I don't think it should be belittled, which I feel like is what is happening in this thread.

Thats not the impression I get and certainly not what I want to say with my posts.
Of course you will need to learn if you want to do it proper.
But that is true for building bikes, too. And there is lots of ways to learn.
We can teach ourself from forum posts or youtube videos but would not call ourselfs proper bicycle mechanics, right?

Also a lot of our heros were self tought. Paul Brodie for example.
He tought himself welding fames as a kid and just improved his skills till he got good.

And these guys did not have the internet or youtube.
They just wanted to create what they envisioned and were not afraid to make mistakes.
The cool thing with our old mountain bikes is, that they are easy to work on compared to todays bike.
You can learn a lot working on them and don't need too much specialized tools.

 

[synchronicity]

If anyone is doing any 'belittling', the pro wheelbuilders started it alright lol.

But, do have a go at wheel building, but please dont knock and belittle the professionals.....unless you happy to put your house on the line in a court case next time those carbon 8 spoke wheels fail killing somebody.

Suggesting that someone is going to have to use their house/mortgage as collateral if they DARE build their own wheel.
I mean really.

Do plumbers get their feathers so ruffled on a DIY forum when someone asks about changing a tap washer over there?
Still, I shouldn't be so surprised, all trades try to protect their intellectual property or whatever it's called.

Here's what I'd like to know.
Of all the professional wheelbuilders who commented in this thread, the ones who are starting to get upset I mean, how many went and paid a professional graphic designer to design their logo?
And no I don't mean fiverr. Or did they attempt to do it themselves? *snicker*

 

[Imlach]

I'll shut the door on my way out

 

[novocaine]

Do plumbers get their feathers so ruffled on a DIY forum when someone asks about changing a tap washer over there?
Still, I shouldn't be so surprised, all trades try to protect their intellectual property or whatever it's called.

You need to spend an hour on the Screwfix comments section. :O

I'll shut the door on my way out

When Imlach closes a door he often leaves a window open.

 

[Tootyred]

Just to clarify.....

I dont build wheels professionally and in certainly not worried about loosing sales! As i don't have any....

Im sorry but saying its justbputting spokes in holes is just like saying brick laying is just putting down brick on mortar.

Yes, i totally agree that anybody who can follow a diagram can lace a wheel up. But, the same is true in our brick laying anology!

im also...as ive said in both post, very very very pro people having a go...i even suggested a fantastic book which gives you a free jig and tool kit from a bit of plywood and a few screws.

However, there is a skill in building wheels well....and the skill is not just speed. Its understanding what the wheels for, the limits of the equipment, tension, spoke twist, prep....sadly a lot of those things come (like all skills) from time on the job. Plus fixing existing wheels is actually harder than building new, as the SKILL comes in working out what's wrong first....just tightening nipples till is straight is the bodgers answer from a total lack of understanding....although it will get it straight for a while....

Yes, wheelbuilding may not be a long "apprenticeship" but there is a learning curve.....hence me also saying start on an old wheel first....see how it goes.

Go for it! All of you, im happy to help if people have questions, but I wouldnt build a down hill wheelset of carbon stuff as i know i don't have the skills....

And there's the punchline....i know what i don't know!

 

[Tootyred]

And if you think there is nothing to learn have a look at this guys work..

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bicycle-Wheel-Jobst-Brandt/dp/0960723668

 

[novocaine]

Just to clarify.....

soooo, you are a pro wheel builder?

also, how much for my extension build and could you do my hair for me too? it's just scissors, how hard can it be.


OK, I know I'm being a troll and it isn't funny, but, well, I'm smiling while I do it.