Wheelbuilding questions tips and ponderations

[doctor-bond]

Every now and then I build a wheel, but infrequently enough that it’s back to school each time. Am going to store some links here and ask a few questions from the collective wisdom which I know is on here.

Fave spoke calculator is EDD: Leonard EDD spoke calc
Fave tutorial is Sheldon: Sheldon’s Wheelbuild

So, this time I’m doing a 26” Dynamo front, 36 hole. It has quite high flanges equating to 255mm spokes for 3x.
Question: I’m assuming 3x, but are there any thoughts on doing something different for this set up? Lightness is not of consequence; strength, reliability, comfort is.

Oh and ACI butted are spokes of choice.

 

[foz]

3x is probably OK, although if the flange is very large then it can screw up the angles a bit, if that's the case then 2x might be better, but 255m spokes in a 25" rim should not be a problem. 3x is also pretty standard, works well in most wheels, and is easy to do. I've built my last few sets of road wheels with 3x rear and 2x front, just because...

 

[EightBallFlyer]

Every now and then I build a wheel, but infrequently enough that it’s back to school each time. Am going to store some links here and ask a few questions from the collective wisdom which I know is on here.

Fave spoke calculator is EDD: Leonard EDD spoke calc
Fave tutorial is Sheldon: Sheldon’s Wheelbuild

So, this time I’m doing a 26” Dynamo front, 36 hole. It has quite high flanges equating to 255mm spokes for 3x.
Question: I’m assuming 3x, but are there any thoughts on doing something different for this set up? Lightness is not of consequence; strength, reliability, comfort is.

Oh and ACI butted are spokes of choice.

Go for it.
I too look at Sheldons site, and also the Park Tool videos on YT are very good viewing, with a link to their preferred spoke length calculator.
I've done 7 wheel builds now, and even found a tool on eBay, for rolling my own threads on to the spokes that I've cut down to re-use.
With your dyno hub, I took a non disc, older type Shimano Nexus hub, out of my 26" EB wheel, and laced it into 700c. It worked out OK, by cutting down the standard, longer, 700c front wheel spokes and taking my time lacing and truing. It was 2x, on a 36h hub.
Good luck.

 

[doctor-bond]

Got nine holes in before breakfast. Very satisfying pastime, and doesn’t “spoil a good walk”.

 

[JoeH]

The actual question you're asking is relatively advanced, its not black and white.

Typically from 28 hole you move from 3x to 2x, OR when the rim is small, i.e. a 16" or 20".

Because you've still got a 26" wheel you will be fine with 3x nevertheless a 36h 26" just feels like 'too many' spokes.

You could safely build yours 2x, this will shorten the spoke length even more, however 3x is the norm.

Because of the high flange, this 'can' (but may not) create a tighter rim entry angle (regardless of 2x or 3x), therefore go for a nipple that has good rotation. Sapim polyax comes to mind.
A nipple with a round interface to rim is what you want.

Explains what happens when nipple can't rotate/angle enough.

 

[JoeH]

3x is probably OK, although if the flange is very large then it can screw up the angles a bit, if that's the case then 2x might be better, but 255m spokes in a 25" rim should not be a problem. 3x is also pretty standard, works well in most wheels, and is easy to do. I've built my last few sets of road wheels with 3x rear and 2x front, just because...

From my understanding 2x doesn't improve rim entry angle, it improves how tangential a spoke comes out of a hub.
Improving rim entry angle is more of a nipple choice V flange height debate.
BUT
Very happy to stand corrected.

 

[bikeworkshop]

2x improves rim entry angle.
From the same spoke hole, you are using the rim eye 2 back.

3x on a large flange hub also crowds the spoke cross, meaning more stresses on the spoke near the head.

Some Rims are more tolerant of spoke entry angle than others - eyeleted rims would be a necessity as drilled rims often dictate spoke angle.

 

[doctor-bond]

I love that wheelbuilding is both really simple (screws and wires) and yet it’s physics is so complicated (a bit like riding a bike).
I’ve built it up 3x and have no concerns: the nipples have rounded shoulders; the rim is eyeleted and (unlike the one in the Hunt YT vid) has classic left and right ‘handed’ holes to aid angles. Interesting how Hunt tried to fix one ‘problem’ with asymmetric holes only to cause another worse one….

So, next ponderation is truing and dishing set ups. Will grab a couple of pics to illustrate…..

 

[doctor-bond]

So, I don’t (yet) have a dedicated truing stand, but rather use the bike frame (rear) or a fork clamped into the work stand (front) for truing. A couple of zip ties work as feelers.



Now, when working on a rear, this is oddly easier: the frame tubes allow you to judge dish pretty well, and the brake bridge works as a roundness gauge. As this is my first build-from-scratch front, I can’t figure out a hack for dishing, so have ponied up for a Minoura dish tool. Need to do Xmas gravadlax and pastry today, but will slope off and try it out later.

 

[bikeworkshop]

Symmetrical was most common before discs, although production line and machine built wheels tended to be done assumeyrically - its a fraction quicker loading the spokes into the hub afaik.

(A lot of wheelbuilders love tiny details - did you lube the nips with warm linseed oil?)

Drive side rear always tended to be trailing on the outside of the flange to reduce the chance of a derailed chain getting jammed under the spoke behind the sprocket with horrendous consequences if traveling at speed.