oliverwhite Posted April 2, 2013 Report Share Posted April 2, 2013 I am currently building a trials bike and the item i am getting obsessed with is wheels. Now when ever i look for them they are sold in component parts, which makes sense as you can make the ideal one. What i want to ask is do people buy the parts and then get someone to build them or do they just go for it and build them themselves. The reason i ask is it would be so much better to be able to buy second hand parts and build it, but i don't want to risk folding one of the wheels if i built it myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BradJohnson Posted April 2, 2013 Report Share Posted April 2, 2013 I am currently building a trials bike and the item i am getting obsessed with is wheels. Now when ever i look for them they are sold in component parts, which makes sense as you can make the ideal one. What i want to ask is do people buy the parts and then get someone to build them or do they just go for it and build them themselves. The reason i ask is it would be so much better to be able to buy second hand parts and build it, but i don't want to risk folding one of the wheels if i built it myself. The best way to go about it is to build it yourself. As long as the spoke pattern is correct the rest is easy. Go around tightening each spoke half a turn as you go to get the perfect tension, and then lay the wheel on the floor, stand on the rim to stress the spokes and then re-tension and true. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny00135 Posted April 2, 2013 Report Share Posted April 2, 2013 Build myself (unless there's an awesome price on a built one) It's not that difficult to get right As long as you have the correct tension on the spokes.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss-Higgy Posted April 2, 2013 Report Share Posted April 2, 2013 (edited) Personally having tried wheel builds twice and neither of them got finished by me, i tend to get someone else. Are you buying a rim & hub & spokes second hand? If so i recommend sourcing built wheels, as second hand wheel parts have generally been taken apart for a reason, and a rim with dings or eggs is never gonna build up too well? But i am female and i'm much better a knitting.. Edited April 2, 2013 by Miss-Higgy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oliverwhite Posted April 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 2, 2013 Thanks for all the advice. The thing is i really want to build the wheels so i can use some nice hubs I've got lying around and so i can get obsessed with something. Now it's time to look for front and rear wheel tutorials etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BradJohnson Posted April 2, 2013 Report Share Posted April 2, 2013 Thanks for all the advice. The thing is i really want to build the wheels so i can use some nice hubs I've got lying around and so i can get obsessed with something. Now it's time to look for front and rear wheel tutorials etc. what you can do is place a bit of masking tape on the hub and the rim with numbers 1-28/32/36 depending how many holes and just match a spoke from the hub to the rim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dezmtber Posted April 2, 2013 Report Share Posted April 2, 2013 Get an old wheel from a scrap yard take it apart and build it. Best way is practice on wheel that doesnt matter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Echo-Scott Posted April 2, 2013 Report Share Posted April 2, 2013 Get an old wheel from a scrap yard take it apart and build it. Best way is practice on wheel that doesnt matter This! Find a tutorial online. Start with a rubbish old wheel to get used to it. Then do it with your new shinny parts. Nothing worse than building a new wheel and scraping the shit out of the rim with the spokes and rounding all your nipples off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss-Higgy Posted April 2, 2013 Report Share Posted April 2, 2013 http://www.trials-forum.co.uk/topic/80777-how-to-build-a-wheel/ I used that guide & had a wheel that was built sat next to me for ref, it was the tension i messed up because i get bored & loose interest easily Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oliverwhite Posted April 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 2, 2013 http://www.trials-forum.co.uk/topic/80777-how-to-build-a-wheel/ I used that guide & had a wheel that was built sat next to me for ref, it was the tension i messed up because i get bored & loose interest easily Thanks, that is a quality guide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss-Higgy Posted April 2, 2013 Report Share Posted April 2, 2013 Thank mark w not me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bing Posted April 3, 2013 Report Share Posted April 3, 2013 Am gonna have a crack at this in my injury enforced layoff. Upon reading various articles, it seems fairly simple Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Revolver Posted April 3, 2013 Report Share Posted April 3, 2013 Build wheels yourself. Fix bikes yourself. Do everything yourself. Skills! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oliverwhite Posted April 4, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2013 Build wheels yourself. Fix bikes yourself. Do everything yourself. Skills! Good philosophy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greetings Posted April 4, 2013 Report Share Posted April 4, 2013 I'd guess that on average less than a quarter of riders build their own wheels but among the more experienced ones, easily the majority. Like Revolver said, learn to do it yourself. You'll save money and acquire a valuable skill which will come in handy if you bend your wheel during a ride. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bing Posted April 4, 2013 Report Share Posted April 4, 2013 I know how to true a buckle out, its not that hard. I sorted my stock wheel out after spokes came loose and it was rubbing on the pads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alex-trials-boy Posted April 4, 2013 Report Share Posted April 4, 2013 Its soo easy to do, what the worst that can go wrong? just un-lace the wheel and start again, I love building wheels, got soo bored one day when the weather was bad I unbuilt my front wheel just to swap the rim for the exact same with without a grind hahaa. once you're confidant with building wheels you'll never stop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LEON Posted April 4, 2013 Report Share Posted April 4, 2013 I bult my 1st wheel when I was 13, used spokes and a used rim, I didn't have a spoke key so I used wire strippers on the nipples. It came out perfectly, I was well impressed. Just look at built wheels and copy them, just do it slowly & practice on a wheel you don't care about. It'll save you a lot of time & money in the long run if you can do it yourself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alex-trials-boy Posted April 4, 2013 Report Share Posted April 4, 2013 Is also good if you're out on a ride and you buckle your wheel, you can re true it and continue riding, or just kick the hell out of it or use a hammer as most do Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ash-Kennard Posted April 24, 2013 Report Share Posted April 24, 2013 (edited) everything you could ever really need concerning wheel building can be found here. Sheldon Brown invest in a spoke key, and ensure you relieve the stress in the wheel well otherwise it will come out of true quickly. As for the truing stand issue i know someone will ask. use a frame or fork, dependant on the wheel being built and attach a cable tie to the frame or fork, swivel round so the cable tie bends over slightly, then cut to produce a flat edge on the cable tie. i have been using this technique for the best part of 8 years, only recently managed to get my hand on a truing stand through work if you have any questions drop me a PM and i will send you a copy of a presentation i had to make which should sum it up well. EDIT: also when buying second hand components such as rims, take a good wheel with you, lay the rim across it just to ensure the rim hasn't been previously bent. look for dings in the rim wall itself, also look for stress marks in case the rim has been bent back into shape. not usually good. hubs and rims can be bought second hand usually, but always go for new spokes, will make your life much easier in the build. Also, avoid aluminium nipples (hehe) like the plague, get brass ones, usually come free with new spokes anyways. Edited April 24, 2013 by Ash-Kennard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blake Posted April 24, 2013 Report Share Posted April 24, 2013 For true a rear wheel I just put it on my bike and adjust till it doesn't rub the pads Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ash-Kennard Posted April 24, 2013 Report Share Posted April 24, 2013 For true a rear wheel I just put it on my bike and adjust till it doesn't rub the pads this is good for both truing and dishing, but be careful how you originally set your pads up otherwise it can be built with incorrect dishing. (i am aware that your wheel is a special case btw) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CalopS Posted April 24, 2013 Report Share Posted April 24, 2013 I'm going to be doing one this week. Glad I don't have pads to rub 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamKidney Posted April 24, 2013 Report Share Posted April 24, 2013 Built all but two of my wheels. Dead easy to do once you get the jist of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ash-Kennard Posted April 24, 2013 Report Share Posted April 24, 2013 (edited) good stuff! dont be too disheartened if they go out of true after the first build, spokes have a bedding in period, different for different spokes, wear on the hub etc. but a quick re-tension once they become a problem is probably a good idea Edited April 24, 2013 by Ash-Kennard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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