Building My Own Wheels...

[focus]

I'm thinking about building some MTB wheels. I'd be doing it mostly because...well...I just want to.

Anybody else done this? Tips/Tricks?

[sfotex]

Wheel building is fun, if you're into mechanical type stuff.
I'd start by getting a book and reading up, search amazon on 'bicycle wheel building'. I've got the Jobst book and the Schraner book. They're both good, although the Jobst book is a bit older...

[BenWA]

watch someone else do it. either find a buddy who is skilled at wheel building or go to a bike shop and ask a tech if you can watch him if he happens to be building one. flailing your way through the process by yourself just from reading a book is a painful experience.

[sfotex]

Oh, and start with a front wheel first, that away you don't have to worry about dishing the sucker, etc...

[train07]

get an estwing

[kidwoo]

1. round
2. dish
3. true

And press on the wheel sideways every so often. Rim in hands, hub up against something sturdy.....

[phatfreeheeler]

Number one tool you'll need is good patience. It's really not that hard if you just go slow. Even dishing, if the calculator gave you the right spoke length, it'll almost dish itself. The trueing stand will do the rest. First wheel I ever did was a rear for my bighit and it even had a bunch of offset. It came out perfect without a dishing tool.

Print this out and go to town.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/wheelbuild.html

Oh, and don't be afraid to really lay on the spokes when you are prestressing the wheel. It will do a lot for keeping it true. Buy a couple extra spokes so if you do damage one you have a spare. Also nice if one breaks during use.

[flowtron]

Brass Nipples, fo sho.
It doesn't matter how cool pink ano alloy nipples are gonna look, alloy nipples suck.

[marshalolson]

don't bother with anything other than dt spokes.

[BLOODSWEATSTEEL]

If you can wait until Tuesday morning, I can scan & email one of the course guides I got from Gerd Schraner [pretty much the most renowned wheelbuilder ever] when I was going through my DT/Hugi certification about 10 years ago. It's VERY informative info for the rookie wheelbuilder, and also touches on a few advanced techniques as well.

Oh, and yes - brass nipples only. AND - Park spoke wrenches ONLY, period. [Unless you happen to be one of those people who really enjoys rounding out spoke nipples.]

[cj001f]

Number one tool you'll need is good patience. It's really not that hard if you just go slow. Even dishing, if the calculator gave you the right spoke length, it'll almost dish itself. The trueing stand will do the rest. First wheel I ever did was a rear for my bighit and it even had a bunch of offset. It came out perfect without a dishing tool.

Print this out and go to town.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/wheelbuild.html

2nded. The Brown tutorial is great if you want to build up a couple wheels. It a properly sized spokes make wheel building a breeze. Afterwards if you feel like getting geeky go for the Brandt book and weirder lacings. Oh, and 2nded on brass nipples and park wrenches. The consumer park stand sucks though, the Minoura is better, imho.

[Natedogg]

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/wheelbuild.html.

I was gonna say that...

BenWA, I disagree--my first wheel was surprisingly easy. I think I goofed the lacing the first time, but Ill blame it on watching TV. Ahhh, memories of watching the boob toob at good ol' Carlton Ave, Bethlehole, Pennsyltucky.

What a dump.