cajunpedaler

I am getting into wheelbuilding. I find it a rewarding activity. I just built 70c wheels, 40 spoke 4 cross in the back and 36 hole 3 cross in the front. I simply bought my components from the LBS...
Now, however, I'd like to buy all my components myself..just for the satisfaction of using my noggin to figure out what all I need.
Any recommendations of good sites?
For this set, I'd like to go with 36 holes rear and maybe 32 or 36 in the front. I'll be fully loaded, front and rear racks. I'm not all that big. About 140 lbs.
Thanks.
Perry
cajunpedaler
Jackson, LA

fietsbob

I like brick and mortar bike shops, as the folks there have become my friends.


there you can talk 'show and tell' about the merits of the different rims and hubs..

26" slightly smaller rims, option of 36R & 32F is good, .. both more common than a 700c 40 hole

bikemig 

I like building wheels as well but you may find that you can get a reasonable set of machine built wheels for less than the parts. You'll need to check the tension and the true but if you like the parts, it is a good way of getting wheels. I just paid a $100 for a pair of wheels with deore hubs, DT spokes and mavic XC 717 rims from velomine; sweet wheels at a sweet price, Mavic XC717 SSC Rims MTB Wheelset Shimano non disc Hubs QR [0072774738311] - $99.00 Velomine.com : Worldwide Bicycle Shop, fixed gear track bike wheelsets campagnolo super record vintage bike

If you want something beefier, Nashbar sells deore hubs laced onto sun rhyno lite 26 inch rims with stainless spokes for $129.

Just sayin, if you shop around and find wheel you like, prebuilt wheels may be cheaper than buying the parts. The velomine wheels are excellent for the price. The rims are a bit light perhaps for touring at 420 or so grams but since you weigh 140 lbs, they may just work for touring for you.

Retro Grouch 

For loaded touring there's an advantage to using matching front and rear rims.

If you ever have a rim failure it will almost surely be the rear. If you are on the road, you'll almost surely have trouble sourcing a replacement. If your rims match, you can lace your front rim onto your rear hub and stick whatever you can find locally onto the more lightly loaded front.

Before anybody skoffs, I can put you in touch with a personal friend who had that situation come up in northern Wisconsin with a 48 spoke tandem wheel.

cajunpedaler

Well, what I want is to experience the whole shebang..from idea to shopping for parts to building. I *like* the feeling knowing I built my wheels. (BTW, I've built both of my own houses, I like building and then using those things) My last set of wheels, all the components were from a bike shop..but I just told my bike guy what I wanted and he researched and got the parts together for me. And it's not to save money, although I'm not on an unlimited budget.
Perry

fietsbob

Out on a route where a lot of people Tour , IF the wheel is damaged , no-one in the busy season can rebuild your custom wheel

in a day or 2, so an off the shelf wheel is sold.. and the fancy stuff will be mailed back to your home.


So some benefit is a serviceable but not too fancy a build list. ..


I was Lucky in my Non standard Wheel sets as nothing significant ever happened to them, 1 spoke . out of 88 in the wheel pair.

Bill Kapaun

I'd use a set of Sun Rim CR-18's. 32 spoke should be totally adequate for your weight and whatever load you are up to packing.
Deore level hubs.
To save a couple oz., I use 15/16 ga. DB spokes on the front & NDS with 14/15 DB on the DS.
I'm 240 and dropped my rear Sun Rims M13II's in 700c into a storm sewer grate and came out with minimal damage. The CR-18 should be stronger.
I get my spokes here, since they have the 15/16 and 1MM increments.
DT Swiss Spokes