kraftwerk 

Is there a site or or any good You-Tube videos for wheel building? I am attempting my first build.
My brother has the skills, so I could ask him for pointers. He built me a very nice wheel once, an amazing wheel in fact.
...but he lives 7 hrs away, with bad phone reception.
Also: How much are good quality spokes, in general ....and in specific : this is for a 451 sized wheel so the spokes might have to be 'custom-cut' or at least will be very hard to find?
I'd like to use DT Swiss..just because.. you, know: Switzerland!
...but are those still actually MADE there? Will it be hard to find an odd size? I will be needing 32 of 'em minimum....

Thanks..

tyrion

here's a good video:

jlaw

if you want to read about it: https://www.sheldonbrown.com/wheelbuild.html

How to lace a 32 spoke 3 cross wheel: https://www.google.com/search?q=laci...TF-8#kpvalbx=1

The same group - The Bike Tube - has plenty of youtube videos on how to proceed beyond lacing.

mrrabbit 

The problem with most sites - with the exception of Sheldon Brown is that they get a lot of things wrong.

ERD - many just don't know what it is.
DISH - many don't know that there's two kinds of dish, and which one is directly relevant to building a wheel.
Stress Relief - many don't know what it is OR use something that isn't or threaten to taco the wheel.

The posted video isn't too bad...for stress relief...ONLY if your stomping action is actually being stopped by limiting action of the spokes themselves.

Light stomping, or easy squeezes using the hand method doesn't cut it - you really have to drive the tension up a good 30%-50% - using the hand method with gloves is painful.

=8-)

mrrabbit 

Sadly, their video on spoke length determination would indicate that:

A. They're reliant on misinformation for ERD.
B. Likely do not know what it really is and how it's determined.

For example, he went ahead and trusted the 605 number for the Mavic Open Pro which made me cringe.

=8-(

davidad

Which rim and hub? Front wheel for a recumbent?

davidad

https://www.universalcycles.com/shop...s.php?id=16558

jlaw

It is true that many of the wheel building references out there have some good insights/information, but also may not cover every aspect completely and correctly.

Being a novice I looked at all sorts of videos and written material before starting my first build. The thing I was most concerned about was ordering the correct length spokes so I used 3 different web sites to verify. The results were within .5 mm of each other. Having spokes too short or long would be a bummer!

cyccommute 

Let's start with how to build a wheel. I'm not a proponent of looking at everything on YouTube. Printed material is way easier to follow, back up, review and in general find what you are looking for. And you don't get grease on the keyboard. If you can add in personal instruction, that's much better. Look around for a co-op in your area that offers wheel building classes or see if they have someone who can show you how (if they don't charge you, make a damned good donation!). My fall back for instructions are from a 1986 series of articles in Bicycling Magazine by Eric Hjertberg...my wheel building class is designed around it. Luckily, you can still find a link to the series of articles here. It's a bit dated but the build technique is still valid. Read the first two articles for nostalgia. The last two contain the instructions on how to build.



As to spokes, you'll need to figure out what length spokes you need before you start anything. This spoke calculator is reasonable reliable for modern hubs and spokes. You can also make the measurements and input the data. Based on a Shimano hub and a Sun rim, you are going to need spokes around 210mm to 215mm (the details will vary). DT makes them but they may be difficult to find. You'll probably have the best luck looking for BMX parts. Prices on spokes are also variable. DT and Sapim are going to be around $1 per spoke.

And don't walk on your wheels. They aren't meant for that. Hjertberg (and others) form the spokes around the hub so that you don't have to walk on them.

kraftwerk 

Perfect, this should get me going. I feel like wheel-building is some uncharted territory I must traverse.
Hmmm, Bicycling Magazine's Eric Hjertberg, sounds familiar I guess I remember reading his name 'back in the day'.

The hub is a Ritchey 32h

Rim will be: 20" x 1-1/8 Sun Assault SL1 BMX rim Black - Double Wall - Aluminum - 32h - 451mm

It is a front wheel for a folding bike, Ti-"Swift" folder..


Thanks All!

davidad

I like his method for spoking a wheel. https://www.scribd.com/doc/26719057/...Wheel-Building

Moe Zhoost

Here's a link to Jobst Brandt's book, which I find to be an invaluable reference.
https://www.scribd.com/doc/261771508...-Brandt-3rd-Ed

migrantwing

Best videos I ever saw were these ones by Ashley Malcolm of Brockley Bikes. They were the only ones that I actually followed when I disassembled and reassembled a spare wheel I had lying about. As far as tension goes, I think I may have been a little high, but the wheel was/is fine. Additional tips and learning came from Roger Musson's downloadable PDF.

mrrabbit 

1. He doesn't do stress relieving in either video...

2. He does the stretch thing in first video - risking tacoing the wheels - and I certainly hope he doesn't call that stress relieving because it isn't.

=8-(

migrantwing

Yes, you're correct.

I preferred these videos as they weren't mind bogglingly boring or unintelligible for me to understand when I wanted to attempt to build a wheel. That's why I prefferred it to any other. As mentioned, stress relief and other tips not mentioned in the videos came from Roger Musson's PDF.

I don't build wheels everyday or every year for that matter, so it helped me learn. That's just my personal opinion.

Retro Grouch 

Dan's Comp will have the spokes that you need. They are cheap and fast and will sell you the exact number and length that you need. They will make you talk to their spoke guy over the telephone to order spokes.