Wheel Build Advice Thread

ozzybmx

taking a shit with my boobs out
Cheers. Reckon the first wheel was beginners luck and then gave me too much confidence for the front and stuffed it. Watching a few videos on dish and tension. Looks to be a test in patience.
My first MTB wheelset took me 8-10 hours, that was after reading and watching a shitload.
 

Mr Crudley

Glock in your sock
My first MTB wheelset took me 8-10 hours, that was after reading and watching a shitload.
It is one of those things that you have to make a few mistakes along the way to get the hang of it.

Truing is the hardest part for me. How perfect do you need it? Trying to use a 1/4 turn of spoke key at a time works but if you aren't in the right frame of mind or rushing it then let it go for later.
 

Ackland

chats d'élevage
Take your time with tensioning and use the park tools online app if you're using the park tension meter.
A true wheel isn't always evenly tensioned but am evenly tensioned wheel will be true
 

komdotkom

Likes Bikes and Dirt
On the other hand, what's the hotness in carbon rims from the likes of Light Bicycle and other Chinese mfrs these days ?
I've had 5 sets from LB, no issues. Some built by them then I go over them before taping and some built by TWE.
Also had Nexties and have Nobls on my current bike, I can't tell the difference between any of them really.
 

Mr Crudley

Glock in your sock
yeah a big ‘hell no’ to that stuff for me ! I want J bend spokes and 32H rims. Gotta knock up some nicer than the OEM wheels for my Ripmo AF.
Does make life easier. Get some spare spokes and nipples when you buy since problems during the build or a trailside branch later on will do it.

I found it hard to get spokes and nipples in AU at the time. Anthony at Truewheels UK had them in stock plus AliExpress also has the same Sapim spokes + nipples that I needed.
 

CHEWY

Eats Squid
I feel like my wheels / spoke tensions have got all out of whack since I first built them and after a few quick and nasty truing sessions.
Is it a thing to detension all the spokes and then start again tensioning them up evenly to get back to square one?
I feel like I just go around in circles trying to get the tensions even now.
 

Flow-Rider

Burner
I feel like my wheels / spoke tensions have got all out of whack since I first built them and after a few quick and nasty truing sessions.
Is it a thing to detension all the spokes and then start again tensioning them up evenly to get back to square one?
I feel like I just go around in circles trying to get the tensions even now.
I grease all threads and under the spoke nipples for alloy rims, tension the rim up in 3 stages and stress relieve each time, give the rims a good ride and retension again about 500~1000kms. As long as most of the spokes are fairly tight, and the rim is straight, I wouldn't worry about perfectly even spoke tension. I'm still riding wheel sets that I've built more than 12 years ago, no broken spokes, every now and again I might do a basic retension of the spokes but that's it. If you're ending up with a lot of spoke twist, you'll hear the spokes pop the first time you ride the rim, you want to try and reduce this as much as you can during the initial build. Some rims and spokes are poor quality, it might cause issues too.
 
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The Duckmeister

Has a juicy midrange
Is it a thing to detension all the spokes and then start again tensioning them up evenly to get back to square one?
I feel like I just go around in circles trying to get the tensions even now.
Generally not, usually a balance & tweak the same as the building process does the job. However wheels start doing weird shit if you're pushing (pulling?) the tension limit of the rims; they can start to collapse at high tension, and if you're not aware of that trait, the natural reaction is to crank in more tension, which only makes the instability worse, not better.

If the wheel has taken a big hit and munted the rim, you'll always be chasing your tail trying to get the tension balanced, because you'll be trying to pull it straight with higher tension in on sector. Even worse if it's been flat-spotted, there'll be a section at very low tension, and there's not a damn thing you can do to correct it.
 

ozzybmx

taking a shit with my boobs out
I feel like my wheels / spoke tensions have got all out of whack since I first built them and after a few quick and nasty truing sessions.
Is it a thing to detension all the spokes and then start again tensioning them up evenly to get back to square one?
I feel like I just go around in circles trying to get the tensions even now.
They gets to a stage where they are needing replaced.

New rims and fresh spokes from Ze Gees can be pretty cheap, re-evaluate your riding style and buy suitable rims and spokes accordingly.

Its just built in to most of us to build a set of wheels on the limit of our riding. Most of us dont build DH level wheels for trail riding, though if you are on the heavier side, plow syle, hitting rock gardens at warp speed and not jumping the obstacles with a bit of flow and etiquette, the trail level wheelset that your 70kg mate has ridden for years might not be the set for you.

A coupe of hundred grams more vs a PITA wheelset that needs constant work it worth the extra.

I used to be a complete weight weenie but recently DT Comp's are my go-to spoke, I was all DT Revos/Supercomp and Sapim CX Rays/Race for years, the wind up and tension was a fucked place to be.

Grab a set of 511's and Comps, you wont have to worry again.
 

CHEWY

Eats Squid
It's an EX511 with DT comps ;)


I tried doing it today, maybe ended up slightly better off. The rim is a bit haggard but my wheel building skills are also definately a bit suspect.

What about a carbon rim? Or if I am denting and flat spotting 511's will I kill a carbon rim even quicker?
 

ozzybmx

taking a shit with my boobs out
It's an EX511 with DT comps ;)

What about a carbon rim? Or if I am denting and flat spotting 511's will I kill a carbon rim even quicker?
You hallion !

Even the 55kg bike smasher couldn't kill the 511's... but he only rode them for a 8 weeks before he killed the 3rd Canyon Spectral frame.

I had the EX1501's on my Hightower, not a flinch after 18 months. (511's, DT AeroComps and 240's)

Carbon is great as long as you keep the pressures right, a rim ding on an alu rim can mean a cracked bead on a carbon rim.
 

ozzybmx

taking a shit with my boobs out

boyracer

Likes Dirt
I would really like enough spare time to have a go at making one of these... 135/142/148 instead of track standards though.
 

Oddjob

Merry fucking Xmas to you assholes
I would really like enough spare time to have a go at making one of these... 135/142/148 instead of track standards though.
Amazing piece of work.

But in all fairness the some of the stands on AliExpress are incredible value.
https://a.aliexpress.com/_mtG1ch6

Sent from my M2012K11AG using Tapatalk
 
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