Wheel Build

[Mister V]

Hi guys - The bike shop quoted me R450 (for labour and spokes) to swop the hub on the rear wheel of my road bike and I was wondering perhaps I could do it myself..... How difficult / easy is it to change a rear hub ? What tools will be needed ? Any advice is appreciated. Thanks!

[ichnusa]

It is one of the greatest arts of cycling. Dont try this yourself if without knowing what you letting yourself in for. Its actually bloody difficult and few people can do it correctly/properly...

[Tiny K]

Tools: spoke spanner and truing rig.

 

As ichnusa said, it is really an art form.

 

I have considered doing it once or twice but lack the expertise and truing rig. In your case, I would rather take it in. Nothing worse than sheepishly taking a wheel in that is semi-built and asking them to carry on with it.

 

What you maybe could do is ask if they would give discount if you bring in the rim, hub and loose spokes - then you can at least dissemble the wheel yourself. Just an idea.

[Big H*]

Tools: spoke spanner and truing rig.

 

As ichnusa said, it is really an art form.

 

I have considered doing it once or twice but lack the expertise and truing rig. In your case, I would rather take it in. Nothing worse than sheepishly taking a wheel in that is semi-built and asking them to carry on with it.

 

What you maybe could do is ask if they would give discount if you bring in the rim, hub and loose spokes - then you can at least dissemble the wheel yourself. Just an idea.

 

Do NOT get confused by the gravity of your task. Wheelbuilding is not a "dark art". Anybody can build a wheel. You can even build your own wheel truing stand. I built one with very rudimentary hand tools.

 

Go and look at this e-book:-

 

http://www.wheelpro.co.uk/wheelbuilding/tools.php

 

This is what the self made wheel truing stand looks like:-

[The Bike Vendor]

Well I did my 1st wheel at the age of 16... It takes very long the 1st time! About 3 - 4 hours per wheel. It keeps you very usy, just make sure to lase them correctly.

[Vivster]

Learning to lace spokes is the easy part. The trueing is the hard part. That R450 is not a bad price for spokes and labour.

[nickelass]

I was faced with the same problem but with a mtb wheel.I made a trueing stand,used the internet (Sheldon Brown I think) and struggled with my first wheel.Anyone can do it,you will be slow, but once done the next will be faster.I was also told how hard it was by people who had never done it a bike shops.

[Mojoman]

Learning to lace spokes is the easy part. The trueing is the hard part. That R450 is not a bad price for spokes and labour.

 

I paid this a couple of weeks back to have my mountain bike wheel redone with new spokes.

[kosmonooit]

Yes, can be done, but 'advanced' DIY. It's very rewarding but you cant rush it. And you need the rig, I got a Park Tool Pro one, very nice to work with.

 

I think R450 is not unreasonable to rebuild a wheel. Where are you? If in Jhb give Yellow Saddle a call for a quote.

[Johan Bornman]

I think the bike shop underquoted you. Good double butted spokes - silver - cost about R10-00 each. Black is considerably more. If you have 32 of them in there, you're already on R320-00. Then they still have to strip the old wheel, prepare the rim, build the new wheel and put rim tape on.

 

For R450-00 they will eiher put rubbish spokes on, use rubbish labour or a combination of both.

 

Further, lots of bike mechanics can build something that looks like a wheel but is actually just a headache with a tyre pulled over its eyes. It is difficult for the laymay to quizz the mechanic and ask the right questions or indeed, to examine his previous wheel and judge it. It is a problem.

 

I say, build it yourself but don't underestimate the task at hand. Make sure you unerstand the issues. Why not get a copy of The Bicycle Wheel by Jobst Brandt and do the job yourself? It isn't actually difficult but a good wheel must have gone through the right steps.

 

If you plan to use your old rim, you also have to make sure that it is still good. Relax the tension on all the spokes and place a new rim against the old one. If there are no gaps between the two, it is probably good to use. If there are gaps, the old rim is bent and cannot be reused.