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Wheel Builds in Jhb


awesme

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Hi all

 

Ok, so my patience is running a bit out trying to get my normal go to person to do this.

 

Agreement was I'd actually do the labor, with him looking over my shoulder, telling me what do to.

 

Plan was over 2 afternoons, one wheel one day, another the other...

 

But it seems asking when will suite, can I come X... now not even getting responses... business seems to be to good these days.

 

Who's good wheel builders, have 2 sets I need done, first set is split current hubs from carbon rims, build hubs onto a new set of alu rims, new spokes / nipples.

 

2nd set will be month or bit more away, new hubs onto the carbon rims from above, new spokes / nipples 

 

I'd like to do as much of this myself, my best option is weekday, 2 afternoons, bout 3pm onwards.

 

Jhb.

 

G

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It sounds more like you are looking for lessons and someone to point out mistakes than an actual wheelbuilder to build your wheels.

 

I can understand why someone wouldnt want to do that, Im not sure I would have the patience if I was in that industry.

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You might like to read up about the art of wheel building to give you some background. I found "The Bicycle Wheel - Jobst Brandt" an excellent reference.

 

That way when you find a wheel-builder prepared to help you'll know why he follows certain procedures ie.  pre-stresses the spokes etc. 

 

I found the book especially handy when I haven't built a wheel in a while .... getting the lacing pattern right, and the systematic approach followed.  ;) 

 

I wanted to say that Youtube has many videos on wheelbuilding  .. but I've had a look at a few and some of them is more of a hindrance than help.   :P 

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Thanks, will go find that book and def have a look, I've found one or 2 nice youtube clips.

 

http://caravan.hobby.ru/materiel/Bicycle_Wheel_-_Jobst_Brandt.pdf

 

 

Also like the Ali Clarkson video:

 

G

 

You might like to read up about the art of wheel building to give you some background. I found "The Bicycle Wheel - Jobst Brandt" an excellent reference.

 

That way when you find a wheel-builder prepared to help you'll know why he follows certain procedures ie.  pre-stresses the spokes etc. 

 

I found the book especially handy when I haven't built a wheel in a while .... getting the lacing pattern right, and the systematic approach followed.  ;)

 

I wanted to say that Youtube has many videos on wheelbuilding  .. but I've had a look at a few and some of them is more of a hindrance than help.   :P

Edited by awesme
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Drop David Marshall (member on the hub) a note - I'm sure he would be willing to accommodate. 

 

He is one of the best wheelbuilders around!

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.... was trying to remember his name,

 

dealt with them when they were still in Northcliff area, 

 

G

 

 

Drop David Marshall (member on the hub) a note - I'm sure he would be willing to accommodate. 

 

He is one of the best wheelbuilders around!

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i did this with someone a while back in my shop, equaled up to a tool being broken and a lot of disruptive time away from actual work that pays the bills. Building wheels is a patience job that you need to stay focus all the time. 

when i started out in the bike shop when i was 14, it took me a year to learn proper wheel building. The boss started me off getting small buckles out ounce that was perfected I would then learn how to lace a wheel properly and the boss will finish off the wheel, then got into spoke length calculating, then i would build my 1st wheel and have the boss do the final true and spoke tension. by the end of my 1st year in the bike shop i was building wheels better than most mechanics I knew.

 

To learn wheel building inst a quick 2 day thing. Its practice, practice and practice with someone making sure you're doing each step correctly from the start!

Edited by Jimmy 2.0
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Not to worry, I know it is not a 2 day thing to learn.

 

but I have to start some where, as I want to learn, and I have a full time job, and it's not cycle industry. As a start I'd like to build these 2 sets of wheels for myself. If I can arrange the time.

 

G

 

i did this with someone a while back in my shop, equaled up to a tool being broken and a lot of disruptive time away from actual work that pays the bills. Building wheels is a patience job that you need to stay focus all the time. 

when i started out in the bike shop when i was 14, it took me a year to learn proper wheel building. The boss started me off getting small buckles out ounce that was perfected I would then learn how to lace a wheel properly and the boss will finish off the wheel, then got into spoke length calculating, then i would build my 1st wheel and have the boss do the final true and spoke tension. by the end of my 1st year in the bike shop i was building wheels better than most mechanics I knew.

 

To learn wheel building inst a quick 2 day thing. Its practice, practice and practice with someone making sure you're doing each step correctly from the start!

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I also have a question around wheel builders. What is the going rate for a wheelset build in joburg on average.

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I also have a question around wheel builders. What is the going rate for a wheelset build in joburg on average.

 

About R450 - 500 labour per wheel in my experience.

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Thanks, will go find that book and def have a look, I've found one or 2 nice youtube clips.

 

 

 

 

 

G

 

Hi,  .. i'm no expert, but I've built quite a few wheelsets. Thus this is just an opinion.

 

The guy in the 1st two videos seems to know what he is doing but his process is a bit questionable ... makes it really hard for himself, and you could possibly damage your spokes (or at least scratch the paint)  . ..... ie. dropping the non-driveside spokes after lacing the entire driveside is just a nightmare. 

 

On the 3rd video, I wouldn't stand on my wheel to pre-stress either, there is much better ways. He also skipped a few important steps. 

 

Best is find a wheel-builder to help you. I haven't checked the rest of his video .... stopped when he mixed up the process.  :mellow:  :ph34r: 

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It sounds more like you are looking for lessons and someone to point out mistakes than an actual wheelbuilder to build your wheels.

 

I can understand why someone wouldnt want to do that, Im not sure I would have the patience if I was in that industry.

 

I'm not even in the business and I don't have the patience. :-)

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Wheel building is actually really easy and not as time consuming as you would think.

 

Once you have the process down getting a wheel set done in 90 minutes start to finish is achievable and still really accurate.

 

Lace both, start drive side 2nd spoke from the valve hole with leading spoke. Lace up drive side lading spokes, non drive side leading, then DS trailing then non DS trailing. Do both wheels.

 

Screw all nipples to the last thread so you are starting at an equal place all round.

 

LOTS of small borrows, no more than one full rotation. Start using smaller borrows as tension increases.

 

Check tension, repeat. Once round and tense, sort ot dish, then tension up to spec.

 

If you borrow too much you will get dips and bumps, but by keeping it small you will stay round.

 

Use a Linseed and sewing machine oil mix to lube the threads. This will lube them to build then 'set' over time. 

 

But ja, follow the process and wheel building is like anything DIY... Measure twice, don't rush and be precise. Doing it once properly is always quicker than doing it twice.

 

(Obviously there are more tricks and more in depth ways, every PRO has their tricks, but as a layman, if you follow those steps you will land up with very accurate wheels that will last.)

Edited by Jewbacca
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2 places to look are either the book recommended earlier - written by a cantankerous old geezer with far too much maths, but if you want to know everything there is to know it's your best option. If not you can skip the serious bits and head directly to the process.

 

The other is Sheldon Brown's website - it's got a pretty good set of instructions and explanations.

 

Youtube is great if you want to find out all the wrong ways to do something before accidentally stumbling on the right way if you have enough patience and spare time and spare rims and spare spokes and can recognise when you've cocked it up (see Eddie's post above).

 

The best way is to find someone running a wheel building course who can guide you through the process. But it won't be cheap, cos they'll need the patience of a sloth.

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That 3rd video, the guys is the builder that build all Danny Macaskill's wheels, so by virtue of that I'd assume the guy might know a thing or 2.

 

G

 

 

Hi,  .. i'm no expert, but I've built quite a few wheelsets. Thus this is just an opinion.

 

The guy in the 1st two videos seems to know what he is doing but his process is a bit questionable ... makes it really hard for himself, and you could possibly damage your spokes (or at least scratch the paint)  . ..... ie. dropping the non-driveside spokes after lacing the entire driveside is just a nightmare. 

 

On the 3rd video, I wouldn't stand on my wheel to pre-stress either, there is much better ways. He also skipped a few important steps. 

 

Best is find a wheel-builder to help you. I haven't checked the rest of his video .... stopped when he mixed up the process.  :mellow:  :ph34r:

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