After my recent rear hub failure I decided it was time to learn to build a wheel.

I read the following pages over a few times before taking the plunge.

Sheldon Brown’s wheel building pages.

Bike build website - Building Bicycle Wheels

Mike T’s wheelbuilding. 

Stuff

All from chain reaction cycles – which is my LBS – so I went in person.

Mavic open pro rim – a popular choice for Audax - replacing like for like.

Simano ultegra 6700 10 speed hub.

I didn’t do any research on best hubs.  Since I’m generally running ultegra this was to match. The splines on the Ultegra cassette are specific so a different hub would have meant a new cassette or different freehub. 

Spokes – DT swiss competition.  I used pro wheelbuilder calculator to give me the spoke lengths.  According to Mike T “99% of all wheels are laced cross-3 (usually written x3)” so I went for this.

Mavic publish there SSD as 602 but according to internet, add 3mm for the hole separation. (https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/rec.bicycles.tech/-YgxGdkvaqo).

Park anti seize for the threads.

I treated myself to a DT swiss spoke key as I’m sure the multi size one I use is not great.

Tools

The spoke key and a screwdriver with a bit of tape on it so it’s easier to count turns.

Have to say a £14 spoke key works like a £14 spoke key should.

Initial Build

I greased the nipples and applied anti-seize to each spoke thread as I fitted.

I followed Sheldon’s instructions (or so I though) but found instructions on which way to thread the spokes (from the inside or out) a bit confusing.

The Bike Build Website is clearer with pictures of the trailing spokes going over the flange i.e. threaded from the inside.  Later I discovered Sheldon does the opposite as he says it makes the leading spokes more difficult to fit, and I can see how, and he reckons the drive action may force the spokes out more with this set-up  He says its of minor importance thought so I ignored it.  I notice all my current wheels are laced the way I did it.

The only mistake I made was while lacing the leading spokes on the left I noticed I’d missed one on the right, so I popped one in of the wrong length!

Of course, when I realised this it was impossible to tell which one.  I just carried on on the basis that either a problem would emerge because of the spoke being too long e.g. run out of thread or poke through rim, or, since the spoke lengths were fairly even, it would just result in out of true after the initial build.

Never did find which one was wrong.

So, I tightened the spokes to the end of the thread. 

I then did an initial dish of 3 turns on the hub side.  Bike Build mentions this, Sheldon doesn’t.  Seemed a good idea.

After a few rounds of tightening (2 turns 3 times round) the spokes were all tense.  I stopped and went for a curry.

Initial true

At this point I fitted to the frame and started to true. 

Once the wheel was true enough to rotate, I checked the dishing by putting an old battery package against the chain ring and looking where the wheel at the valve hole (marked with tape) came to. 

I then reversed the wheel and compared and then trued the wheel to half way between the two “readings”.  (The “readings in this case were literal, the last line of the address of the battery manufacturer that was visible).

I then moved the valve hole to my brake blocks and trued the wheel to this.

Tuning

I took a rest.  I read “Held Up By Downward Pull” which explains how less tense wheels are more likely to suffer broken spokes because of fatigue than more tense ones.  Makes perfect sense to me.  The steel is strong enough to hold the wheel even if you drive into a kerb.  you know this because you do it!  However, the slight give as it roles and as you hit things will lead to metal fatigue.  This will be lessened if the spokes are more tense as there is less give.

So took the wheel off, I did all six of Mike T’s Stress relief methods, tuned the drive side spokes to 440Hz using the “G String” guitar tuner on my phone (see http://www.bikexprt.com/bicycle/tension.htm), gave every spoke another full turn, did Mike T’s 6 methods again, re-fitted and trued again.

I think I got the horizontal truing spot on – probably better than I ever have before. 

There were a few “hops” but, as Mike T said, no major ones as the nipples were initially screwed down evenly.  I ignored the small ones of less than 1mm.

Fit accessories

I took advantage of @mrsm’s absence and fitted some tape and swapped accessories (tyre, tube, cassette) over in the warmth of the kitchen.

Conclusion

Too early to say if the build is any good, but it was not as hard as I thought it would be.  Took a good 5 hours plus research time. 

Now all that remains is the long ride test – but I’ll have to wait for @mrsm to return to look after the kids!

A bit dull ( unless you're a bit of a bike mechanic) but does show real craftsmen at work.

the last 2 minutes are nice.
Bikes were tested by engineers.  Today they're tested by marketing.
Bikes were built to last rather than to the latest sales trend.  Aluminium frames last 5 to 10 years, steal pretty much lasts forever (if painted). 

Carbon will snap.  Steel will bend and straighten.

Bike aims

• rebuild trek 7200 hybrid
• finish building recumbent
• think about buying a road bike

Cycling aims

• 100Km NDCC Bangor coastal challenge – 19’th June
• The Glens of Antrim 100Km Charity Cycling Challenge – 2’nd July
• Lap the Lough  - 140Km around Lough Neagh - 28’th August 2011
• The Giant’s Causeway Coast Sportive undecided between 126Km and 182Km – 17’th September
• work out how to clip in my clipless pedals
• try not to brake any more bones!

I have been thinking for some time now of using clipless pedals.  Proper cyclists seem to use them and since someone recently asked if I was doing any “sportives” this summer I feel I better up my game.

However, a 1/2 hour pedal change turned into long and pricey lesson in physics and wheelie bin surfaces.

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In case anyone’s wondering how the recumbent build is going, at the moment it’s not.  I actually got it pretty much assembled over Christmas but never got past half way down the drive without something falling off – not exactly reassuring.  Then, I broke my welding mask and a week later, fell off my bike in the ice and chipped a bone in my elbow.

Ironically enough, if I’d been on a recumbent the fall would not have been as far so I may have escaped injury.

Then, after a couple of weeks out of the saddle, the front gear cable and rear gear cable snapped in successive weeks.  I totted up all the things that needed fixing on my Trek – both mudguards, front derailleur, front chain set, pedals,  rear wheel straightening, cables  (brake and gear) and decided that more was not working than working.

So, after 12 or so good years, I decided to retire the Trek and, since the recumbent was not going to be ready and I have concerns over its practicality and reliability, invest in a new bike.

I’ve been looking at new bikes for a while and decided on a Boardman Hybrid Team from Halfords.  Some people have concerns or maybe some snobbery issues with Halfords and prefer their “local bike shop”.  Personally I’ve had good and bad experiences with both.  Anyway, I chose this bike as it was large, light (at least compared to my old Trek 7200), excellent value for money – with £100 off - and had some great reviews.

My bike – with mudguards, rack and other accessories fitted.

I have not been disappointed.  Ride is incredibly smooth – both in terms of vibration which seems to be absorbed better by carbon forks, and drive and gears.  I am getting to work about 5 - 10% quicker on average.  Brakes are great – hydraulic disks – I’m used to old school.  Although they don’t really stop me any quicker – they don’t seem to need constant adjustment.  However, when they do need servicing it looks a bit more complicated but I used to bleed the brakes on my 1975 mini about once a month without too much problem – although they were still useless (drums).

Had 2 punctures in a couple of hundred miles but this is probably more bad luck than bad tyres as the glass shard that caused the first and thorn that caused the second were both pretty vicious.

So – the recumbent will be done later in the year – in the mean time I’m off for a ride.

Cut and weld, grind and weld, regrind and weld, weld, grind, curse, cut and weld.

Before you start you need a good pot of coffee.

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Having attached the rear triangle after the first weld it was time to attach the seat post and suspension. 

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I bought my trek 7200 hybrid about 12 years ago now. It’s a bit like the pick axe the man kept for 20 years with just 5 new picks and 7 handles.

OK – its not that bad – but certainly the back wheel has been replaced a couple of times, the chain, the rear cogs and derailleur and a few assorted cables.

Still rides fine but looking a bit battered. I’ve always felt it was a bit small – not low – but short. I fitted some bar extenders a year or so ago and this helped a bit.

I recently inherited some money. Obviously, my wife spent half of it before I’d got it but this left me with a few hundred pounds together with some birthday money which I have stashed away.

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