Schools Out!
A short while ago I posted about a wheel building workshop that the Community Bicycle Network was running and given that a) I wanted to learn how to build a wheel and b) I wanted to build a new wheelset to take to Europe with me I figured this would be a good opportunity to kill to birds with one stone.
The first of two workshops focused primarily on theory and lacing patterns; for the purposes of this workshop we were using the Barnett’s method and a 3X spoke pattern. I’d been told before the first workshop that it’s usually split about 50/50 between theory and lacing which made me a little nervous because the thought of listening to wheel building theory for an hour and a half sounded a little bit daunting but I found all of the information extremely interesting and useful in understanding why we build wheels the way we do and why wheel building practices have changed relatively little over time.
I’ve never been very good at following instructions so I did make a couple of silly mistakes lacing the first wheel but generally speaking made it through alright.
The weekend after I decided to tackle lacing up second wheel using the Barnett instructions and my first wheel as an example and it went together very quickly and smoothly.
You know how every class has that one kid that mostly just sits in the corner and eats glue? Well, this time around that kid was me. I’m not even sure what my problem was but I just couldn’t get it right – between forgetting spare spokes at home / having to run home to get them and consistently turning the spoke wrenches in the wrong direction I only managed to (90%) complete the front wheel but the rear remained laced but untensioned so I had to take them to my buddy Keith to get them polished off in the end which is probably just as well – the last thing I’d want is to have a wheel explode on me somewhere in Italy and not have enough Italian in my vocabulary to say “I need my mommaâ€.
In any case, I highly recommend taking the course if you have any interest in building (or even being able to true) wheels.
The main reason I wanted to build a new wheelset was because most of my other wheels are fixed / free flip flops with a free side that never gets used… it’s kind of annoying, but I digress. I had a fixed / fixed hub that wasn’t being used so I figured that it would be nice to have two potential gear ratios for the trip; 46×15 (82.8 Gear Inches) and 46×18(69 Gear Inches) for the hillier regions. Fortunately for me, Erin had this here 18t EAI that he wasn’t using so I’ve borrowed it for the trip. Blangin!!!
In other wheel news; last week while changing a tire I noticed a little “pop†while tightening my rear wheel back on with my new wrench. I looked around but didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. Last night while taking the wheel off to do some basic maintenance I found out what that little pop was…
Fortunately, I’m a hoarder and had a spare Formula hub kickin’ around that I was able to pillage for parts.
All is well now and I’m learning not to ignore those little pops – that could have been nasty!
On an unrelated note: Let the PEEBOO revolution begin!!!
on April 2nd, 2008 at 11:44 am
Considering wheel building really is a learned art I’d say you did pretty well for the first kick at the can. If all Keith had to do was tension and eyeball the work that’s pretty damn good. I’m impressed.
on April 2nd, 2008 at 1:14 pm
Ha! Thanks… well those are my words, not his. I’m picking them up tonight so we’ll see how well I actually did when I ask him.
on April 2nd, 2008 at 5:52 pm
I also learned recently that it is possible to tighten your wheel too much. Then I had to zig zag all over London trying to find a spacer that was the right size.
on April 2nd, 2008 at 8:30 pm
Congrats on the build! Those are some solid skills, and you can use it a currency to pay off old favors, gambling debts, and addictions.
on April 3rd, 2008 at 10:14 am
i had the exact same part break on my formula hub
i was cleaning up my winter bike and as i was loosening the nut it broke, those things are too soft
on April 3rd, 2008 at 10:43 am
Actually…. if they’re cracking they might be too hard and brittle. Now I’m worrying about mine. I noticed when I removed my wheel last night that my locknut was loose. It’s possible that I didn’t tighten it enough when I installed the spacers but I’ll definitely keep my eye on it now just in case something else wonky goes on with it.
p.s. I defintely want to take that wheel building course now. I just bought a (machine built) Formula/Deep V wheelset this Feb. and the rear spokes already seem under-tensioned. I think going up the escarpment every day is doing a number on them. It’d definitely be in my best interest to at least learn to true a wheel. Hopefully when they’re hand trued they’ll hold the tension better. (longer)
on April 3rd, 2008 at 5:16 pm
i do like these pictures. i do!
on April 3rd, 2008 at 10:43 pm
yo. any info on where those velocity aeroheads were sourced? I’ve been meaning to get my hands on a set for my never-finished IRO.
on April 7th, 2008 at 7:09 pm
pretty fun stuff once it gets ingrained, though i make way more mistakes 3+ beers in. and lacing is definitely more fun than truing.
I learnt by putting all the spokes in the hub first then doing one side, then the other.
http://colinengel.blogspot.com/2008/02/third-wheel.html