What you get
Everything you need to know about building quality wheels in clear text and illustrated with diagrams and colour photos.
This book covers all types of wheels; Road race, Touring, Mountain bike, etc. because all wheels are built the same. Build one and you can build anything.
I've put everything I know about wheelbuilding into the book and it goes into fine detail. For example how to match the valve hole with the hub label, you might think this trivial but I do it all the time because it helps me in building and it's very easy to do. The text is full of tips to make building wheels easier.
Make your own truing stand (and other tools)
My truing stand has become a design classic and full plans are included for making your own. It's exactly the same stand as I use. Here are a couple that people have made:
- www.bikeforums.net/Is-it-really-worth-building-your-own-wheels (read down the page).
- A very nice art-deco truing stand. Fantastic image, would make a great poster!
Also instructions are given for making other tools such as a nipple driver.
This is a small section of the diagram I use to illustrate how nipple length affects spoke length.
The full contents
| Page | |
|---|---|
| Chapter 1: Introduction | 5 | Types of wheels covered | 6 | The techniques I use | 6 | Getting the best from this PDF | 7 | Updates | 8 |
| Chapter 2: Components and Features | 9 | Rim spoke hole offset | 9 | Rim eyelet design | 10 | Pinned rim joints | 11 | Welded rim joints | 12 | Rim compressive force | 12 | Hubs | 13 | Hub spoke holes | 13 | Hub countersunk holes | 14 | Hub flange thickness | 14 | Downhill wheels | 14 | Spokes | 15 | Spoke threads | 18 | Inside and outside spokes | 18 | Spoke orientation | 19 | Nipples | 19 | Wheel trueness | 20 | Wheel dish | 21 | Offset frames and dishless wheels | 22 |
| Chapter 3: Tools | 24 | Spoke wrench | 24 | Wheel truing stand | 25 | Making your own truing stand | 25 | 12 and 15mm through axle MTB rear hubs | 32 | Wheel dishing gauge | 33 | The nipple driver | 35 | Leather gloves | 36 | Bladed spoke tool | 37 | Nipple holder | 37 | Tensiometer | 38 | Chain whip | 39 |
| Chapter 4: Building | 40 | Lacing the Wheel | 41 | Completing the wheel | 51 | Spoke twist | 58 | Stressing the wheel (spokes) | 59 | Wheel tolerances | 62 | How long should it take | 63 | Re-tensioning wheels | 63 | Testing your wheel | 64 | Related topics | 65 | Warnings | 72 |
| Chapter 5: Repairing | 73 | Checking the wheel | 73 | Loose spokes | 73 | Damaged spokes | 73 | Spoke breakages | 74 | Rim wear and damage | 75 | Hub damage | 76 | Dismantling an old wheel | 76 | Reusing spokes | 79 | Lateral truing | 79 |
| Chapter 6: Wheel Designs | 83 | Standard crossed wheels | 85 | Tying and soldering | 87 | Radial wheels | 87 | Cross combinations on the same wheel | 87 | Inside or outside pulling spokes | 88 | Inside or outside : a historical viewpoint | 91 | Previously used hubs | 91 | Other lacing patterns | 92 | Missing out hub and rim holes | 92 | Number and type of spokes | 92 | Design considerations - the Last Word | 92 |
| Chapter 7: Spoke Lengths | 93 | The spoke length calculator | 93 | Spoke lengths for a different rim | 94 | How nipple length affects spoke length | 95 | The spoke length formula | 97 |
| Chapter 8: Measuring Components | 101 | Measuring rims | 101 | Measuring hubs | 103 |
| Chapter 9: The Geometry of a Wheel | 106 |
| Chapter 10: Wheel Building Checklist | 110 |
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