Wheelbuilding Book
The vast majority of people come here via a recommendation from the cycling community.
This book will show you EVERYTHING. The most comprehensive guide to wheelbuilding available.
One small payment and free updates. Includes FULL access to the Spoke Length Project calculator.
130 pages, size US Letter / A4
Delivered as an instant download in PDF format.
Illustrated with over 90 color photos and pin sharp CAD drawings.
All the information you'll ever need, and all in one place.
- Detailed instructions for building and repairing wheels
- The tools you need with descriptions on how to make many of them yourself, including the now famous truing stand.
- Understand wheel features, design, theory and geometry
- Work out spoke lengths using the Spoke Length Project calculator
Take a look at the contents (pdf)
Get free updates whenever a new edition of this book is released.
30 day refund if not completely satisfied.
Current version June 23, 2023
A new release is planned for 2025. The method of building will not change because it's been honed over many years to be the best there is. There will be minor updates describing the recent trends in wheels, and the spoke length calculator will have a more detailed review (however, there is a comprehensive guide within the calculator that describes in detail how to get the most out of it). Get the current edition, then take the free update when it is released.
Wheels and wheelbuilding
You came here because you have an interest in wheelbuilding.
It's very tempting to learn wheelbuilding by wading through information found on web pages, in discussion groups and watching videos, and you may end up with a wheel, or just create a pile of expensive problems. You will have learned very little and wasted a lot of time, and quite likely shown things that are plain wrong.
Until you have a solid background in wheelbuilding you have no way of knowing how good the information on social media and forum discussions is. You may think this applies to this wheelbuilding book, but it's all based on facts and a ton of experience, and while I'm still around I'll answer any doubts or questions you have.
Do you already build wheels?
If you already build wheels then it's time for you to move forward and really understand the details of wheelbuilding. You'll find plenty of information to make you think about your current methods and explore other ideas and techniques. And there's plenty of theory to back it all up. It's a book that you will keep reading.
The Spoke Length Project
This is an advanced spoke length calculator which uses a CAD based model for spoke lengths allowing it to calculate spoke lengths for all the lacing patterns used in today's modern wheels. It also draws your wheel allowing you to examine the geometry and to assist in lacing the more complex lacing patterns.
The more you use this calculator, the more you will appreciate its features, and is why this calculator is used every day by some serious wheelbuilding shops.
The user interface is carefully designed, making it easy to explore the more complex lacing patterns, from simple J bend and straightpull, right throught to free format Rotated, plus all the ones in between. It is also designed to prevent you making input errors by checking for data errors.
No other calculator comes close to the power of it, take a look at the features and history.
The Project Calculator is tightly integrated with the wheelbuilding book making many references to it - not only for spoke lengths but for explaining wheel geometry and much more.
About
Hi, I'm Roger Musson and I want to show you how to build wheels that will turn out exactly like the ones I build.
If you ever see me build a wheel it looks simple and effortless but I'm following the exact procedure described in this book, it's just that the individual elements merge together into a flowing operation from start to finish, and it won't take long for you to achieve this standard. There's no art or artistic interpretation because your wheels will turn out the same as mine.
What I have done is show you everything I do regarding wheelbuilding and answered the questions I was asking when I started building wheels. I haven't kept back any secrets and after reading this book you'll know as much about wheels as I do.
There's no guesswork in anything I do, I deal only with the facts. I also listen to the feedback I get from purchasers of the book over the last 20+ years, so I know your areas of difficulty and answered them.
The information provided in this book is based on my wheelbuilding experiences gained over many years which started out building wheels for my own use, followed by owning a business that specialised in custom wheelbuilding and disc brakes (I wrote the first edition of the disc brake user guide that Hope Technology included with all their brakes). As well as customer wheels I've built wheels for professional race teams, I've run wheelbuilding courses and provided wheelbuilding demonstrations at numerous cycle shows. I also went to cycle race events to provide support for the sponsored teams I was involved with, and anyone else who needed help with their wheels, so I've fixed plenty of broken and out of true wheels and I think I've seen most things that can happen to a wheel. I've accumulated a lot of information and I'd like to share it with you.
I have a theoretical and practical engineering background and I like to form my own opinion on what is good and what is bad. I evaluate all aspects of the building process and find the techniques that enable me to build wheels efficiently and to ensure those wheels perform reliably when used.
You'll also find plenty of discussions on theory and the technical aspects of wheels. Did you look at the contents of the book?
One small payment, that's all
Ask on any cycling forum for wheelbuilding guides and you'll get plenty of recommendations for this book. As many have said, getting this book was the best money they ever spent on a cycling product. Plus, you get full access to the powerful spoke length calculator.
Just a +100 for Musson’s book. Simply the best & only wheelbuilding guide needed [that's the old book, the new one here is even better]
www.reddit.com/r/wheelbuild/