Mountain Bike Reviews Forum banner

Need help with my wheel

1K views 16 replies 6 participants last post by  AndrwSwitch 
#1 ·
So just got a new wheel set WTB Laser Disk Trail with DT Swiss 370 hubs and first day out I hit a hiding stump and destroyed my front wheel:madman: They were nice and stiff wheels they felt great but I hit the stump hard no wheel could have held up luckily I did not get hurt. So my question is is it hard to lace up a wheel I have seen videos online I just want to get it close so that the guy at the shop can finish it up. I can save some cash if I get it close anything I need to know?
 
#2 ·
Did your mechanic tell you he'd finish a wheel you started? They won't always...

Lacing a wheel is not hard. You just need to be patient and follow instructions. I use the instructions on sheldonbrown.com. Another poster here, Mike T., has a web page devoted to helping people build their first wheels.

It is time consuming, though, and a mistake can screw up your finished product. So take your time, follow instructions, and put it down for a while if you start getting impatient.
 
#3 ·
AndrwSwitch said:
Did your mechanic tell you he'd finish a wheel you started? They won't always...

Lacing a wheel is not hard. You just need to be patient and follow instructions. I use the instructions on sheldonbrown.com. Another poster here, Mike T., has a web page devoted to helping people build their first wheels.

It is time consuming, though, and a mistake can screw up your finished product. So take your time, follow instructions, and put it down for a while if you start getting impatient.
Cool thanks man I will give it a shot.
 
#4 ·
Its not the lacing thats the issue, its getting the spoke tension correct.
Spoke tension is the key to a strong wheel and very tricky without lots of experience and even a spoke tension gauge.
Maybe you could lace the wheel and get the LBS to finish tensioning it?
Personally i would not ride on a wheel that has not been spoke tensioned correctly by an experienced builder
 
#6 ·
jeffgre_6163 said:
Its not the lacing thats the issue, its getting the spoke tension correct.
Spoke tension is the key to a strong wheel and very tricky without lots of experience and even a spoke tension gauge.
Maybe you could lace the wheel and get the LBS to finish tensioning it?
Personally i would not ride on a wheel that has not been spoke tensioned correctly by an experienced builder
Yeah thats what I was thinking lace it up for time sake and let the shop finish or bad idea ?
 
#7 ·
jpeters said:
Yeah thats what I was thinking lace it up for time sake and let the shop finish or bad idea ?
If I were building your wheel for you, I would not appreciate you starting it. Everyone who builds wheels probably has their own little things they do. I thread all the nipples down to the last thread showing and increase tension gradually and evenly from there. Your wheel builder likely has their own way of doing things and it would throw them off to pick up a half laced wheel. I would bite the bullet and either build it yourself or give it up whole to the mechanic.
 
#8 ·
zebrahum said:
If I were building your wheel for you, I would not appreciate you starting it. Everyone who builds wheels probably has their own little things they do. I thread all the nipples down to the last thread showing and increase tension gradually and evenly from there. Your wheel builder likely has their own way of doing things and it would throw them off to pick up a half laced wheel. I would bite the bullet and either build it yourself or give it up whole to the mechanic.
I would like to do it myself its just my first time you think I could do it no problem? I am good with my hands.
 
#9 ·
jpeters said:
I would like to do it myself its just my first time you think I could do it no problem? I am good with my hands.
That, along with patience and discipline will give you good odds for success. It takes a fair amount of time for me to build a wheel usually about 3 hours+/- by the time it's all done), but it's very satisfying to build and ride your own wheels.

I do recommend quality parts like DT Swiss, Wheelsmith or Sapim spokes and I would go with brass nipples for your first few builds.

Making your own 'tool' from a #2 phllips screwdriver will also help a lot.

Go for it.
 
#10 ·
jeffj said:
That, along with patience and discipline will give you good odds for success. It takes a fair amount of time for me to build a wheel usually about 3 hours+/- by the time it's all done), but it's very satisfying to build and ride your own wheels.

I do recommend quality parts like DT Swiss, Wheelsmith or Sapim spokes and I would go with brass nipples for your first few builds.

Making your own 'tool' from a #2 phllips screwdriver will also help a lot.

Go for it.
All of my spokes are still good do i need new nipples? I have no problem trying to build the wheel and I am sure I can do it its just the final tension I am not sure exactly where it should be. For example my fulcrum rm5s with flat spokes are much tighter than this wheel set with round spokes.
 
#11 ·
Assuming you're using the same model rim and hub, it should be OK to use the spokes again IF they didn't get stretched beyond the point of being able to return to their original length. If your wheel got righteously taco'd, some of the spokes may be damaged.

You can get silver double butted Sapim spokes here for $0.40 each:

http://www.danscomp.com/435915.php?cat=PARTS

They will send a set of 14g x 14mm nipples (they don't have 12mm nipples) so just toss 'em and use 12g x 12mm like your wheel came with.

I'd get new (clean) nipples for sure so it's easier to get them up to tension with little or no twist.

Use the existing rear wheel as a template for tension. I'd likely go a little tighter and remember that the non-drive side will have less tension than the drive side (just dish it correctly and that will take care of itself), so remember which side you're trying to emulate.
 
#12 ·
jpeters said:
I would like to do it myself its just my first time you think I could do it no problem? I am good with my hands.
If you're going to attempt this, make sure you do as much reading as you possibly can before you start. Know the process like the back of your hand, know why you do each step and what each step does before you even unlace the old wheel. Taping the new rim to the old rim and transferring the spokes one by one will keep you from needing to learn the lacing pattern. And never assemble a spoke without some sort of spoke prep or at least locktite.

Do everything slowly, rushing a wheel build is the best way to ruin a wheel build. I won't say you can't do a wheel build (you certainly can if I learned) but make sure you are prepared and willing to do things properly and carefully. A truing stand is almost indispensable, and you can get away with dishing the wheel in your frame.
 
#14 ·
If you have the money, and it's purely about your time vs. the money it would cost, you may as well have the shop do it.

If money is tight, then you can save some cash doing it yourself. Or, if you just enjoy doing things like that, I find it rewarding.
 
#16 ·
jeffj said:
If you have the money, and it's purely about your time vs. the money it would cost, you may as well have the shop do it.

If money is tight, then you can save some cash doing it yourself. Or, if you just enjoy doing things like that, I find it rewarding.
I like doing stuff like that its just I don't want to mess up my new wheel.
 
#17 ·
Go for it.

Front wheels are not that hard. Even with disc brakes, they're not as dished as a rear wheel, which is the thing that makes them tricky.

Just take it slow. Give yourself permission to pick it up and put it down a few days - just don't stop mid-step.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top