Tagged Questions

3
votes
2answers
92 views

lacing Alfine wheel, trailing spokes inside or outside hub flange

I am about to lace an Alvine hub wheel. Reading Sheldon Browns article there is a suggestion that the trailing, and so key, spokes might be better laced the opposite of what would be done for a ...
17
votes
4answers
364 views

Spokes keep breaking - bad hub or bad build?

Background information A bit of background information (I'll try keep it brief): Last year I bought an old but unused bike, 5 speeds with internal gearing. Apparently the shop bought a lot of bikes ...
5
votes
3answers
489 views

How effective is checking spoke tension by ear?

Sheldon Brown's Wheelbuilding page links to the article: Check Spoke Tension by Ear. Obviously a tensiometer would be ideal, but Sheldon suggests that checking spoke tension by ear is a reasonable ...
-1
votes
1answer
885 views

What alternative spoke lacing patterns exist (that make a decent wheel)? [closed]

I'd like to know of all the 'normal' ways to spoke a wheel. Currently, if you want to use a non-standard pattern, you have to run the length computations a number of times; for example, in a 3-spoke ...
3
votes
3answers
857 views

Can I lace my hub with all inward or outward facing spoke heads?

It seems conventional wisdom says to alternate inward vs outward spoke heads going around the flange when lacing a wheel, like this: However, I'm wondering what the reason for this is, and if it ...
1
vote
2answers
524 views

Oil/Anti-seize on outside of nipple when building a wheel?

I just took apart my old wheelset which let some delightful snaps out as I loosened the nipples that were seized to the rims. I'm wondering what the benefits would be of a small amount of anti-seize ...
3
votes
1answer
1k views

What are the pros and cons of Double Butted vs Straight Spokes when building a wheel?

Straight spokes will have the same diameter through the whole length, double butted spoked are thinner in the middle than at the ends. Here's my current understanding of the benefits of each: Double ...
0
votes
4answers
901 views

Which spokes to get, Wheelsmith or DT Swiss Spokes?

I'm building two sets of 26" wheels, one pair of 32h triple cross with Bullseye hubs with machined sidewalls for rim brakes, and another pair of 24h double cross with Alex A-Class hubs with Sun rims ...
8
votes
8answers
1k views

Is it really necessary to physically cross (interlace) the spokes on traditional wheel lacing?

Recently I had to replace a hub on the front wheel of my workhorse bike. That meant unlace it and lace it again. Since the hubs were identical, I used the same old spokes, same not-so-old rim and same ...
3
votes
6answers
555 views

How to build a wheel

I'm in the planning stage of building a new bike. This will be a light road bike for city runs and transport. For racing I have other bikes. I'd like to build the bike from ground up by assembling ...