La Vie Velominatus: Building Wheels
Self-awareness is a non-optional ingredient of leading a fulfilling life; while we should always push ourselves to explore new things, we should also be aware of our limitations and weigh expectations against them. This is why I avoid any activities involving intelligence or a blow torch, and take particular care to avoid those involving an intersection of the two.
Learning to work on our machines is a path any Pedalwan must learn to walk, starting with simple tasks – perhaps to tune a derailleur or brake – and progressing gradually to building the bike up from a bare frame, seeking out a Cycling Sensei wherever new skills required suggest the need of one. A bicycle is a paradox; though it is a simple machine where one can plainly see the workings of most components, it is nevertheless deceptively difficult to maintain properly. Cables and chains are things of tension and their proper adjustment requires a delicate touch.
Bicycle maintenance today is easier than it was in the past as some tasks that used to take care and skill – such as adjusting bearings in a bottom bracket or hub – have all but been eradicated from the skills needed to maintain a bicycle as loose balls, cones, and races have been replaced by sealed cartridge bearings that are pressed into place and secured with a bolt. Adjusting these old bits required a mechanical sensibility that one seems either born with or without and is not easily taught to those who lack them; adjusting modern bearings requires little more subtlety than setting the dial on a torque wrench.
Wheel truing and building is a skill that goes back to the origins of Cycling and one which continues to live on, at least for the time being. Wheels are a marvel of engineering, one made more miraculous when, like me, you don’t really understand how they work: thin, flexible spokes leave the hub at various angles, some leading and some trailing the rotational direction as they either push or pull the wheel as we force it around using a system of chain, gears, and pulleys optimistically attached to our feet.
The wheel is kept straight and round by a delicate balance as spokes are matched in opposite pairs and tensioned to distribute forces not only laterally, but also vertically. Furthermore, spokes really only have strength in tension; on compression, they fold like a Schleck in a time trial. A well-built wheel depends on a precise balance of 3-dimensionally opposing forces in tension; should the builder fail to take this into account and a critical mass of spokes fail to do the single task assigned to them, I imagine the rider will explore a sharp learning curve as they discover the subtleties of riding a bicycle which goes abruptly from two to one or zero functioning wheels.
I have no delusions of being particularly gifted in a mechanical sense. When I was a kid, my dad called me “Threads” due to my penchant for over-tightening the nuts and bolts on his cherished Campagnolo components, leaving the poor dears stripped and useless. On the plus side, I learned how to operate a tap and die. But I somehow have never been terrible at truing and building wheels; whether its my methodical approach to tasks or my love for symmetry and balance that rescue me from myself when wielding a spoke wrench, the wheels I touch leave the stand true and round – and tend to stay that way.
Wheel building is perhaps the most pure form of the art of bicycle maintenance, apart from actually building the frame yourself; it had been a long time since I’d built a wheel, so I took it upon myself to build my own set for Keepers Tour: Cobbled Classics 2012. In keeping with my appreciation of my own shortcomings, I knew I was going to need a Sensei, and there was none better to turn to than our own Oli who happens to be a world-class wheel builder. Oli unhesitatingly and generously offered answers to my many questions as I collected the parts I would need, and even went so far as to study photographs I sent him when things went awry. That, together with the wealth of information that seems to flow freely on these pages, safely led me through the process, although there were some bumps along the way, assuming you consider needing to build the rear wheel twice and front thrice to be a “bump”.
Iteration 1:
The first round saw a flawless execution apart from one significant fact: when determining on which side of the rim the spoke holes are drilled, it matters which way you’ve got the wheel oriented, and whether you’re looking up at the wheel or down at it. Keeper Jim’s two-year-old son consistently demonstrates that he understands this fact, but still it somehow escaped me.
Iteration 2:
I cleverly determined that I could just move all spokes one hole down and correct the problem from Iteration 1. I performed this task on both wheels before realizing I’d gone the wrong way and buggered the whole thing to the point where sending a photo to Oli resulted in the following remark:
Yes, something has gone wrong. There’s no way that you should end up with that situation no matter what rim or instructions you have.
Right, then. Moving on.
Iteration 3:
Rather than go back round and move the spokes a further two holes the other way, I decided to disassemble the wheels and start over. This didn’t bother me in the least because, as it turns out, building wheels is quite a lot of fun. You start with a pile of floppy spokes and dismembered rim and hub, go through a phase where spokes are poking out every which way, to a moment when suddenly it looks like a wheel and you feel like a genius (until you look more closely and discover you’ve balled the whole thing up). Each time through, I started with the front wheel as it is slightly less complicated owing to the fact that it uses all the same length spokes.
Experienced wheel-builders orient the rim such that the labels are readable when viewed from the right side; not wanting to upset any critical eyes, I naturally took care to follow suit. I also carefully oriented the front hub so that the “R” (Royce’s emblem) was oriented such that it, too, was readable from the right side (in addition to being visible through the valve hole).
Moving on to the rear wheel, I noticed that for some reason, Royce has the “R” inverted so it’s readable from the left side. I let out a slow sigh of resignation as I realized there was no way to avoid rebuilding the front wheel (again) such that the “R” on both hubs faced the same way.
The next day I tensioned the spokes and now the wheels sit in the basement awaiting a pair of tubulars so I can set about mounting them and start riding to ensure that any further lapses in my wheel building skills are discovered now, and not as we enter the Trouée d’Arenberg in April.
[dmalbum path=”/velominati.com/content/Photo Galleries/frank@velominati.com/Amrossios/”/]
Nice! I’ve only had the guts to build up a front wheel myself. Next on the horizon is a rear lace-up.
Cool wheels, nice write-up, & those arms are looking seriously PRO.
@Ron
Rear wheels aren’t that much more difficult. Assuming equal hub flange size on both sides,, subtract 2mm for your drive side spokes and dish it per normal. The shorter spokes compensate for the freehub body offset and won’t cause the spoke to protrude past the base of the nipples and puncture the tubular when under tension.
@snoov
Hmm, since the topic of turntables & vinyl had been raised – I listen to most of my music via vinyl. A few pals and I salvage pretty nice tables from second-hand stores. The only reason I own a digital music player is because I found it when walking my dog. No joke, found the ipod I own when walking my dog.
As for Time Stand Still – is that a Rush reference in my store?
@Steampunk
That can be really annoying. I hit a road last week during a self-set ITT to meet up with a ride and there had surely been some new rocks put down. Why didn’t you guys tell me? (new chip is not that awesome, loose and dangerous.)
@frank
Very nice set of wheels Frank! Doing it solo the first time, albeit with remote support, is quite a feat. Did you have a proper dishng tool and have the spoke lengths calculated professionally before starting?
Those babies should be ridden with a big ol grin. Enjoy!
Wicked nice wheels Frank, I expected nothing less from you. Ambrosio rims, Royce hubs (??) damn nice build. I’ve sworn off tubs but these give a person pause. They are bombproof too. I hope you will enjoy the patching of the tires too.
@BrianG
indeed, that always seemed to be the biggest problem, getting the correct spoke length for said hubs, rims, lacing. I’m thinking Frank needs a nipple driver.
@Spearfish
@Spearfish
Glad there’s at least one more lover of Hope gear in here. All my bikes have hope wheels, and I wouldn’t have anything else. Absolutely top class engineering and faultless backup and support.
@Simon
The Gods were smiling that day, they’d been posted about half an hour before I used the Buy now and they were being sold by a guy I know locally.
@Ron
Our local pikey road layers tend not to do any prep before they slap on the tar and chips, no scrape or filling in holes and their roller isn’t round any more. You can see all the pot holes in the end result and it’s always rough as.
@frank
Having flatted three times in as many weeks on my Cx bike whilst commuting (resolved I think now I have put some heavier duty inner tubes in, rather than the gossamer thin Taiwanese non branded ones that came with the bike) – I have been giving some thought as to what I should use for the Keeper’s Tour
Will you be using Nu-Form Extra safe?
I noted some latex inner tube dispensers in the loo I was in, in Gran Canaria, but not sure they were right for the job – also not sure what the Anal Cock R..g Vibrators, also for sale from same machine, were for – choked somewhat when my son asked the same question at the dinner table, after returning from same latrine….
@Dr C
Did said vending machine also dispense nipple lube?
@Chris
sounds like you are getting a bad deal there – our guys over here are true blood romani gypsies, and will do your driveway and cover your lawn for no extra charge
@Chris
No, that was only for sale in the Ladies
@936adl
There’s something deeply satisfying about flowing down pristine single track, weaving between trees, cutting through the beams of sun light and patches of early morning mist as you shatter the peace and birdsong with the buzz saw noise of a hope hub.
@Dr C
That’ll be the problem, ours all sound Irish.
@Dr C
You weren’t lurking in there in your speedos were you?
@Chris
sorry, no tour talk allowed
also sorry, those tarmac sprayers are probably ours, feel free to send them back, but stick “Greenland” on the tickets, one way of course
@Chris
actually, I do have a funny story about when I did go into a ladie’s loo at a “disco” once – very pissed, and very anxiety provoking, given I wasn’t long qualified!
….as a Doctor
I’ll tell you the entire story as we clatter through the Trench in March – that way no-one will ever hear it!
Somehow I don’t think you’ll be relating any anecdotes during the ride… :D
@frank
frahnk, you must have the patience of a saint or the booze-Chimay? numbed your frustrations. nice build. still waitin’ for a test ride tho. Holy smoke you really went full bore on the tubs; FMB’s P-R’s which also happens to be my PC wallpaper. kewl.
FWIW I’m a vinyl junkie, my set is a Rega Planar 2, yes a manual TT, mission Cyrus + Kef Coda. Giant Steps is my favourite Coltrane album, checkout ‘Countdown’. blindin’
@Dr C
@Chris@Chris
then dig the feckin thing up in the middle of the night, so they will
@Dr C
Your training must be more advanced than mine, any words that are uttered are likely to be pure profanity aimed at the Keepers. It’s more likely to be a whimpering, begging sound that escapes my lips. Two hours on the rollers last night had my ‘rse screaming.
Feel free to regale me with tales of derring do whilst anaesthetise ourselves on Saturday night, I sure no one will remember it the next morning.
@Chris
Actually, tar and chip makes plenty of sense for everyone and everything except bicycles. Ours do a reasonably good job under the circumstances.
With his hair going astray and his being bent over his task in obvious concentration, Frank reminds me a bit of the stereotypical maestro in those pictures–a bit disheveled in appearance but commanding perfection, with the end result of his labors being a symphony, where the whole eclipses the sum of its parts.
How’s that for romanticization?
@fasthair
One more note on this – but you’re not crazy to have a human redo the wiring on those. I have nothing approaching that nice of an arm on our record player, but I did have the pickups on my G&L rewound by hand – the luthier I worked with on it was a major detail guy…took the pickups appart, filed all the magnets so they were perfect, and then rewound it all by hand. He also filed the bridge and just made everything work so much better…and it was already a class instrument before that. But even playing it at the store without pluggin it in when I picked it up, I swear I could hear the difference. I could certainly feel it. I had a total Nigel Tufnel moment.
@eightzero
Gold. Yes, I’m turntable guy! Full disclosure, my entire music collection is digital and I stream it, but all the best stuff is duplicated on vinyl and played whenever it matters.
@Steampunk
Building your own wheels is much cheaper than buying new…but its still not cheap.
@Chris
I actually violated Rule #58 as Royce hubs aren’t available stateside. @Roadslave was going to get me a set but the VMH’s internet sleuthing skills landed her on a set. Sold to the US, they discount the VAT, and the hubs actually winded up being less expensive than Chris King et al – by a pretty big margin. In fact, I could order you a set, have them shipped to me, and ship them back to you and you’d probably still wind up ahead.
Beautiful moment. “You are ready for the trials, my son.”
@Spearfish
No need – meant no disrespect to UK Engineering – afterall, I bought a Rover and not a X5 for the very reason that the LR3 is an off-road machine that was made road-compatible as an afterthought. It is amazing off-road. But little things – like the break-in sensor on the hood – go catywampus on it in a way they don’t on the Bimmer. The Bimmer’s a year older, even, and still manages to have the details staying better order.
But mechanically, the LR3 is absolutely spot on. We also have an 1959 MGA we are (very slowly) restoring. Love British cars.
@Chris
I believe we have one, yes. Or very close to it and bits of it are still BMW, like the motor. You can hear that BMW hum in its bones. But you lucky bastids get the diesels over there…ours run on gasoline because Americans somehow believe diesel is dirtier than gas. Which its not if the diesel is good – and it gets better mileage.
There. I fixed it.
@936adl, @Spearfish, @Chris
Wow, thanks for the link! This isn’t my first Rodeo, but still I’ve never heard of Hope. Always cool to discover something new to love. I’ll being inspecting and obsessing immediately!
@Steampunk
Please tell me you really put those stickers on there. I used to really want a Volvo, but I couldn’t get myself to buy a car with a giant person on the dashboard. Great cars, though.
@minion
Any idea what the vintage is?
@zalamanda
Don’t saint me just yet – we’ll see what happens when I glue the tires (which I’m getting today).
I’ll take some of the shots of the rims/hubs and make some VVallpapers. When the P-Rs come in, I’ll have to do those as well – that’s a brilliant idea!
@Steampunk
For what, cleaning out your wheel wells?
@Chris
The brewery will never make money on this endeavor. Mark my words.
@The Oracle
My hair isn’t going astray? It’s carefully disheveled! I spend HOURS making it look like that!!
@Cyclops
Awesome. I bow to your superior ‘shopping abilities.
@frank
An LR3 will be Ford era with either a jag or Ford motor in the states. The LR3s are a huge step on from the older discos in terms of reliability. The leather is nicer in mine though.
@Cyclops
+1
@frank
Of course you did, Frank. I would expect nothing less of one who strives to be casually deliberate.
Slightly off-topic, Frank, but that’s quite the collection of ski gear you’ve got. And, impeccably organized, naturally.
Those wheels are beautiful, this saga has sold me on Ambrosio rims better than any advertisement could have.
I have always heard that the right and left of the bicycle are described from the front , or the “Engineer’s Right” where you’re looking at the bike from the front end, with handlebars forwards. That seems to be why the R’s would be backwards.
absolutely brilliant looking build Frank!
exactly as I was taught to do too
btw: love the LR3, they are great looking rigs, but they violate the unwritten Rule of bike vs car cost, that ones car is to be less in cost than your bike. This was taught to me by my journeyman wrench back in the day, & thus my love affair with my old landcruiser FJ60 that I restored, bought as a restore for $500.
@BrianG
Yeah, I’ve got a good dishing tool. The one thing I didn’t get was a tension checker, but I had them checked and they’re pretty good.
@Dr C
Haven’t decided…the temptation is strong…but not sure if it destroys the tires like it does on cars? Any thoughts from someone less clueless than me?
@Vin
My hubs are Royce 32h for Campa – it looks to be an actual Campa freehub mechanism, based not only on appearance, but that it requires the same lockring as my Record hubs (which is also different from all my other Campa lock rings). Why does Campa have so many different lock ring sizes? Drives a person crazy, though I should be thankful they don’t charge $100 for it like most of their other small parts and tools!
@Simon
The Campa Pavé is a stunning rim and my second choice. It appeared they were still readily available? They might nevertheless be out of production, I suppose…
I read a bit on Campa with them saying they make almost no money on components, but they make a great margin on wheels – which is also why they have dropped all teams who aren’t willing to ride their wheels. They can chuck a huge logo on those deep dish rims and make a bundle.
@Cyclops
Wow. You even did the jerseys.
@frank
Attention to detail is the key to life.
@frank
True, but I figured I could save a bit of money, and wheels can be transferred from one bike the next. Effectively: step one of the new bike.
@Cyclops
It’s been awhile since I giggled like a school-girl on this site. But that did it. Thank you.
@frank
Stickers were handwritten, but they were on. I later discovered this story and was disappointed that I hadn’t thought of “more magic” for the button beside the “magic” button. Kids didn’t get any of it; wife didn’t share in the humor; but every now and then a passenger enjoyed it and I took that as confirmation that I was right and clever and funny (three things I very rarely am).
@Steampunk
Awesome story. Those switches are everywhere, we aren’t meant to find them though, we only fuck things up
@frank Great article, kudos on building a fine lookin’ pair of wheels (!) and I LOVE, I mean *love*, the vintage Campy quick release levers…. nice touch, nice. Can’t wait to see how those bad boys role in the Arenberg Trench. It’s like those guys who fly planes they built themselves: innately self confident, delusional or just nuts? Sorry about those engineers from Royce… I guess that’s why we drive on the other side too. Great write-up.
@Steampunk
That, and they’re the single biggest upgrade you can make to a bike…and, you can spread the cost out – buy rims, then hubs, then spokes, etc so it doesn’t hurt as much. Its like reverse saving.
One of my favorite posts yet and a beautiful set of wheels. Can’t wait to hear how they ride Frank.
Few things are more enjoyable for me off the bike then working on it while listening to vinyl. My go to turntable is an original SL1200 MK2 that I inherited from my older brother. It resides in the cabinet below my Park TS2 and depending on the mood will play anything from free jazz to punk rock and just about anything in between.
There are however times where I try to recreate the opening scene from a Sunday in hell, with the sound of the tools and the bike are the only things breaking the silence.
@Chris
Don’t use the wheels myself as the company I work for makes some nice light wheels that I get for a good price, but all the guys I ride with love their brakes, bbs and headsets. I’ve also been lucky enough to meet some of the guys from Hope at a few events and they’re all really nice, genuine people who bend over backwards to help if they can. Can’t wait to see some of the new kit they’ve got coming.
On a complete tangent, any of the UK guys remember posting a link to this site on Thetford MTB? I would really like the chance to thank them.
@frank
Glad you enjoyed it.
Not very surprised you haven’t heard of them, they’re very UK based, but growing all the time. They currently do a lot more MTB than road stuff but it’s all really good kit, and well worth a look.