The Fretboard Cycling Club

Pjon · October 2023

drofluf said:

@axisus I've never built a wheel, but I read enough to decide it was too complicate for me

If you can get an identical rim I understand it's relatively easy as you can place the new wheel on top of the old and transfer the spokes across - whether you want to will depend on the sate of the old spokes.

If you get a different rim then you're into a world of spoke length calculators.

As it's a rear you'll also need to "dish" it to allow for the cassette.

Hope I haven't put you off or am teaching you to suck eggs!

And go home carefully with a dodgy rear wheel and flattish tyre.

Yes, this is the easy bit, and the bit I was always happy to do to save the actual wheel builder some time. The rest of it is the art, the skill. I think I only ever built one wheel entirely from scratch, under supervision of a friend who knew what he was doing. It lasted a while and didn't fail disastrously!

m_c · October 2023

Building a wheel isn't really that hard, it's just time consuming if you've never done one before, and it's far easier if you have the proper tools and a truing stand, but I've rebuilt a wheel in a car park with some allen keys blu-tak'd to the frame as a make shift guide.

If you'd like to read up on what's involved, Sheldon Brown's website is a good resource - Wheelbuilding (sheldonbrown.com)
Or if you want a printed reference and you can manage to locate a copy, The Art of Wheelbuilding is the most popular printed book.

However, if it's a cheap wheel with a cheap hub, it's probably more cost effective to buy a complete new wheel.

thermionic · October 2023

Had a few newbies on the club rides recently where I’ve had to use my vast knowledge and decades of experience to solve their mechanical problems!

First up, someone put his rear derailleur into the spokes, about five miles into the ride. I’ve never seen one this bad - the mech was rotated 90 degrees going right through the spokes and the alloy gear hanger was not just bent, it was practically torn off. He didn’t have anyone to come and pick him up so I unscrewed the bolt to remove the mech and detatched the cable. Then with the help of a friend who had a chain tool, I shortened the chain and selected the rear sprocket which was closest to being in line with the small chainring and told him to ride home gently. It was a success - it isn’t always, because if the selected sprocket isn’t in line with the chainring, the chain can “creep” to the next sprocket to correct its line. If it tries to go to the next sprocket up, there’s a couple of extra teeth to wrap around and the chain instantly snaps.

Then last week, as we were setting off, someone says that he can’t clip in to his pedals. A couple of people were already there trying to help but getting nowhere. The others had Shimano pedals but these were Looks, so I tried my own feet in them and they clipped in instantly and securely. I ask him to show the underside of his shoes and… the cleats were for a different system. Don’t buy bike equipment from amazon, go to your local friendly bike shop!

axisus · October 2023

m_c said:

Building a wheel isn't really that hard, it's just time consuming if you've never done one before, and it's far easier if you have the proper tools and a truing stand, but I've rebuilt a wheel in a car park with some allen keys blu-tak'd to the frame as a make shift guide.

If you'd like to read up on what's involved, Sheldon Brown's website is a good resource - Wheelbuilding (sheldonbrown.com)
Or if you want a printed reference and you can manage to locate a copy, The Art of Wheelbuilding is the most popular printed book.

However, if it's a cheap wheel with a cheap hub, it's probably more cost effective to buy a complete new wheel.

My dad has a wheelbuilding jig, I'll ask him about it on Saturday when I drop by. It's a decent wheel actually, Shimano Deore XT hub, stainless steel spokes, feels very light, especially compared to the tank I've had to put on tonight! I'll take a look at the link ta.

m_c · October 2023

XT are reasonable hubs, and Stainless spokes are standard unless you buy the cheapest possible wheels.
Cheaper wheels are more likely to use straight gauge spokes, but double butted ones are better, although you'll want to avoid the really lightweight spokes.

Provided the spoke nipples aren't corroded/seized (biggest problem with commuter wheels due to road salt), the easiest option is to swap to an identical rim.

littlegreenman · October 2023

axisus said:

m_c said:

Building a wheel isn't really that hard, it's just time consuming if you've never done one before, and it's far easier if you have the proper tools and a truing stand, but I've rebuilt a wheel in a car park with some allen keys blu-tak'd to the frame as a make shift guide.

If you'd like to read up on what's involved, Sheldon Brown's website is a good resource - Wheelbuilding (sheldonbrown.com)
Or if you want a printed reference and you can manage to locate a copy, The Art of Wheelbuilding is the most popular printed book.

However, if it's a cheap wheel with a cheap hub, it's probably more cost effective to buy a complete new wheel.

My dad has a wheelbuilding jig, I'll ask him about it on Saturday when I drop by. It's a decent wheel actually, Shimano Deore XT hub, stainless steel spokes, feels very light, especially compared to the tank I've had to put on tonight! I'll take a look at the link ta.

Should be good then. Although I'm sure I remember you saying your wheels are 26"? Might have a problem finding good 26" rims these days? They are becoming harder to find. If so, look for shops who specialise in "jump bikes", they still mostly use 26's.

drofluf · October 2023

m_c said:

Building a wheel isn't really that hard, it's just time consuming if you've never done one before, and it's far easier if you have the proper tools and a truing stand, but I've rebuilt a wheel in a car park with some allen keys blu-tak'd to the frame as a make shift guide.

If you'd like to read up on what's involved, Sheldon Brown's website is a good resource - Wheelbuilding (sheldonbrown.com)
Or if you want a printed reference and you can manage to locate a copy, The Art of Wheelbuilding is the most popular printed book.

However, if it's a cheap wheel with a cheap hub, it's probably more cost effective to buy a complete new wheel.

I've got a copy of The Art of Wheelbuilding surplus to requirements if anyone is interested?

m_c · October 2023

When did cycling up hills become such hard work?

I've been a bit lax in riding up hills for the past couple months, as I've mostly been digging a new trail, but having finished that for now, I've been getting back to pedalling up hills.
Managed over 800m on Monday, and didn't feel too bad, but done 1100m today and the final climb was painful, and I'm now feeling rather broken

littlegreenman · October 2023

Hills are always bloody hard. No matter how long you've been cycling, hiĺls will always be hard!

TTBZ · October 2023

littlegreenman said:

Hills are always bloody hard. No matter how long you've been cycling, hiĺls will always be hard!

Yep, ebikes are looking more appealing every time I go for a MTB ride

I've realised I really don't enjoy climbing on a MTB and it's purely all about the downhill for me, would love to get to the top quicker and easier to get more DH laps in!

Had a great time on the MTB at Woburn today. Finally starting to get my confidence back and getting the feel for jumps again. I love the "short course" DH style of places like Woburn and Chicksands, lets you get loads of runs in and spend time on the features you're struggling with. My Vitus frame is feeling too big for me though which is annoying, I think I should have gone for the small. Even with the seat slammed it's sometimes getting in the way, and I don't like how the longer reach of modern geometry feels.

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