Australian Cycling Forums - Bicycles Network Australia

... I'm about to build my first wheel. New rims, new spokes, old (wheelchair) hubs. I have two to make for my boys recumbent trike. Really hoping I cut the spokes to the right length

Dent.

Luck !!

Don't stress - they can be a little off here and there as long as they're in the ballpark. If they are genuinely too long you can chop a couple of mm off without causing any real problems.

The online calculators are what I used when I built a set of mountain bike wheels and they worked out fine.

My first attempt took three lacings before getting it right, the second took two. Don't go into it stressed, allow plenty of time and you'll be fine.

What are you doing, cutting and threading the spokes? I thought the threads on spokes were rolled for strength and spokes had to be bought the right length (within a couple of mm). Not pretending I know BTW - genuine question. I've only built wheels with the correct length spokes to start with.

Stuey wrote:What are you doing, cutting and threading the spokes? I thought the threads on spokes were rolled for strength and spokes had to be bought the right length (within a couple of mm). Not pretending I know BTW - genuine question. I've only built wheels with the correct length spokes to start with.

People do cut and re-thread, I believe you can get tooling to re-roll the thread, but it's pricey. And you are correct, cut threads are much less fatigue resistant than rolled.

Edit: Phil Woods makes a shop tool for cold rolling threads on spokes.

Sent from my iThingy...

Well, wheel 1 has come together with no problems other than having to switch the direction of the first 9 spokes on the 2nd side. I'd matched the "wear" marks to begin, but oddly, they didn't fit right. I've not trued it yet, but that can be a job for tomorrow.

I thought the threads on spokes were rolled for strength

Yeah, I bought the spokes new, and cut them to length, then the bike mechanic at my FLBS rolled the thread on for me (at no charge, even ). I used an online spoke length calculator(s) to determine the length, but I always worry a bit when relying on other, unknown peoples calculations, especially when I have no clue how they were calculated. However, 4 out of 5 calculators agreed on the length to within about 0.5mm, the 5th returning a result about 2.5mm longer. I was hoping it was the one that was inaccurate...


Dent.

Well, wheel No. 2 came together much quicker, with no issues. Seems pretty straight too, though there's not much tension in the spokes yet. Tomorrow I'll set up some sort of truing stand and properly true both wheels, but now I feel I've earned some BNA browse time

Dent.

Well, I trued the wheels this morning. Did OK getting the lateral wobbles out, but both wheels have a minor flat-spot. I assume easing off the tension on both sides, while adding tension 90 degrees either side (again, to spokes on both sides) is the way to remove these?

Dent.