Wheelbuilding / Wheel Building / Wheel build help

A bit of basket weaving type bending around each other, as you put the second set on each side (usually outbound), is normal I think. I know what you mean about scratching the rims, correct length always seems to be also that optimal length to jam into a square section rim and score it.

Cool. Yep, they always jam right into the rim as I'm bending them...

Here's a tip for any other amateurs: if you thread nipples backwards on to spare spokes it's a lot easier to connect up the last few when there's minimal slack. Saves you dropping nipples into the rim and spending 20 minutes shaking it to try and get it back out.

Apologies if this is common knowledge

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Apologies if this is common knowledge

Pretty much everything on this thread is common knowledge 🙂
I have a spoke bent into a coat hanger shape at the other end, even easier to manipulate the nipple into place than just using a straight spoke.

I use a cotton bud with one bud cut off. It jams into the nipple and allows you to make the first couple of turns before being simply pulled out.

Same here, but I add a spoke nipple threaded on the wrong way and then crimped into place and then use the coat-hanger spoke to wind the nipple onto the new spoke. The crimped nipple acts as a depth gauge so hopefully all the spokes go it at the same depth.

I use a small punch, holds it in place (because taper) until I decide it's engaged with the spoke.

I always find a small punch sends the nipples flying.

urk

I've filed down the end of an old spoke so that I can put it into a nipple and grip the nipple by friction. The taper made by filing is just long enough to hold the nipple but not long enough to poke out the other end, about halfway I guess. The other end of the filed down spoke is inserted into a small piece of wood that acts as a handle. I cut a piece of branch from the garden but a short 10cm length of broom handle would be just as good. One of my most used tools!

That's what I ended up doing when building my wheelset too, worked well enough for me not to bother finding a better solution. But then, I'm not exactly doing this very often, so I'm less bothered about optimising the process :)

I'm about to build some 650b wheels from my Kinesis Tripster AT so would like them to be able to take some abuse for my upcoming All Terrain adventures, as per the Kinesis promo video!!
I already have two 32 hole Stans ZTR Crest rims, I was hoping for some advice on the rest:

• Hubs...I'm leaning towards Hope Pro 4 as they get great reviews and come in 110mm front\ 142mm rear allowing for 12mm through axles. Is there any other glaringly obvious options I'm missing?
  
• Whilst on the topic of hubs is there a difference between a 110mm boost hub and a 110mm hub? My guess is they are the same, and the fact a hub is 110mm as opposed to 100mm is what makes it 'boost', but the DT Swiss website for example lists them separately!
  
• Are double butted spokes suitable for this build? Hoping to do some bikepacking with tent etc. if that makes any difference...
  TIA
  

is there a difference between a 110mm boost hub and a 110mm hub?

Boost is 110×15 with the disc rotor mounting face 45mm off centre. Before Boost, 110mm meant 110×20 with the disc rotor mounting face 40mm off centre. Boost front hubs typically have little or no dish, whereas 110×20 hubs have the same dish as 100mm hubs and use the extra 5mm outboard of the disc to make room for the fat fork lowers you'd expect to find on long travel DH fork.

Are double butted spokes suitable for this build?

Yes, but it's the kind of build where DT Alpine III or Sapim Force would be the first choice over spokes with equal diameters both ends such as DT Comp or Sapim Race.

triple butted spokes should be used more. the weight difference over double butted is tiny so there is no reason not to use them unless the hub would take them.

Triple butted is where it’s at.

I'd be slightly surprised if that fork takes a 110mm hub. 100x12mm would be what I'd expect.

@Skülly @cycleclinic @mdcc_tester thanks for the spoke advice that makes sense I’d rather have durable than light

@Landslide @mdcc_tester thanks for the hub advice. I’ll measure it when I get home and get back to you regarding what I need. The specs on the kinesis website say:

• Rear 142 x 12mm and front 110 x 12mm Thru-axles included

That’s where I got the sizing from, unless I’ve read it wrong?

unless I’ve read it wrong?

You read it right but I think they printed it wrong

They have indeed, just measured and it’s 100mm front hub! Makes things easier at least, I’ll email Kinesis and let them know as might save someone else this confusion.
Thanks for all the help again 👍

I am thinking about putting together my first set of custom wheels. They will be all-road heavy duty reliable wheels, used on road as well as off road and for touring, but at the same time I can't commit to break the bank, so I can't decide which components.

Hubs: these are the centerpiece that makes me want this custom wheels, and the only component I am decided about. Hope RS4 disc hubs in orange shade. Heavy but bomb/future proof.

Rims: I really can't narrow it down too much. They will be alloy, 24/25 external, 19/21 internal, 25/35 deep. Probably 32h. Ideally 500g or less each. I am thinking Kinlin XR31, DT R470, DT R481, DT RR511 (not really). Unless I can find a cheap way of buying some Stans NoTube Grail or HED Belgium.

Spokes: No idea.

Any comment is welcome, I have no experience in this at all.

Kinlin XR31

"Get XR31s" should be the subtitle of this thread, it would save a lot of questions.

DT Alpine III spokes are the go-to for reliable touring wheels.

Or Sapim Force if you prefer your spokes Belgian rather than Swiss.

As long as you prefer your chocolate to be Swiss rather than Belgian, that is fine.