Wheelbuilding / Wheel Building / Wheel build help

I didn't measure so yeah, just trusted. Perhaps that is where it has gone wrong.

I got BHS rims because I was already getting the hubs and it was cheap even with the delivery and duty. Having said all that, now that I have seen the rims, wish I had gone for archetypes. The join is not as seamless as I am used to seeing. Oh well, its done now.

The hubs are rebadged Bitex RAR something... generally speaking OK, but watch out for the pawls spring. You will find out it is a glorified rubber band, which works in the sense that it doesn't rust or corrode, but I have seen a few failing and spares are nowhere to be found... although you might be able to get a spare free hub from Germany... or you can always try a proper rubber band... :-)

I'm after the park tools wheel jig centring guage ... does anyone in C/E/S/SE London have this that they might be willing to lend me please?

I know you can find the pitch of a spoke and relate to tension but when ever I pluck spokes of the same tension I can't tell if the pitch is the same sometimes. A good tension gauge (DT Swiss Tensio) makes it more reliable for me (and it will for other too). Some will build a reliable wheel by pitch alone and great if you can (some don't though) others like me need the tool as quite frankly I am tone deaf and deaf in one ear and hearing in the other is O.K but not great. Also an increase in volume to me sounds like a change in pitch. Not everyone has a musical ear! My feel of tension by hand is better than my ability to guage it by pitch. I also used to be a physics teacher so I like to measure stuff, other's from a different background are happy to judge.

Emyr XTR hubs though are perfect in every way. XT are pretty good though.

I also used to be a physics teacher so I like to measure stuff

I have a feeling that the state of the art in metrology means that, for a given price, you could actually build a more accurate spoke tension measuring system by using a frequency analyser than by using a force gauge. Fortunately, wheel building doesn't require much accuracy, so the crude tension meters most people use are fine :-)

At Easton in Mexico they use acoustic probes to measure tension... I am sure they are more accurate, however their wheels seem to snap spokes above average... :-)

A microphone + frequency analsyer would be good but it also is so much work for so little gain. First the crossing points of the spokes may effect frequency at a given tension, testing would be required to figure that out. Then if this is the case, ERD difference and flange PCD difference will change were those crossing points are. Easton build wheels which are consistant in that regard so they do not have to worry about such effects if they are even important.

So given the work involved get this to work and the fact it may not work any better than DT Swiss Tensio for example I will stick with the tried and tested method. You make it sound like that those who use a tension gauge don't know what they are doing, We do we just do it differently to you! Oh it's not crude either. I have created a spoke tension calibration jig and you what, the deflection readings I get are consistant. I also happen to know what they should be rather than what the chart says (which actually is correct for the DT guage). Some gauges like the Sapim or Park tools TM-1 are not overly consistant. I have all three!

You make it sound like that those who use a tension gauge don't know what they are doing

I'm sorry you misread my comments in that way. I was talking about a hypothetical situation in which we start from a place where there are no pre-existing tension measuring tools; in that case, the most economic way to build an accurate and precise one would be to use the sunk investment most of us already have in a powerful portable computer with a built in microphone (that's a mobile phone). Obviously the existing deflection based tools are plenty accurate and precise enough for most wheel building projects.

I love it when the geeks get together! You learn so much.

I have some Nos CXP30 rims i want to build into track wheels, only thing is one has 28h the other 32. I cant seem to find a pair of hubs because most have either 32/32 or other combinations. It looks like i will have to buy the hubs individually. I dont want to break the bank so not looking top end like phil/dura ace etc but can anyone advise something reasonable?

Covered on the prev page.

thanks miro_o, most helpful. So say i use a road hub for a front wheel is a skewer like the zipp track skewer actually allowed on velodromes like Lee Valley? and will one be mocked :) http://www.evanscycles.com/products/zipp/track-front-skewer-ec045524
Sorry if this should be in a different section but it does regard a wheel build.

I used a normal road hub with a track skewer at LVVP. It was one of the few things I wasn't told off for doing.

It's fine at Newport.

RYDE PULSE COMP RIMS - has anyone experience of these rims. I'm looking for a pair of light 23mm wide rims and these seem well priced. Struggling to find reviews though. thanks

Be careful what you buy as there seem to be two versions (one wide one narrow) with the same name... is 73 quid well priced? I think not...

http://www.chickencycles.co.uk/index.php?cat=19&sub=30&ord=0

Currently building some budget winter training track wheels.

Tensile hubs £45/pr - Mavic Mach 2 CD 2 tub rims £10/pr - Mach 2 DB spokes £free - Vittoria pista CS tubs - £40/pr

So £55 for the wheels and an extra £40 for some decent enough tubs. Seems alright to me.

I read somewhere DT nipples are 3.25mm but this spoke wrench does not fit so does anyone want to swap my 3.25mm spoke wrench with 3.3mm? Or can I borrow/buy your 3.3mm spoke wrench? Thx in advance

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The red Spokey should fit DT nipples, is that what you're using?

Yeap. Bought the DT nipples from rosebikes, along with the Spokey. Not even snug fit, it just cannot fit. Unless the DT nipples aren't really DT nipples. Does anyone know how DT nipples look like?

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They are DT nipples. I've come across tight spoke keys before. Tolerances are very tight and that one might be out... Best thing is to return it and get another one

Yea but they're in Europe so it'll take some time to get an exchange. I used this one to build the wheels but shipped all my tools already:

So was wondering if I can swap the Spokey or borrow from any of you here instead of buying another one.

I would assume nobody would swap a working one with your faulty one.. it would be silly, innit?

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