Wheelbuilding / Wheel Building / Wheel build help

I use Phil’s

Oil on the exterior of the nipples, yeah I forgot that. Linseed for the spoke threads!

Do you use a different oil or no oil at all?

I use grease, as on any other threaded fastener.

I have used Phil's Tenacious Oil in the past on wheel builds, but I've got several litres of Mobil1 in a grade none of my current cars use, so I'm slowly working my way through it building wheels.

Like you, I use what I have.

Good plan.

I'm slowly working my way through it building wheels.

How many wheels you building?!

I’ve a tiny bottle of oil in my spokes box that seems to be lasting forever, can’t imagine how long it’s take to get through one lie never mind several!

Anyone in west london near shepherd can professionally true my wheelset please

How many wheels you building?!

Usually about 6 pairs a year at a guess. I must admit I'm not making much of a dent in the Mobil1 supply. At this rate it'll last a few decades.

I’ve used ‘wet’ chain lube and Finishline thick grease. The grease was better.

Dipping in oil sounds like a good idea and easy to coat all the threads.

I have precision oiler which looks like a ballpoint clutch pen. I believe watchmakers use them. Once I've laced up the wheel I put a tiny drop on the thread and another on the outside of nipple where it contacts the rim. Just chain lube kind of oil but for radial lacing I'll use linseed for 'gunge'. Never tried thick grease on spoke threads so will be interested to try it. I remember once someone said they used the plumbers PTFE tape. Sounded very time consuming so never tried it.

I like the park anti seize stuff, but any other grease also works fine. Bit on the threads, bit around each spoke hole, or if using some washers for squorx or something I just rub it over them.

I just rub it over them

Universally approved technique

Building my first wheelset next week and went down the lubrication internet rabbit hole, eventually circled back to just using the Park anti-seize for the threads and grease on the nipple/washer I already have.

Just use olive oil. (maybe extra virgin...)

Park anti seize all round, it's greasy enough for nipple rim interface.

I'm looking to get a set of wheels built, front disc and no brake on the rear. Kinlin XR22 fits the bill but I don't seem to be able to find the non-offset version anywhere.

I assume since it's so difficult to find them, that it's fine to use the offset version for front wheels and single speed rears?

Yes, the offset would be good for a disc brake wheel anyway and no problem using it on a non offset rear.

Thanks to @Netakure for the spare spokes!

They've arrived and I have the wheel. Maybe it's me, but seems some of the nipples are not in line with the spokes

And the correct spokes seem short. Is it possible my super powerful legs have twisted the hub? Or has the snapped spoke allowed it to twist funny?

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It'll work fine but I think it would annoy me, not as good as it could be and would look a little off.

So is everyone just putting up with this? Neither spa or cycle clinic seem to stock the symmetric XR22 disc version and everyone has a front wheel...

I think that’s the issue, as it’s a disc version there wouldn’t be a reason for it to be symmetric. Rather the only reason would be if it was built onto a non disc front hub, track rear, or 0 offset igh which are suitably niche to not keep much stock of..

Can you get a non disc version?

For a disc wheel offset is good, fixed rear is probably unusual enough that there's no point making a non offset version that isn't for rim brakes. I think I'd go rim brake and cover the braking surface, but offset would be fine, the lack of symmetry would annoy me slightly more than the covered brake surface though.

Oh ye that’s a good point that I didn’t quite click on to myself.

@snottyotter ye that is another option I’ll look into. Just wonder if the shape of the rim will be slightly different. I’m trying to imagine what the asymmetric rear would look like and how obvious it would be.

I’m assuming it’s just the drilling’s that are asymmetric not the actual shape of the rim?

It’s the shape of the rim :)