How to Build a Road Bike Wheel

Having the ability to work on or build your bike can be both satisfying and cost-effective. Building a wheel is one of the slightly more complicated processes in regards to bike maintenance. It requires not only simple construction, but also a precision truing of the wheel so that it rolls straight without hops or bends. Purchase the parts for your wheel separately to save some cash.

Things You'll Need

• Truing stand
• Screwdriver
• Spoke wrench
• Rims
• Tires
• Tubes
• Spokes
• Rim tape
• Nipples

Instructions

1. Calculate the length of the spokes you will need using an online-based spoke calculator such as the one listed in our resources. Or you can ask the bike shop to do the calculations for you based on the dimensions of the rims and hubs that you want.

2. Install your spokes by using four different groups of nine spokes. Install the "trailing spokes" through the spoke holes in the hub so that they run along the inside of the hub flanges. Begin with the first spoke (called the key spoke) and insert a nipple into the rim to secure the key spoke with a few turns of the nipple. Work your way around the wheel counter-clockwise, skipping one spoke hole in between each spoke in the hub, and three spoke holes along the wheel.

3. Turn the wheel around and begin inserting the spokes on the side of the hub without the free wheel, placing the opposite side key spoke in a hole directly to the left of the initial key spoke. Install the rest of the trailing spokes following the same pattern as above. Once it's completed, the two sets of spokes should appear slightly offset of parallel.

4. Insert the first group of "leading" spokes into the hub on the same side as the free wheel from the inside of the hub this time so that the spokes rest against the outside of the flange. Turn the hub clockwise as far as appears comfortably possible so the lead spoke crosses over three trailing spokes before entering into the rim. Attach the spoke with a few turns of a nipple. Insert the remaining lead spokes in the same manner.

5. Repeat step four on the opposite side.

6. Tighten all of the nipples onto spokes as equally as possible to snug up the wheel as a whole. Then insert the wheel into the truing stand. Bring the tension up with one full turn of the nipples in a clockwise motion, using either a screwdriver or a spoke wrench. Spin the wheel and find any points that bend to tough the truing arms.

7. Fix any kicks (bends) in the wheel by tightening spokes opposite the kick and loosening spokes that are in the same direction as the kick. Work your way around the wheel until it is true.

8. Wrap the rim with rim tape to protect the tubes from sharp edges. Mount your tires and tubes by setting them within the flanges on the rim walls. Pump up the tires with a bicycle pump.

References

• Sheldon Brown - Building a Wheel

Resources

• Applied Thought - Spoke Calculator