All set ready to build!

i'm *not* all set and ready to build, but will come down anyway... i have an old hub and two old wheels (650 front and back) of which one is missing some spokes and one has a dodgy rim, and i want to learn how to do this. however, i've not really got all the kit to do it straight up, and havent had the time or resources to get it all together recently. maybe i'll try and get a spoke key tho.

can u bring my BB tool down?

What's the address of Wheel-Building School? I'll get my mum to drop me off in her big 4x4 with a packed lunch.

db, of course - it's in my bag already. thanks for it!

Matt's place (119 Shacklewell Lane, dalston) for 7pm. Bring wheel parts and beer. And spoke tool if you have one.

so the postie came, unsurprisingly couldn't fit the package into the mail box but didn't ring the bell to let me know, even though i am working at home today, specially. instead he took his time filling out a 'sorry you weren't in' card so that i might go, in 48 hours time, to pick it up my package of spokes at the local post office. $%#!@^

: (

swiftly moving onto plan B...... i will still come to class tonight (quite possibly with a packet of spaghetti to practice with but i will be there....)

kat, usually the post does go back to the delivery office the same day (if it's RM), pop down to your local collections office and ask, just in case!

(has worked for me in the past!)

thanks rjs. i know its usually the case, and i will check later anyway, but i had the same thing happen with another package on tuesday and it only arrived at the local office this morning, despite it being only a few blocks from my home. it's not so superfast down in these here SW16 parts..... damn these teensy-good-for-noth'n-doorslot-excuses-for-a-decent-sized-mailbox. i need one of those great rural australian ones, you know, like an old keg on a stake.

what sized spokes you need? i've got a few boxes that i can bring down :)

I ordered DT Competition DB silver 278/278 for the front and 278/279 for the back (BLB recommended sizing for 3 cross). I have since been thinking about radial for the front but that would be a different size again, right?

I have just called BLB and they have Alpina DB 278s in stock that i could buy on-route tonight.

or if you have something similar then even better...

i've got heaps of 260's which can do a radial, easy peasy. waiting for some 280's to arrive :( .

really? cool. so if i bring some moolah then we can do a deal?

yay!

How strong is radial, compared to three-cross? It looks great, but is there a down-side?

dogsballs, can i get some spokes off you?? i haven't quite decided what i need yet, and am running out of time! this is what i got:

* 36 hole, wide-flange maillard double-fixed hub
* 2 old 650 wheels, rusted with a few missing spokes (including a sturmey archer rear hub)

there's one bike shop near me that has a mavic open pro available for 35 quid. forgot to ask what colour.

so, should i try to fix up a 650 wheel with what i've got? or should i buy the open pro from LBS for 35 quid? and if so, which size spokes would i need?

advice welcomed :-) thanks!!

ps, do folk like wine? - red or white? or is it strictly beers only ;-)

ps, got myself a spoke tool to share, too, plus a few other tools i'll bring along :-)

doca, the 260mm spoke will lace a 650 onto a high flange hub 2x i think. open pro to large flange is 290mm which i also have

radial is fine for front wheel,especially with 32h. there are modern road wheels laced radially with only 16 spokes. a crossing pattern is recommended on teh rear due to torque issues with drivetrain.

Hmm, it does look good, but I've got my 3X spokes now. Will think about it for the next ones I build with my new-found skills...

radial is really easy to do :)

woohoo, 280 spokes just rocked up then. i'll bring em down :)

i think i've got mailbox envy.

Finally, all my bits have fallen into place (so to speak).

SJSC Hubs on Mavic Open Pros. Simple, but sweet. I can't believe how excited i'm getting about building a wheel.

I hope you're taking plenty of photos of the process peeps...

have a good time..

I have to wait till Saturday? ? ? The rims are staring me down at the end of my flat. Damn their lazy eyes.

So I have not been able to powdercoat my stealth rims in time but am going to polish the hell out of my deltas and Miche hubs to build them back up.

Dale/Matt, going to take pics of current spoke setup to see if normal radial will be okay.

just sat in on Matts wheel building class ...it was a cool thing to hang wid fellow cyclists learning to make wheels stand.. thanks Matt...

yo dogs.. will see you on sunday at fgss trac... or at ripley....peas...

Bought a spoke key today and took apart my front in preparation for Saturday.
I feel like I learnt a bit just doing that with the help of arup-sen.
I now have a super shiny hub and rim sitting in front of my which will feel new when built.
Roll on Sat....

well, the class was ace: thanks guys! and moose76, presumably you're the one to thank for the pils? i knew i should have been less stoned beforehand, and then everything might have been a bit quicker, but at least all my holes matched (don't forget to grease your nipples, kids! and i'm now one wheel happier than i was before.... framebuilding classes next?

Thanks to Matt and DB, was great to learn how to build up a wheel from scratch. I rode my front to work this morning - one little "ting" when I pumped up the tire but no major problems, very chuffed.

+1

Matt, Dogs, that was really useful, thanks again. I really got my head round the basics and won't be afraid to try one on my own. I was only a bit scared for the first 10 minutes whilst Matt explained the Spoke Calc Table. Now wheel building world domination awaits.

And thanks Kat, for building up my other wheel when your components didn't work out.

pics to follow.

thanks from me too - to matt and DB for help and to otters for organising it all (and for your wheel to practice on). nice to meet the people behind the names.

Kat, I meant to grab your email address last night - wanted to steal your thesis topic for a feature.

a feature of what?

PM me

We were pretty studious and reserved last night; very few beers consumed, no drunken nonsense. We didn't even give Ved a hard time for turning up on a stolen brompton. I still say that Deep V would have made that bike. I fear tomorrow's session may be a riot - afternoon beers, a bit of sunshine ...

Have we got a finalised time for tomorrow's session? Cheers.