2014-11-24 the wheel build
When i last checked in, i had a freshly rebuilt 50-year-old hub and other wheel parts en route. Now to build the wheels.
I really like building wheels, but it's one of bike tasks that you don't get to do very often unless you work in a bike shop, and even then, it really depends on the shop. I worked for a season at the (now) late, great Hiawatha Cyclery, where they specialized in custom commuting and touring builds, including a lot of custom wheels. The owner Jim built most of them, and learned a lot from him, but i initially learned from this wheelbuilding page from the late, great Sheldon Brown.
Unless you have some fancy disk or carbon wheel, all bike wheels have the same parts: a rim, a hub, spokes, and spoke nipples. I really like generator lights on a bike, and i found a great deal on this hub from Rivendell.
After lacing the wheel per Sheldon's instructions, it goes into the truing stand to tighten up gradually. As long as you work around the wheel gradually and keep an eye on both runout and trueness as you go, it's usually a very predictable and satisfying job.
A final tension check to make sure the spokes are pulling evenly and final true, and it's done. Repeat for the rear wheel, and now the bike can roll.
