Re: Building one's own, was Re: [Classicrendezvous] Tubular Tires

<classicrendezvous@bikelist.org> Sent: Saturday, September 30, 2000 3:50 PM Subject: Re: Building one's own, was Re: [Classicrendezvous] Tubular Tires

> Bicycling Magazine (contrary to its nature) ran an excellent series of
> articles in the early '80s about building and truing wheels. That series,
> along with Brandt's book and a maybe a video are all you need to learn. As
> with most skills, the basics are easy. It's the craftsmanship that takes a
> while to develop.
>
> Believe me, if I can learn to build wheels, anyone can.
>
> Rick Chasteen, in beautiful Kansas City, where the fixed gear is beckoning.
> ---- Original Message -----
> From: Russ Fitzgerald <rfitzger@emeraldis.com>
> To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
> Sent: Saturday, September 30, 2000 12:08 PM
> Subject: Building one's own, was Re: [Classicrendezvous] Tubular Tires
>
>
> > >Jon Cowden
> > >Ithaca, New York, wrote:
> > >ps Had an interesting interaction with a lbs yesterday. I brought in a
> > >pair of high-flange Superbe Pro hubs, intending to have them built into
> > >some tubulars. The guy took one look at them and said to me that "I
> > >suppose that I could build a completely out of date wheel with those
> > >'things.'"
> >
> > This is one of those really BOB-ish things, I think.
> >
> > I got really pitying looks last year from an area shop when I had them
> build
> > up a set of wheels for my PX-10E. They essentially acted like they were
> > doing me a favor, and the build quality was not all that good - despite
> the
> > fact that the shop has been around forever, and the wheel builder (a
> former
> > racer) is roughly a contemporary of mine.
> >
> > This spring, I decided it was time to learn to build wheels. I borrowed a
> > copy of Jobst Brandt's book, and the in-town LBS worked out what length
> > spokes I needed. I kept the book open in front of me as I laced them up -
> > amazing what happens when one can read, isn't it? I will freely confess I
> > took the built wheels to the LBS for final truing and tensioning ... but
> > they turned out great, at least by my standards.
> >
> > I built a second set of wheels this summer for a friend's bike. This
> time,
> > the LBS manager let me use the truing stand to adjust, tension and final
> > true the wheels. They've held up beautifully so far, and I've got the
> bug.
> >
> > I won't deny that the numerous wheelbuilders on this list can no doubt do
> a
> > better job than I can, in probably a quarter of the time. But there is
> > something distinctly satisfying about building one's own wheels. For
> those
> > of us who will probably never build a frame, it's something of a
> milestone.
> > I rank building one's own wheels up there with assembling one's own bike
> > from the bare frame out as one of life's little delights - but then, I do
> it
> > for fun.
> >
> > Russ Fitzgerald
> > Greenwood SC
> > rfitzger@emeraldis.com