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

(Example: Framebuilders:Masi)

From: <Gjvinbikes@aol.com>
Date: Sat, 30 Sep 2000 20:45:45 EDT
Subject: Re: Building one's own, was Re: [Classicrendezvous] Tubular Tires
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org


In a message dated 9/30/00 1:19:02 PM Eastern Daylight Time, Russ writes:
> 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.

My 10-year-old built his first wheelset early last Spring. Each night, I'd come behind him and un-do every lacing error, etc, which had crept in during that afternoon's work. It took him a week or so, but he wound up with a lovely sturdy wheelset - 650C clinchers with Velocity Deep V rims on American Classic hubs. He's been riding them ever since, and so far they have not required any truing even though he insisted on lacing the rear left side radially.
> 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.

I do it professionally, but you know - its still fun !

What distresses me is the horrible looseness of practically every stock wheel I see come through our shop. This includes the Rolfs, particularly the cheaper stock Vectors and Comps. With only 12 spokes, total, you'd think they'd take them up to a reasonable tension...

Glenn Jordan - Durham, NC (nice early Fall weather)