Wheels Redoing wheels...

PhoobarID

PhoobarID

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I went ahead and ordered the HD Freewheel hub and Sturmey-Archer Front Drum hub when the local bike shop told it it would be anywhere from $25-$40 to relace my wheels. After waiting a week...they finally got back to me and said because they have to buy new spokes and do the labor...the cost is going to be anywhere from $150-300 dollars for both of them with no time frame to get the work done.

I'm almost tempted to go pick up my parts and learn to do it myself...but would like to have the bike on the road before I hit retirement. I could have spent less than this ordering the wheels complete...but thought the savings going local would be worth it. Now...I feel like I'm being taken for a ride...but don't know anyone locally or online I would trust to be able to do the job right without spending more than what I could have bought them complete online.

Any suggestions are more than welcome.
 
My suggestion is to wait until you get the hub, then do the calculations for spoke length yourself. Once you figure the length out, I'd order 13 gauge spokes from www.holmeshobbies.com since most bicycle shops can't get anything thicker than 14 gauge. Once you get them, look at an example wheel and lace them up yourself... definitely making sure to start with the valve hole in the rim. Just tighten the nipples down until the threads of the spokes are hidden by the nipples. From that point, turn half a turn all the way around.... remembering where you started!! Eventually, one of the full revolutions around... you'll decide that it's tight enough. Just compare the tension at the intersection of two spokes to the same point on an already complete rim.

It's really not too difficult, particularly with an example rim to follow if you're using the same 3-cross pattern or whatever. And if you can't get it perfectly true, I'm sure they wouldn't charge more than $20 to true the wheel. Lacing the wheel is what costs so much because it's so time consuming for 36+ spokes.

Do It Yourself!!! It's worth your time.
 
sparky said:
My suggestion is to wait until you get the hub, then do the calculations for spoke length yourself.
Click to expand...

That's the one thing I have had for a month. Ordered the hubs long before I was able to get the wheel into the store.

Once you figure the length out, I'd order 13 gauge spokes from www.holmeshobbies.com since most bicycle shops can't get anything thicker than 14 gauge. Once you get them, look at an example wheel and lace them up yourself... definitely making sure to start with the valve hole in the rim. Just tighten the nipples down until the threads of the spokes are hidden by the nipples. From that point, turn half a turn all the way around.... remembering where you started!! Eventually, one of the full revolutions around... you'll decide that it's tight enough. Just compare the tension at the intersection of two spokes to the same point on an already complete rim.

It's really not too difficult, particularly with an example rim to follow if you're using the same 3-cross pattern or whatever. And if you can't get it perfectly true, I'm sure they wouldn't charge more than $20 to true the wheel. Lacing the wheel is what costs so much because it's so time consuming for 36+ spokes.

Do It Yourself!!! It's worth your time.
Click to expand...

I've got a buddy of mine who has done this before...so will have him help me get the drum brake set up for me. Personally...want to use 12 ga or bigger...since I like the extra measure of safety.

Having looked on the site you mentioned...couldn't figure out what to order...but they did have a good selection at a decent price.

Can you give me info for the spokes/nipples I would need from this info:

Sturmey-Archer X-FD front hub.

Aluminum alloy Hub shell with 70mm drum brake
Cartridge bearings and internal brake shoes for consistent all weather performance
70mm drum brake
Includes cable and mounting hardware

Item Specifications
Color Silver
Weight 770g
Intended Use Road
Hub Drilling 36spokes
Hub/Brake Compatibility Drum
Front Wheel Type Road
Front Hub Spacing 100mm
Front Axle Type 9x1
Skewer Included NA, Bolt-On
Defined Color Silver
Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 4.6 x 4.5 inches ; 2.5 pounds

Any info you can provide would be appreciated.
 
There are calculators that do that stuff for you. I'll leave that bit up to you to research, because if I suggest one and it doesn't work out perfectly for you... I don't want to take the blame. Use multiple spoke calculators if you need to. I don't know if I'd remember the one I used or not. If you need help identifying exactly how a variable should be measured, then ask. For example... flange diameter and hub width are measured from center of spoke hole to center of opposing spoke hole (if looking down the axle) and from center of hub to center of flange. You'll get the hang of it. Measuring the ERD is perhaps the most difficult part, and I would most definitely *NOT* use the manufacturer's ERD, particularly if it's a Sun rim. Those jokers were off by about 6 cm on a 700c wheel, if I remember correctly. Just measure from inside of rim to inside of rim on the opposing side.

And the reason that I suggested 13g spokes is because you'll have to drill wider holes in the hub & rim for anything larger than that. Heck, you could possibly have to drill for 13g spokes, but I doubt it. That's typically the limit... yet bike shops can't even get 13g spokes.
 
Last edited:
sparky said:
There are calculators that do that stuff for you. I'll leave that bit up to you to research, because if I suggest one and it doesn't work out perfectly for you... I don't want to take the blame.
Click to expand...

I had no idea there was any sort of calculator for finding the spoke size. Feel more than happy to send me URL's and I'll get them going.

Use multiple spoke calculators if you need to. I don't know if I'd remember the one I used or not. If you need help identifying exactly how a variable should be measured, then ask. For example... flange diameter and hub width are measured from center of spoke hole to center of opposing spoke hole (if looking down the axle) and from center of hub to center of flange. You'll get the hang of it. Measuring the ERD is perhaps the most difficult part, and I would most definitely *NOT* use the manufacturer's ERD, particularly if it's a Sun rim. Those jokers were off by about 6 cm on a 700c wheel, if I remember correctly. Just measure from inside of rim to inside of rim on the opposing side.
Click to expand...

That does make sense...especially when you mentioned it. Never knew this was how it was done.

And the reason that I suggested 13g spokes is because you'll have to drill wider holes in the hub & rim for anything larger than that. Heck, you could possibly have to drill for 13g spokes, but I doubt it. That's typically the limit... yet bike shops can't even get 13g spokes.
Click to expand...

I got 12 gauge spokes originally due to my size and never had any problems with them. Will 13 gauge serve me just as well on the front wheel?
 
If you want to PM Me your e-mail address I can mail you a copy of a wheelbuilding book, I cant for some reason attach it to a PM (maybe its too much data)
 

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