Snapping on the Spoke Ring

Just my two cents, never had a problem mounting a spokering... actually seems to be self-centering...
 
I want mine to run as true as possible. It has < .007" run out.

Denis at GEBE uses 5 minute epoxy to bond the spokes to the ring when he installs them on the wheels with 12g spokes.

I have no issue with belt dust and have not broken any spokes. I weigh 238# and my rim is laced with 14g spokes of KNOWN QUALITY. :D
 
Centering, soldering, etc

I am planning on putting my gebe'd bike back together now. I have had my wheel trued by the bike shop, and my parts (broken lower mount strap and a cracked gas tank) should be delivered any day now. I will follow the advice I have lurked from these forums on centering the drive ring and am pretty sure I can get it done pretty well.

The main question I have is about keeping the spokes together at the crosses. I primarily see people talking about using plastic zip ties or using wire ties (are these the same thing?) and solder, or both. Someone advised me against the use of JB-Weld because it takes a while to set up, but letting it set up for a couple days is not an issue for me. Wouldn't JBWeld be stronger than solder? I am a little confused here.

What I have in mind is to use the wire ties like what you get in the produce section in the grocery store (minus the flat, paper part), wrap those around the spokes nice and tight a whole bunch of times, and then smear a bunch of jbweld into it. Once it dries, I cinch up some plastic zip ties. Any advice? Caveats? Flames?

Thanks.
 
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I'm far from an authority on this matter....I just can't help thinking about what to do if the spokes loosen, or need adjusting. I wouldn't think one should use something that can't be undone. That's what I'd say is the problem with JB Weld....It's too strong..lol. Leave yourself the option to adjust your spokes if necessary. Only an observation of course ;)
 
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Appye, perhaps you could start with reading the instructions for this forum (where it says you should introduce yourself as the first order of business).
 
Yawn

Appye, perhaps you could start with reading the instructions for this forum (where it says you should introduce yourself as the first order of business).

A snitty response? I thought those were only reserved for computer tech forums. Very well:

Hello, my name is appye. I have a gebe'd bike that I am having a few problems with. After doing a bit of reading and searching to make sure my question was not already answered in this forum, I figured I would post a question in the hopes of receiving some help. I have brown hair and blue eyes. I am thinking about buying myself a new pair of shoes this weekend and perhaps treating myself to a few beers at my brother's house. I enjoy eating, drinking, walks in the park and the occasional movie. Let me know if that introduction is satisfactory for you or if you wanted to know anything else about me.
 
Good point.

I'm far from an authority on this matter....I just can't help thinking about what to do if the spokes loosen, or need adjusting. I wouldn't think one should use something that can't be undone. That's what I'd say is the problem with JB Weld....It's too strong..lol. Leave yourself the option to adjust your spokes if necessary. Only an observation of course ;)

I was thinking about that myself after posting my question. I could always remelt the solder and put a new tiestrap on if I have problems. I think I shall heed your advice!

Thanks.

Waitaminnit though! Why would the presence of jbweld prevent me from adjusting my spokes? Spoke adjustment is just adding or removing tension on the nipples, correct? The spokes themselves never turn. So maybe jbweld IS the better idea! Oh great, my moment of clarity was just shot out the window. I think i just popped something in my brain. Now I am just confused again.:-/
 
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Appye, it is customary, before posting, to introduce yourself in the proper intro area... that way you can be greeted with a warm welcome. Your response to Alaskavan, a senior member in excellent standing, was confrontationally sarcastic. No welcome until you introduce yourself properly.
 
A snitty response? I thought those were only reserved for computer tech forums.

No, not at all...

I am a wrench and GEBE newbie, but here's my .02 on this whole shebang:

If you haven't already done so, I would encourage you to buy the Velocity rim with 12g spokes and a drive ring *already* installed from GEBE. IMO, that's one of the few good deals in the whole GEBE universe and solves a number of problems, particularly drive ring installation and spoke breakage.

If you look at the GEBE drive ring, you can see that it tapers where it connects to the spokes. So not only is all that torque pressing on half of the spokes, that force is concentrated in a very small area of those spokes. I used black zip ties on my old 14g spoke wheel, but I seriously doubt they made the wheel stronger. I just don't think that 14g spokes can take a daily fat-ranter, hill-climbing, commuter beating from a GEBE/kit. It's a shame that GEBE-ers (myself included) haven't posted pics of their spoken brokes, because I would bet dollars to Knudesens that they break right at the drive ring.

If you want to go old school like OldPete, I think Schraner has some info on wrapping/soldering spokes in his book "The Art of Wheelbuilding". This is a pretty good book to have in general, and has the clearest steps for lacing and truing a wheel that I've ever seen. You can occasionally find used copies on abebooks.com

If you go to the 12g spokes, I don't think you will need to tie the spokes or JB Weld them. JB weld is great stuff, but I don't think it would be a good way to tie spokes, or a good way to keep the GEBE drive ring in place. Although JB Weld is very strong, it is not flexible. And if you spend any time at all motoring around on your bike, you will subject the spokes to insane amounts of shock and vibration. It's very difficult to believe that a small amount of epoxy, of any brand, could survive week after week of GEBE/kit shock and vibration. I suspect that epoxy gets micro-fractured to bleep very quickly.

I'm sorry for the GEBE troubles that you've had and I hope you will take the time to document them in a separate thread. IMO, that's one of the weaknesses of MBc. I think people are much more willing to post the good GEBE experiences, rather than the bad. It's a shame because there's probably a lot of information that would help others avoid the same mistakes, and when newbies show up, all they see are a bunch of glowing GEBE posts, which is hardly realistic.

And now for some confrontational sarcasm...

I am thinking about buying myself a new pair of shoes this weekend
Heels or flats?

Let me know if that introduction is satisfactory for you or if you wanted to know anything else about me.
You did not say *anything* about sunsets or long walks on the beach. READ THE FAQ PEOPLE!!! Your MBc account is *so* terminated...

Your response to Alaskavan, a senior member in excellent standing...
Van... you are a good guy, but your standing is really not that excellent. Your sitting is pretty good, and your jumping up and down and waving your arms in the air is worth traveling to see, but your standing is really only average. (BTW - if you are still speaking to me, *please* start a Tadpole thread.)

No welcome until you introduce yourself properly.
Jim, this was so good that if we were in the same room right now I would give you a big hug and a kiss and I mean that in a completely no-tongue, John Travolta kind of way. I am not kidding or being sarcastic. Sa mooch.

-Sam
 

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Living off in the wilderness may cause some atrophy of my social skills. Good post Sam.
 
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