Just Built my first wheel - Ohh happy day!

[Raf]

I just wanted to share.

I love my bike, Avanti Hammer Hardtail. It suits me well, and , I just like it , so I dont want to upgrade to a new bike.

But I wanted disk brakes. The hammer didnt come standard with them in 2004 but it does have the lugs for the brakes.

Also I only really wanted the rear wheel brake, as the front already has over-the-handlebars stopping power.

I just didnt want to buy new wheels because the ones I have are fine. I couldnt see the need to spend $600 (the average directions and price given from a bike store) getting 2 new wheels and brakes for my standard of riding (Scott 24hr "partcipant", only 4 laps 2 years running) when I just wanted 1 rear disk brake.

SO, I did a lot of research in this forum on "how to?" and "can I?" as well as "should I?". Such great resources here, thanks so much. I didnt ask any questions because they had all been asked before.

I found a shimano DeaoreXT disk hub on ebay, almost new, for $50 so I was set on the path of a wheel build. The XT is an upgrade from my current Deore.

Sweet I says.

Then I needed new spokes, as the hubs are different sizes (and I decided to get new ones). This was for me the hardest part fo the whole thing. Measuring and gettong the ones I needed.

I could not find 1 bike shop that was enthusastic about the challenge. The old "Its too hard", "Why bother", "just buy a new one" comments just kept coming.

BUT - Big props to the guys at Onyabike in Bleconnen (ACT) Shane in particular, who were really helpful and got me the spokes I needed (Black DT Swiss) plus showed me a few tricks on trueing and dishing using my wind-trainer. It was nice to find sokmeone who could take the time to help, and they have won a new customer.

So, Saturday night, I got to it and did it! It took 3 hours, it was great fun, and it worked!!!

I am on a mechanics high, and its not just from cleaning fluid.

It was easy, given all the Youtube clips, and Zinn's mechanics text book. I laced a standard 3 cross, 32 spoke rear wheel with rotor. I laced it according to Zinn's advice, different on Drive and brake side, given the different requirements on both. I had to redo 7 spokes about halfway through, after getting ahead of myself at one point, but it wasnt hard. Dishing was easier than expected, and trueing took no longer than a normal tuneup.

FYI I installed Avid BB7 mechanical disk brakes as well, which I am extatic over. I love being able to play with them, without fluids.

The stopping power on the rear is awesome and the wheel looks nice and solid.

ANyway, thanks for the help and advice, however annonimously gathered.

Raf

 

[dhDRucer]

well done mate, good to see you did it yourslef

 

[csd]

Well done buddy, you're a much braver man than I to attempt a wheel build. I just know everything would go wrong if I tried it

 

[jacko13]

how you said that a lot of mechanics said "oh dont do it yourself" " get a new one"
that attitude really bugs me, i recently broke a shock, and a guy who does suspension servicing says " oh you will need a new one or get the manufactuer to do it" i said ill do it myself, but "oh no no dont do that you'll wreck it" with no idea of my mechanical skill.

went to one of the shops at the race and they started trying to sell me one instead of taking a positive attitude and saying" yep we can work together to fix that"

i find that sometimes in our sport people are more concerned about making money than remembering the spirit of sport and trying to fix problems.

also not everyone has a half grand with them at a race to buy a new shock.

rant over but your a great example fo endevouring to do something yourself and not being put down/stopped by a mechanic who wants to make money off you.


oh and i fixed the shock myself.

 

[Raf]

Thanks all

Good story too Jacko.

I think I will work my way around this bike, slowly upgrading and repairing.

I think next is new forks, hence my topic on rock shock upgrades. If I ever need to fix one, i will ask you how

Cheers
Raf

 

[mitch_46]

how you said that a lot of mechanics said "oh dont do it yourself" " get a new one"
that attitude really bugs me, i recently broke a shock, and a guy who does suspension servicing says " oh you will need a new one or get the manufactuer to do it" i said ill do it myself, but "oh no no dont do that you'll wreck it" with no idea of my mechanical skill.

went to one of the shops at the race and they started trying to sell me one instead of taking a positive attitude and saying" yep we can work together to fix that"

i find that sometimes in our sport people are more concerned about making money than remembering the spirit of sport and trying to fix problems.

also not everyone has a half grand with them at a race to buy a new shock.

rant over but your a great example fo endevouring to do something yourself and not being put down/stopped by a mechanic who wants to make money off you.


oh and i fixed the shock myself.

i couldn't agree with you more there. i dont deal with my lbs anymore, i buy all my parts from overseas(crc) and either do the fixing/fitting myself or get my friend who is a qualified bike mechanic to help me.

on the topic of wheel building, on saturday, i laced two wheels and got them 95% true without a truing stand.

good on you raf.