Are you interested in learning how to make bicycle wheels (or indeed how to level up your wheel building skills), or perhaps looking for the perfect gift for the cycling enthusiast in your life?
My friend at RyanBuildsWheels runs courses to teach you this very thing!
https://www.ryanbuildswheels.co.uk/classes-return-introducing-wheelbuilding-weekenders/
Day or weekend courses, fully guided with Ryan's expert help, with hot drinks and juice and vegan pastries throughout.
My workspace has evolved a little bit more, and I just finished my third wheel build, and this was the "Big One," though not in size... It's a shame it'll never look better than it does now...
The one issue with building 20" wheels that I should have seen coming is my tension meter straight up does not fit, so this is very much just a "Hope it's good enough!" situation!
Oh, the third lesson is a stupidly obvious one! If your hub has asymmetrical flanges, start lacing from the smaller flange! Christ I felt dumb when I didn't do that.
Working on wheel build #2, a matching rear to this one, and it's going nowhere near as smooth, and I am definitely learning some lessons.
The biggest one is definitely be generous on your spoke-length calculations. If you are building a wheel in a "developed" country in the year of our lord 2025, then odds are you are using a double-walled rim. You can afford to have spokes that are a little long.
The second is keep detailed notes. I ran my calculations and purchased my materials for this build, ah... half a year ago? I'm doing a lot of figuring from scratch.
It's been a frustrating day, but that's part of learning.
Calligrafae
Light Wolf Studio
⭐ Konklaavin kamiina
Poor 'Possum
Morgan Fletcher