# This wheel's not right is it?



## Kell (24 Aug 2016)

It's not just me is it?

Had my rear wheel rebuilt with a new rim, but those spokes don't look right to me.

I don't remember what they looked like beforehand but surely they shouldn't be bowed and certainly shouldn't bend two ways.


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## 12boy (25 Aug 2016)

As we say in the Wyoming...You been hosed, Dude. Went and checked my B's rear wheels, albeit one is a close ratio 3 speed and the other a single. Spokes are completely straight with no bends except for coming out of the hub as they all do. I have never laced a wheel but I would bet those spokes are too long. Sorry, I know you have been dealing with issue for a long time already.


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## swee'pea99 (25 Aug 2016)

Blimey. Someone charged you to do that to your wheel? Blimey. Send the pics to Brompton and see what they have to say.


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## Kell (25 Aug 2016)

Pleased it's not just me thinks this then. 

My parents are staying with me for a couple of weeks to look after my daughter during the holidays, so my dad picked up the wheel for me because I was at work.

I think he was in a hurry because the shop was about to close, but he's a (car) mechanic and it was him that noticed it when he got back to the house. 

He did go and compare it to the front wheel, but they're laced completely differently so it was hard for him to check, but it was the first thing he said when I got back in from work. 

I'd already paid over the phone, but he's said he'll take it back for me today.

The problem is that every day I don't cycle costs me more money. At this rate it could end up being cheaper to have just bought a whole new wheel instead of having my old hub rebuilt.


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## Kell (25 Aug 2016)

Just looking at the different bikes, I think you're right about the spoke length. 

Looks like they've ordered spokes for the two speed and tried to make them fit the three speed.


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## Milkfloat (25 Aug 2016)

Do you really trust them to fix it? Personally I would want a full refund and would take my business elsewhere.


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## Kell (25 Aug 2016)

Actually, scrub that. I can see what's wrong. They've put the spokes which exit the hub underneath over the top of the ones which exit from the outside.


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## I like Skol (25 Aug 2016)

Kell said:


> View attachment 141179
> Actually, scrub that. I can see what's wrong. They've put the spokes which exit the hub underneath over the top of the ones which exit from the outside.
> View attachment 141178


That's the correct way to spoke a wheel IME. I think the effect is exaggerated due to the wheel size but I have always built my wheels that way. If the spokes are tight and the wheel is true then I think it should be good to use.


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## Kell (25 Aug 2016)

Really? Every other picture I can find online shows it the other way up.


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## raleighnut (25 Aug 2016)

Larger wheels are certainly laced that way but maybe Brompton lace theirs differently (under rather than over) to avoid that appearance on such a small wheel.


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## Kell (25 Aug 2016)




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## raleighnut (25 Aug 2016)

Kell said:


>



Just as I thought, Brompton lace their wheels unconventionally to get around the bending being so visible. Take that piccy to the guy who built your wheel up, should be easy to strip it down and re-lace.


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## Pale Rider (25 Aug 2016)

Isn't some pressure at the crossover point deemed desirable to discourage the spokes from loosening in use?


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## raleighnut (25 Aug 2016)

It's when you see bikes with this lacing pattern that you go WTF.


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## raleighnut (25 Aug 2016)

Pale Rider said:


> Isn't some pressure at the crossover point deemed desirable to discourage the spokes from loosening in use?


I thought it prevented the trailing spokes from going slack and then loosening at the nipple.


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## Kell (25 Aug 2016)

I think they would normally touch where they cross when laced up as in the picture I linked to above. 

Have to say, the front wheel's spokes don't cross at all and I had real problems with that earlier in the year. Must have had about 20 spokes come loose all at one time.


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## Pale Rider (25 Aug 2016)

raleighnut said:


> I thought it prevented the trailing spokes from going slack and then loosening at the nipple.



Aye, quite possibly, although the fine detail is beyond me.

The OP's bike shop may have messed up, but it may be they've found lacing the wheel the way they have increases reliability because the spokes need less tinkering with.


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## Kell (26 Aug 2016)

Well the shop's admitted they got it wrong.

While it's correct that a 2x lacing pattern on larger wheels is as mine was done, that's not how Brompton do it, nor what they recommend.

I'm a big believer in giving people a second chance and letting them correct their mistakes, so was happy to take it back there.

Should get a look at it tonight as my Dad's said he'll pick it up for me today.


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## 12boy (26 Aug 2016)

A hand built wheel properly done should last a very long time with little truing. Even more so with a 346 wheel.


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