Hand built wheels

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bad boy

Über Member
Location
London
Quick question just got my new wheel Mavic CXP33 32h DT spokes on an XT disk hub and as one would expect its dead on in terms of trueness.

Is it possible it may slightly loosen up over the the first few miles and need a slight tweak or not ??

Many Thanks
 

PpPete

Legendary Member
Location
Chandler's Ford
Depends who built it.
 
It also depends on how heavy you are and if you hit a pothole or two.

It's usually only a minor correction that is needed - 2 min job at most.
 

e-rider

Banned member
Location
South West
yes, it depends who built it; but I would almost certainly say yes, it will need a little attention after the first ride - unless Gerd Schraner built it!
 
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bad boy

Über Member
Location
London
Well it was built by my LBS which I find decent, I just didn't want to start getting pissed off if I see it slightly loosen off after the first few rides. If its normal then I wont get to stressed about it, they did say they will check the spoke tension and re-true the wheel when necessary.
 

TheDoctor

Noble and true, with a heart of steel
Moderator
Location
The TerrorVortex
Things settle in after a few rides, and you may well hear the odd 'ting!' as the spokes sort themselves out. 'Sno biggie, and sounds like the LBS are expecting to see you soon anyhow.
 

Moodyman

Legendary Member
bad boy - hope you don't mind me asking.

I'm wanting to do something similar and wanted to find out how much I can expect to pay?
 

PpPete

Legendary Member
Location
Chandler's Ford
Hate to disagree with a mod....
but any "ting" sound indicates that the wheel has not been stress relieved properly in the final stages of the build, and even if it seems true after hearing "ting" sounds, it could be that one of the spokes is then looser than the rest, which could lead to problems later on.

If multiple spokes become noticeably looser in the first few rides, then the wheel was not "tight" enough in the first place.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying your wheels are likely to suffer from these issues, the fact that the LBS is happy to have it back to check it means they have confidence in their product.

But to give yourself more confidence.... after the first few rides, take the wheel off, check it is still true, and more importantly check the spoke tensions are still even. Pluck them like a guitar string. Every spoke on the drive side should sound pretty much the same high clear note. (Mine are around the "A" above middle "C" but that's on a lower profile rim than the CXP33)
Then the non-drive side, again each spoke should have the same note.
Rear wheels - Drive side is higher note. Non-disk front wheels note should be same both sides. Disk front will be slightly higher note on disk side. Don't get too hung up on minor variations in tone. But if you hit a spoke that's significantly looser than the rest you will recognise it straight away.
If all the tensions are even....it should stay true until the rim wears out unless you have a bad prang.
 

Tim Bennet.

Entirely Average Member
Location
S of Kendal
Paul Hewitt looked frankly perplexed when I took my new lightweight wheels back for them to be 'checked' after a couple of hundred miles. When I reminded him those miles had included doing the Paris Roubaix sportive over the cobbles, he agreed to take a look. They were still true to less than half a millimetre.

But he does pre-stress them. In fact it's a rather brutal process that can be a little disconcerting to watch for the first time! But as a result I haven't had any problems with touring, race or mtb wheels from him.
 

fossyant

Ride It Like You Stole It!
Location
South Manchester
They should need little if any tweaking.....

My CXP'33 on the fixed had been fine for 12 months, not even once tweeked them.... busted the rim on Friday.... conversation with the LBS went.....

Me 'Will, I've busted your wheel........:smile:.....'

Him..."Eh....................... you must have hit something......"

Me "A pot hole..... look the wheel is still true, haven't touched it in 12 months, but the rim's now bent.....can you do me another....."
 
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bad boy

Über Member
Location
London
Moodyman said:
bad boy - hope you don't mind me asking.

I'm wanting to do something similar and wanted to find out how much I can expect to pay?

Hi Moodyman

I paid £135 pound for mine no doubt I could have got it slighty cheaper else where but I like to support my LBS
 
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bad boy

Über Member
Location
London
fossyant said:
They should need little if any tweaking.....

My CXP'33 on the fixed had been fine for 12 months, not even once tweeked them.... busted the rim on Friday.... conversation with the LBS went.....

Me 'Will, I've busted your wheel........:tongue:.....'

Him..."Eh....................... you must have hit something......"

Me "A pot hole..... look the wheel is still true, haven't touched it in 12 months, but the rim's now bent.....can you do me another....."

Hi Fossy

Do you mind if I ask a silly question when you say still true do you mean 0.0mm or within a toleranace of ???.
 

actonblue

Über Member
I have had a rear wheel made by Spa Cycles which I only had to tweak after 4 years.
When you build a wheel it should be de-stressed and re-trued several times, you will get many opinions as to the exact number. You should not hear any tinkling sounds from your wheels if they have been de-stressed enough.
As for tolerance, below 1mm is acceptable but I aim to get below that.
 

GazK

Veteran
Location
Wiltshire
I built my only set of wheels (mavic open pro on DT swiss spokes and shimano XT hubs) 2 years ago and, because I was a total n00b, took great care to stress relieve the spokes a la sheldon brown. I was fully expecting to have to retrue after a few miles, but a couple of hundred miles later, they're as good as when built. If I can do it I would certainly expect a pro builder to be doing it.
 
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