Spoke pattern/truing question.

[midlife]

Yep, red bikes are 12.8% faster......

 

[Rusty Nails]

Rule no 1. Never try and work with unlubricated spokes and nipples. Lube the spoke thread before putting the nipple on and, lube the inside of the rim hole where the nipple contacts the rim. For the latter, a cotton bud works well.

You say the spokes turned, but did they turn completely or did they just wind up? You can hold a spoke with a pair of pliers but never, ever allow it to slip inside the pliers. The resultant scratch will cause a stress riser and eventually the spoke will break there. The break will look like a clean laser cut.

Keep on trying, it is a nice challenge that will teach you a lot, including how not to design wheels.

The spokes just kept turning in the holes in the rim, so all my adjustments were doing absolutely nothing.

Obviously these nipples/spokes were not lubricated when constructed.

I held the spokes with pliers and a hard rubber sleeve to prevent scratches, so fingers crossed.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

The spokes just kept turning in the holes in the rim, so all my adjustments were doing absolutely nothing.

Obviously these nipples/spokes were not lubricated when constructed.

I held the spokes with pliers and a hard rubber sleeve to prevent scratches, so fingers crossed.

Good luck. Just persevere, you'll get there. But, be patient and systematic.

 

[I like Skol]

When I'm building wheels I just tip my nipples into a small dish with some EP90 (gotta love that smell) and pick them from there as I lace up.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

When I'm building wheels I just tip my nipples into a small dish with some EP90 (gotta love that smell) and pick them from there as I lace up.

Kick the dog.

 

[Ajax Bay]

as I turned the nipples the spoke turned as well - a problem you don't get with J-bend spokes.

If, when moment is applied, the nipple is not turning relative to a J-bend spoke, then the spoke will twist. So the longitudinal tension in the spoke will be the same, the rim will not be pulled in the direction desired and the spoke will develop torsional stress, in addition to its tension (stress). A problem you don't get with straight-pull spokes.

 

[Rusty Nails]

If, when moment is applied, the nipple is not turning relative to a J-bend spoke, then the spoke will twist. So the longitudinal tension in the spoke will be the same, the rim will not be pulled in the direction desired and the spoke will develop torsional stress, in addition to its tension (stress). A problem you don't get with straight-pull spokes.

Agreed. But when a spoke is stuck in the nipple of a J-bend won't you notice that the pressure to turn the nipple increases so much that you realise it is stuck so stop trying to turn it? That has happened to me many times. In tightening a stuck straight pull spoke there is no noticeable increase in pressure as the spoke just turns with the nipple.

Both these situations highlight the need to lubricate nipples/spokes.

 

[Gravity Aided]

It's a Fulcrum Racing Sport DB wheelset which I've been told is OK but nothing special.

@Yellow Saddle, that explains why I was worried about the tension in the 7 left spokes. I have a tin ear but will try to follow your tips at the weekend, which is my first opportunity.

I suspected the spoke pattern was for show rather than purpose, but didn't know enough about spoke pattern to say.

There are guitar tuning apps for your smartphone.

 

[Rusty Nails]

After spending time lubricating the nipples/spoke threads I had the use of a truing stand today.

Success. A lot more work than I anticipated, but worth it in the end. Thanks for the tips.

 

[rogerzilla]

Nerd fact: Sturmey-Archer AWs (and other 3 speeds) don't have a "drive side" as such. They drive the shell from approximately the left flange in low gear and from approximately the right flange in the other two gears. The large-diameter shell is massively stiff, though, even the early alloy one that is exactly the same gauge as the usual steel one.