Gerd Schraner - The Art of Wheel Building

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A BENCH REFERENCE FOR NEOPHYTES, PROS AND WHEELAHOLICS

THE ART OF

Wheelbuilding A BENCH REFERENCE FOR NEOPHYTES, PROS AND WHEELAHOLICS

Gerd Schraner

Dedicated to my wife Jackie for always understanding, to the DT Swiss family for always helping and to Wolfgang Renner for always supporting.

Acknowledgments It is i mpossible to write a book such as this without the assistance and support from many quarters. Valuable assistance came from: Natali Arn (drawings), Vincenne Buonpane (publishing), Clean Slate (design), Sue Buri (logistics), Dane Kurth (translation) and Marco Zingg (support). In addition to their time-consuming jobs, they all spent time in order to help me to realize this project. I take this opportunity of thanking them. Numerous other people also helped indirectly to make this possible. Representing them all I would like to thank: Tim Breen Paul Aieta Daniel Gisiger Arnold Gerber Christian Muller Wolfgang Renner

Fritz Bru h I m ann Patrick Moerlen Richard Wade

1999 Buonpane Publications. P.O. Box 40724, Denver, CO 80204. (303) 831 0917. www.bikekulture.com All rights reserved. Reproduction of any part of this book is prohibited without the written permission of the publisher. ISBN # 0-9649835-3-2

Contents PART 1 - THE SPOKED WHEEL Classic, Perfection, Fascination Handbuilt wheels Machine-built wheels Qualitative comparisons of handbuilt/machine-built wheels

1 0 1 0 1 2 . . .12

PART 2 - WHEEL COMPONENTS Spokes Types of spokes Straight gauge spokes Bladed or aero-spokes Butted spokes (reduced spokes) Double-butted spokes Triple-butted (3-D) spokes Stock supply Manufacture Materials/Requirements Threads and diameters (gauges) Weight comparison/weight saving .............................................. Nipples Types of nipples Materials Manufacture Spoke wrench gauges Hubs Rims Function Materials Rini cross sections

1 6 1 6 1 6 1 6 1 8 21 21 23 24 26 26 27 29 29 29 30 30 30 31 32 32 32

PART 3 - THE CRAFTSMANSHIP Spoke failure Play between the hub and t he spoke Cause # 1 Solution I nsufficient spoke tension Cause # 2 Solution Wheelbuilding Selection of spokes and nipples

40 . . . . . . 41 42 44 46 48 48

Spoke lengths 50 Number of spokes ...................................................................... 55 56 Are 24 spokes enough 57 ........................................................................... Spoke patterns Radial spoking 57 Tangential spoking 59 Hybrid spoking (crow's foot) ........................................... 60 60 Twisted spoking Identical symmetry / mirror image asymmetry ............. 62 Pulling spokes / braking spokes 62 64 Spoking 64 Preparing the components Rims ........................................................................................ 64 Hubs ........................................................................................ 65 Spokes and nipples 65 Tools 65 Spoking methods 66 66 Classical method Schraner's method 66 Spoking 75 Truing the wheel 76 Tools 76 76 Wheel truing stands Spoke wrenches 78 Spoke head punch ................................................................ 78 78 Tensiometers 79 Truing 80 Lateral correction 82 Radial correction 82 Dishing the rim 85 Spoke alignment / stress relieving Tensioning the spokes .............................................................. 86 Truing the rear wheel 86 Nipple locking 87 Removing and replacing rims 87 88 Tying and soldering 88 Reason and purpose 89 Procedure: BrUhlmann method Tools and materials 89 General 89 Tying 89

Soldering ................................................................................................... 90 Corking rims ............................................................................................................. 92 Slotting hubs (aero-spokes) .......................................................................... 92 Wheel repairing .....................................