For those who are curious, this method worked perfectly for building a 28-hole wheel. The instructions are absolutely perfect. It made it a much easier process than I expected. Follow the instructions exactly and the valve stem will have perfect, 2 parallel spoke clearance when complete. Excellent video.
I have ordered all the necessary hardware to build a wheel, which I have never attempted before. This has got to be the best, and most simplistic to understand, video tutorial on building a wheel, hands down. Chris is the best teacher I have ever seen, and I've watched dozens of videos on the subject, from Park Tool videos to dozens of others. I seem to get very confused with all the others when it comes to lacing the rim. The others always seemed more complicated for some reason, but that's just me. I understand Chris' approach with no complicated issues whatsoever. He's a great tutor. Great job Chris. I wish I could take a picture of the wheel I'm building just to show you what a good teacher you are. Thanx brother...
Thanks a tonne. I got my first wheel in life laced successfully using your video. It was like attaining Nirvana when it finally happened. I had to undo the lacing some 7/8 times and start from zero all over again before getting everything right. The key thing to know is - turn the nipples just one or two turns initially. You mention it but I didn't realise it was so critically important. Of course I was working with spokes that were a tad smaller than the officially calculated size. Many thanks. Once one successfully laces a wheel one realises what a complicated piece of engineering this apparently simple looking wheel is. Now is the next step of dishing and truing it. I used a 32 hole hub/rim. But had no problem following your video.
I have built wheels previously working at a bike shop, this method was like a light bulb moment. It's so much easier then other ways I have been shown and exactly what he said, prevents scratches to rims.
Very nicely done. I had just laced my first wheel and struggled through the second round of spokes on each side. I took the wheel all back apart and followed your method. Worked much better. Good instruction.
Stumbled across this in my research for a Touring build. One word, superb. Nicely done. Torn between Salsa Marrakesh and Surly LHT. The Salsa can swallow a larger tire in the 700c size. Glad I found your channel.
I had a 32 spoke but used your same method and I have to say, the orientation of finding where on the other side of the flange you place the first spoke of the second set, was perfect.
Used this video to build 5 wheels now, 3 Off center, 3 cross and 2 cross. Just keep in mind for 2cross you still leave 3 empty spoke holes before you add another spoke from the same side. You do this because there are still 2 sides, and two spoke orientations (in/out). With 2 cross you just go over right away and then under instead of over over under of 3 cross.
Hi Chris, this video along with the other Tightening and Truing one were perfect for helping me through my first two wheel builds. It took a bunch of searching to find instruction that I was able to work with and follow easily. Just wanted to say thanks and cheers from Austin.
Hi Chris, Would You advice against radial lacing old 32H hub? It's shimano 105 1055, I have short spokes from old wheel and thought I could try it but heard the flanges might break, have You got any experiences with such configuration?
Wow this is a great video. I watched another video and ended up with spokes sticking out and clearly something being wrong. I ripped it apart and followed yours and PERFECT. Thanks a lot!
Thank you.. Very nice and understandable introduction. I used it to lace my first selfmade wheel. However the lacing pattern presented here gives you the trailing / pulling spokes on the outside of the flange. Sheldon Brown in contrary recommends to have the trailing / pulling spokes to run on the inside of the flange.
I just laced my first set of wheels and this was the video that was most helpful in showing me how to do it. There are, however, two things that were not commented on: 1. You said you would say something about spoke prep, but never did (I used linseed oil) and 2. It may be obvious, but you didn't comment that rims often have holes drilled in an offset manner, i.e. not right in the center.
you are right. and I'm afraid he just mixed it - look at 4:54 .. you can see spokes from right flange (drive side) go to "left" holes in the rim ... which is weird and wrong (imho)
Love Chris' videos. Some wheel-builders prefer to install heads in/out in the reverse direction as shown in this lesson, but no hard test data exists that shows one way is significantly better than the other. Just wanted to mention for the viewers, so they know heads in/out philosophy may vary....depending on the wheel-builder.
lacing both sides with the spokes that run up on the inside of the hub flange makes it so much easier. i have always laced one side fully at a time, but i wish I'd watched this yesterday before laced 2 wheels. A good note for next time. thanks for sharing.
thank you, best spoking instruction. I have had trouble with spoking one side at a time with small wheels on a tadpole. doing the spokes from both sides, inserting from the outside first, eliminates the excessive spoke bending required to lace small diameter wheels,
Great video interesting how the guy on another video on building a wheel did it. in about 20 minutes, he must have done a few wheels and practiced a few times
very helpful video. interestingly, the wheel I am rebuilding has witness marks indicating that the second set of spokes threaded weren't in the same holes, i.e. threaded inside out instead of outside in. I don't think this matters though as the wheel looks fine
Not sure if this build is correct. As far as I can see the rim has "offseted" holes - not in the center, but some are on right, some left. Then spokes through left holes should go to left flange and spokes from right holes to right (drive) flange. But it seems he ignored this and did the just opposite (probably by coincidence). Look at 4:54 .. you can see spokes from right flange (drive side) go to "left" holes in the rim which is wrong, I'm afraid ...
for your method at the beginning do you make sure that the logo on the hub of the front or rear wheel is in the right place in order to see the logo clearly. is that important?
Arent holes in rims offset sorta of like a very slight zigzag pattern like if you played join to dots with them the line would be a very slight wavy line ..isnt this a consideration when deciding your first spoke 🤔
vey nice video, however I have one question. Does it matter which direction you twist the hub in terms of what type of brakes you use? For example when you use a disc brakes? Many Thanks
This video is well-made and very descriptive. However, as posted by Jim Langley, the recommended lacing for front wheel versus rear wheel for disk brakes differs (refer to ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-gfWd7_avr1s.html). The recommended pattern for front wheels is that leading spokes on both sides are heads-in. On a rear wheel, on the drive side, trailing spokes are heads-in, but on the non-drive side, leading spokes are heads-in (just like the front wheel). This video is better suited then for a rear wheel with disk brakes, but if you are lacing a front wheel, you might want to lace it symmetrically (leading spokes on both sides being heads-in).
first mistake is to srew 1. spoke left of valve, then torsion/thrust spokes are on outside and if chain skip over 1. gear it can damage the most loaded spokes on wheel. second is to use blue thread lock on spokes-if you will need to adjust spokes for 6 months, it would be imposible, better is to have clean spokes and put nipples into wd40 ti be able to screw it well and then put general purpose rubber glue on head of nipples and rim after wheel is finnished-it will keep nipples firmly but it would be able to screw and unscrew nipples
Thank you. I have some questions. How do you decide the spoke length? I will have a HUB with two different flansh diameters. So this will hard to decide...
Excellent video my friend! I have my wheel all apart and am fixing to start lacing it. I followed you pretty good till you got to the part of inserting the spokes from the inside out (I believe it's Step 3) maybe? Anyhow, it's the part where your saying over, over and then under. At this point I'm just a little bit confused, not because of your tutorial, totally on my part of not understanding. When I'm going over, over, are you meaning that I count each spoke or are you meaning the spoke head and spoke? It's hard to tell exactly from the angle of the video. I wish you would of done a close up shot of this. Perhaps you could do a video of this step up close maybe? Other than that, this is a very excellent video on wheel lacing that I have seen. Any help and information would be greatly appreciated! I thank you in advance my friend! Best Regards!
i am new to this wheel lacing, why go over, over, under? Why not go over, over and over and get a straight spoke which would surely make the wheel more rigid?
Did you use Wheelsmith spoke prep? I am building my first wheel and think it will take a few days. Would linseed oil be a better thing to use given my time line? Thanks!
On the third set of spokes should it be pass one hole and put the spokeit on the next holes? 10:26 ...I watch some of the video they pass one hole after 3cross pattern.
(If you're still taking questions) Does this pattern automatically work on a 28-hole wheel? I'll be tackling a wheel build next week with an oddball 28 hole wheel (and hub) and your video looks like one of the better guides out there.
Hello Chris! I have a Deore T610 hub (rim brake version) and as i calculated the spoke sizes I have got there is 2mm difference between the drive side and the non-drive side... Is that possible, or I made an error during the calculation?
so if you call it 4 sets of spokes , why not do the 3rd and 4th set whilebin a true stand . and im sure im gonna be at this forever because im gonna mess up something lol .
