Useful Tips to Build your Wheel
When you mount the spokes try to be as accurate as possible, usually I insert the spokes so that only one tread is visible outside of the nipple (See "wheel tensioning instructions" that follow).
1. The spoke holes on the rim are often not centered, they are slightly offset.
If the offset is not zero, you must connect the hole with the flange on the same side.
This is only not true, if you are cross lacing the wheel (we use this type for freestyle) where the hole on one side is connected with the flange of the opposite side.
Do not confuse this cross with the number of spoke crosses we will be doing while building the wheel. ALSO, the holes on the flanges of the hub do line up.
The first pair of spokes should be inserted like in picture no. 1.
IMAGE 1
Looking at the side of the rim, with the valve hole at the top, the first hole on the right of the valve is on the offset to the opposite side of you.
Here you have to insert the first spoke from the opposite flange to the first hole on the right of the valve (See picture no. 2).
NOTE: With this first set of spokes, all spokes will be inserted coming from outside of the wheel.
You must see the head of the spoke on the outside of the flange.
IMAGE 2
Holes on the two flanges are not on the same line. Find the first hole on the flange near you just on the right of the one used for the first spoke. Insert the spoke in this hole and connect it with the first hole on the rim right side from the first spoke. Now you have the first pair of spokes mounted.
IMAGE 3
On the flange opposite of you leave one hole free and move to the second on the right, starting from the first spoke. Insert the spoke from outside and connect it with the third
hole on the rim to right (Leave 2 holes free on the rim).
IMAGE 4
On the flange of your side, do the same. Move to the right to the second hole (one free) and insert the spoke from outside. Connect it to the first hole on the rim moving right side (Five pairs of spokes shown in picture no. 5).
IMAGE 5
Do the same for all other pairs, and at the end you will Have the rim divided by spokes with all spaces for the next crossed spokes.
IMAGE 6
When the first round of spokes is done you have mounted 50% of the spokes. Before you choose the holes to be connected by the next round, you must turn the hub. Looking the valve hole you must turn the hub to clear the area below the valve hole. If you go back to the starting position, you should have the two holes on the right of the valve filled with the first pair of spokes and on the left of the valve the first two holes are empty. Turn the hub CLOCKWISE (picture no. 7).
IMAGE 7
Now count on the flange on your side three spokes going to left. The hole after the third or the fourth spoke is the hole to insert the first cross spoke, coming from inside to outside. Now you move the spoke to the right, going over the first two spokes and under the third. Insert the spoke into the first hole on the left of the valve. The choice of the third or fourth define if you are making a "3 cross" or a "4 cross" wheel, note the length of spokes is different and you have to decide it when you buy the spokes.
IMAGE 8
Now turn the wheel over and find the right position to insert the second spoke of this first pair of cross spokes. Since the wheel has been turned, you have to move to right from the valve, counting three spokes, to find where to insert the spoke (from inside to outside). Go to the one
hole free, but do not forget to go behind the last spoke. You now have the first cross pair done.
IMAGE 9
Now, as you insert the rest of the pairs of cross spokes, it is a good idea to follow the pattern shown in picture 9.
Once the cross spokes are installed, the wheel is fully laced and ready to be tensioned! (See picture no. 10).
IMAGE 10
by Marco Vitale and Kyle Alviani