Building My Own Wheelset — First Try

Sun, 10 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Building wheels has always felt like a right of passage. So I ordered the parts and spent a weekend learning.

Parts used
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Component	Model
Rims	DT Swiss RR 411
Hubs	DT Swiss 350
Spokes	Sapim CX-Ray
Nipples	Brass, 14mm

The process
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Lacing: I went with a 3-cross pattern on both wheels. Took about an hour per wheel once I got into a rhythm.
Truing: This is where the patience test begins. First wheel took me 3 hours of micro-adjustments.
Tensioning: Bought a tension meter — worth every cent. Aimed for 120 kgf on the drive side rear.
Stress relieving: Squeezed and flexed each spoke pair. The wheel actually went out of true by about 0.3mm — had to re-true.

Result
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Both wheels ended up within 0.2mm lateral and 0.3mm radial true. Not pro-level, but I’m proud of it. They feel stiff and responsive on the road — and there’s something special about riding on wheels you built yourself.

Bike-Build on

Building My Own Wheelset — First Try

Parts used #

The process #

Result #

Parts used
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The process
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Result
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