Urgent help needed please

[djgivvinup]

Badly in need of some advice...i took a set of used Araya 7x rims & Sunshine hubs to Halfrauds to get em new spokes & relaced ready to fit to my 82 team pro.
Its turning into a complete nightmare so i need someones knowledge of wheel building to be able to get em to sort it out..


Rims are Red Araya 7x used but in very nice condition not buckled at all
Hubs are red Sunshine, front is high flange, rear is low flange(with threads for freewheels on both sides)
I want stainless steel spokes fitted.

Here's the questions....
What size spokes should be fitted?
What size do BMX spokes come in?
Which brand spokes would be best? (Halfrauds told me they only use DT Swiss spokes)
How much should i expect to pay for 72 spokes?
Which lacing pattern should be used?
Is it correct to have 2 different lacing patterns for front & rear?

As you can probably guess from the questions i need answering i'm getting messed around by Halfords so any help is greatly appreciated 

Cheers..

[Gashead]

The DT swiss spokes are correct mate - you can get them from Alans - nipples too


http://www.alansbmx.com/index.php?cPath=116_120


Give Alans a call as they are good for advice - may even be woth getting them to build - You may also need different size spokes as you are usinf different hubs !

Best give Stidds a PM - he is the daddy at wheel buiding on here   


 


Nick

[MartyC]

Never, Never, Never, EVER take anything like a bike or parts to Halfrauds to repair or do any work on.  A blind man would generally do a better job of it.  They employ people who know NOTHING about bikes let alone what spanners are used for.

Take it to a real bike shop, even if you have to drive a few miles to get there.  Where are you based, we may be abe to suggest a few for you  .

[djgivvinup]

Cheers for the replies 
i am already regretting taking them to Halfrauds 

I've got a few more questions for ya..

Are the DT Swiss spokes gonna be anywhere near era correct? (they've got the DT stamped on the end of the spoke at the hub end)
Because the hubs are high front & low rear should they have different spoke lengths?
Should both wheels be laced in the same pattern?

Cheers..

btw MartyC im based in Norwich 

[MartyC]

Cheers for the replies 
i am already regretting taking them to Halfrauds 

I've got a few more questions for ya..

Are the DT Swiss spokes gonna be anywhere near era correct? (they've got the DT stamped on the end of the spoke at the hub end)
Because the hubs are high front & low rear should they have different spoke lengths?
Should both wheels be laced in the same pattern?

Cheers..

btw MartyC im based in Norwich 

There's a few guys not far that area that should be able to let you know where's good 

DT spokes are 100% era correct 

[Gashead]

DT Swiss will pass the test mate  

Length and pattern - PM Stidds or

http://www.radbmx.co.uk/forum/index.php'topic=1344.0

Nick

[djgivvinup]

Thanks again for the replies..

As it stands with Halfrauds they still have the rims & hubs etc.. I was told they would be ready a few days ago, then i was told they needed to order the spokes in, then they found some spokes so one of the lads started building them.
I saw the wheels today, he has nearly finished lacing the rear, but also managed to put a new scratch on the rim 
I asked him if he had 2 different lengths of spokes for the front & rear because of the high & low flange hubs & he told me that he was going to use the same length spokes but lace one wheel in 3x & one in 4x.  That didn't sound right to me 
He also happened to mention that he taught himself to build wheels & that the manager was actually the master wheel builder.
After which i told him to stop work on them & get the manager.  & would you adam & eve it, its the managers day off 
I left it at that & insisted that the manager call me first thing in the morning.

So i'm expecting the call in the morning & i wanna be able to tell him which lacing pattern it should be & whether the spoke lengths need to be different.  Rather than let him tell me what it should be.

Hope that all makes sense 

[pickle]

tell him that you will pick the rims and hubs up tomorrow and want compensation for the scratched rims!  as Marty says..NEVER EVER! take anything to Halfrauds...they suck!

go to any good local bike shop, i think you have Pauls Cycles in Norwich...they should be able to do the job for you 

[HEYWOOD BMX]

  Halfrauds are a total joke.They keep advertising there BikeHut stores as staffed by qualified mechanics.I went to my local store to try & buy some 20x1.75 tyres,only to be told that nobody manufactures tyres in this size! They`ve also told me that you can`t get 1 1/8 aheadsets for BMX-total bull!

                James

[MartyC]

Halfrauds are a total joke.They keep advertising there BikeHut stores as staffed by qualified mechanics.I went to my local store to try & buy some 20x1.75 tyres,only to be told that nobody manufactures tyres in this size! They`ve also told me that you can`t get 1 1/8 aheadsets for BMX-total bull!

                James

Once got told BMX's only come in 20 inch wheel size, I pointed at the 16 inch wheel BMX we were standing next to and asked what's that then and opened the Halfrauds catalogue he'd just given me and pointed at the GT 24's in there and asked what they were  .  Pay peanuts you get monkeys  .

[djgivvinup]

You're filling me full of confidence here lads   

[davie1967]

Relax m8.  if u want a sat nav unit your ok. anythin else forget it..

[TwoBobRob]

Strikey - it's not the end of the world having a x3 wheel and a x4.  It probably would allow him to use the same size spokes, which would benefit you in the future.

But, I would take the others advice and get your stuff outta there.  Do a bit of homework and build them yourself. The information is around, I'd bet on this forum as it happens.  Take your time and you can do no worries   

[stidds]

Strikey

If you want any information on wheel building etc give me a pm.  I will help whatever way I can.  If Halfrauds keep p*ssing about, get the rims and hubs back, ask for your ££ back (if you have paid) and send them to me, I will do the calculations, get the spokes, build them up and send them back to you. 

All you have to pay is the postage and the cost of the spokes.

[djgivvinup]

Thanks for all the replies, all much appreciated...Stidds you're a diamond mate    If they tits it up once more you'll be getting a call, this is Halfrauds last chance.

Heres an update on the saga...

I spoke to the manager of the cycle dept this morning & told him that i was very unhappy with the situation.
I explained that the rear rim has already been scratched & the guy who was building the wheels is useless..

The manager told me he has already ordered spokes for the wheels in 2 different sizes because of the high & low flanges & is awaiting their arrival. The spokes on order are DT Swiss competition spokes (double butted?) are they era correct for an 82 Team Pro?
The other guy apparently found some spokes which he thought would fit & took it upon himself to start building the wheels 
The rear wheel which he scratched the rim of is virtually all laced, i was told this morning that the spokes he used are the wrong size so that needs unlacing & relacing with the correct size 


To cut a very long story short, basically they have completely cock-a-doodle-doed it up! 

It ended with me telling the manager that i want them laced exactly as they were when they were new, so all the marks on the hubs from the factory building of them are covered.
I want the same lacing pattern as when new, i don't want anymore scratches on the rims, i want the manager himself to build them & i won't be paying anywhere near full price for the spokes or the build.

he assured me that was all fine & as soon as the spokes arrive he would build them & sort everything out.

Can't wait for the outcome now 

[motomagII]

hey sean any tips on how to build wheel without scratching the rims when putting the spokes in as i always seem to scratch them even though i try being really careful greg

[stidds]

That sounds cool Strikey, give them another go, if you are not 100% happy, tell them and send them to me.  DT Swiss spokes are superb by the way.


Greg, the trick to not scratching the rims with the threaded end of the spoke is simply to bend the spoke mate, too many people are worried about bending spokes.  Bend the spoke enough to clear the rim and sit above the hole and then bend it back to put it through the hole and put the nipple on.  When tensioning the nipple and trueing the wheel the spoke will bend perfectly straight again.

[motomagII]

just built 2 wheels  that i stripped and polished up bit and spoked then last night again i have some spoke scratches to polish out once ive trued then.its harder to polish then though.got the wheel build sorted pretty much only went wrong once and had to strip the rear half built .glad they werent annodised with the scratches i put on em but hey we all have to learn and start somewhere .