My first wheel building experience ended up as an un-rideable, egg shaped front wheel that wouldn't fit through the fork legs of my BMX bike. It took my dad hours to fix what I'd tried to accomplish that day.... I was 12 years old.
A few years later I would find myself working at the local bike shop. Fortunately for me, not only was the head mechanic (Rick) an incredibly good wrench, he was also a great teacher. Rick taught me everything he knew about wheels and I was eager to apply what I'd learned. Over the next year or so, Rick would let me build some wheels as he stood over my shoulder closely monitoring every twist and turn of the spoke wrench. I'd come a long way from my first attempt and after a dozen or so wheel builds I was on my own.
Countless wheels and years later I would find myself building wheels for riders on the Navigators Pro Road cycling team and Kurt Sourbeer who at the time was one of the fastest (and heaviest) downhillers on the planet in the Vet class.
I take great pride in my wheel builds. Spokes get prepped with a thread locking agent. Everything is pre-stressed to eliminate the need for things to "break-in". Spokes are brought up to tension nice and slow to ensure a good overall even tension throughout the wheel.
A few years later I would find myself working at the local bike shop. Fortunately for me, not only was the head mechanic (Rick) an incredibly good wrench, he was also a great teacher. Rick taught me everything he knew about wheels and I was eager to apply what I'd learned. Over the next year or so, Rick would let me build some wheels as he stood over my shoulder closely monitoring every twist and turn of the spoke wrench. I'd come a long way from my first attempt and after a dozen or so wheel builds I was on my own.
Countless wheels and years later I would find myself building wheels for riders on the Navigators Pro Road cycling team and Kurt Sourbeer who at the time was one of the fastest (and heaviest) downhillers on the planet in the Vet class.
I take great pride in my wheel builds. Spokes get prepped with a thread locking agent. Everything is pre-stressed to eliminate the need for things to "break-in". Spokes are brought up to tension nice and slow to ensure a good overall even tension throughout the wheel.
