Airhead spoked wheel lace-up source?

[72828]

Hi Everyone,

As I continue to slowly put this R75/6 back together, one of the final touches will be to address these old, ugly 35-year old wheels.

I have seen a few advertisements for stainless steel lacing but wanted to check with the group regarding exact execution.

Are there recommended sources for wheel building? When it's time, do I cut the spokes off and send the hub only and have the rebuilding company source both the spokes and rims?

Thanks for any and all help.

Marley

[20774]

Would you ever consider doing it yourself? There's a website that addresses the approach to lacing a wheel (it might be more focused on /2 wheels but probably still applies) as well places that will sell you the spokes. The tricky part is to ensure the proper offset in the hub relative to the rim and then to true the rim when done.

[vanzen]

Lacing a wheel is pretty straightforward business, and fairly easily accomplished.

Truing a spoked wheel, on the other hand, can be both frustrating and time intensive for the novice ...
but it can be done.

I am fortunate to have a local source for spoke wheel truing,
and will lace a wheel myself, then deliver the assembly to him for truing.
Unfortunately, finding persons experienced at truing a wheel, and, in fact,
anyone willing to true a spoked wheel is getting to be a rare thing.

Having said all of that, I will be having some custom (non stock sizes) tubeless spoked wheels built for my Lufthaupt Projekt by Woodys Wheel Works (http://www.woodyswheelworks.com/bmw.shtml) –
I did my homework and found Woody to be highly regarded in our BMW community, have corresponded with him,
and am ready to send hubs & rims – as soon as I have the cash to make it all happen.

I have found that if NEW spokes are on the agenda anyway –
cutting the old ones to separate hub & rim is the 'path of least resistance'.

[47512]

I have refinished and relaced wheels for the vintage bike group for many years, I do bicycle wheels as well. Lacing BMW wheels are easy as all the spokes are straight you don't have to figure out the pattern, cross 2 cross 3 etc. I'm in California alittle too far away. I buy spokes from Buchanan spoke & rim in LA. Check out their web site, They have stainless spoke kits allready made up for your bike.

Are your rims damaged? If not they polish up very nice. If you need to replace the rims Excel makes rims that look simular to the stock rims for less money.
The stock Weinimann rims can be quite expensive when you can find them, save yours if you can.

Ken G.

[308nut]

Hi Everyone,

As I continue to slowly put this R75/6 back together, one of the final touches will be to address these old, ugly 35-year old wheels.

I have seen a few advertisements for stainless steel lacing but wanted to check with the group regarding exact execution.

Are there recommended sources for wheel building? When it's time, do I cut the spokes off and send the hub only and have the rebuilding company source both the spokes and rims?

Thanks for any and all help.

Marley



Hi Marley, check out my post in Member Oppurtunities, we can help you with your wheel needs.


Wade

[Bill Burke]

http://www.buchananspokes.net/categories/index.asp

[swall]

47512 brings up an excellent point--inspect the rims for damage (i.e. dings, dents) before you go any further.