20 Wheel Building Dos & Don’ts

Well, twenty four actually, but I’ve paired some up:

1. DO begin with the finished article in mind;
2. DO be a competent amateur bicycle mechanic in the first place;
3. DO read all that you can, at least twice;
4. DON’T listen to well-intentioned idiots on web forums;
5. DO make up your own mind about the various wheel building myths;
6. DON’T get distracted by non-standard wheel configurations to start with;
7. DO know the real value of components;
8. DON’T confuse cost with quality, nor cheapness with value;
9. DON’T take the reviews in the cycling press at face value;
10. DO decide what you are prepared to pay for each part and stick to it rigidly;
11. DO haggle, directly but politely, but DON’T be afraid to walk away;
12. DO be prepared to miss out on a deal, there will be another along soon;
13. DON’T pay over the odds just because a required item is scarce;
14. DO search out discontinued products that have simply been rebranded;
15. DO be prepared to sell your old wheels to offset against the cost of the new;
16. DO use the proper tools and work in a quiet place, free from distractions;
17. DO have a drink, but DON’T get sloshed;
18. DON’T try to finish a wheel in one sitting: DO know when to walk away;
19. DON’T expect to get it 100% right first time and DO be prepared to retrace several steps when you make a mistake (and you probably will!);
20. DO expect to ultimately finish up with better wheels at a lower price than you will get almost anywhere else!

A final word, courtesy of Her Majesty’s SAS: “Proper Planning & Preparation Prevents Piss-Poor Performance”!