# Wheel building



## rbgolf01 (Jan 3, 2015)

so I have a brand new Schwinn never laced new old stock set of rims(wow that's a mouthful) . I picked them up a long time ago .I'm now rebuilding a frameset to include them. they are cream with the maroon pinstripe. I want to have them laced with a sturmey archer 2 speed kickback rear  and a high flange front.i would like to maintain original type or style nipples and spokes but don't really know what I should use?. im thinking from the serial number search it appears to be about a 1952 ballon tire.


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## pedal4416 (Jan 3, 2015)

Nice rims! I don't think they are schwinn but they will look great. The closest looking to the original spokes would be wheel smith double butted spokes wth a 16mm nipple. Originsl spokes are hard to find, but you may be able to locate some torrington nipples to use with newer spokes. Don't go with the new CAD-chrome plated spokes, they eventually flake and look like crap.


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## Duck (Jan 3, 2015)

5/8" spoke nuts w/ sticks. Spoke length will  vary w/ hubs used. Schwinn used a 4X  stick lacing configuration...


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## rustjunkie (Jan 3, 2015)

Wheelsmith double-butted. Straight gauge...unseemly: look like sticks.


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## pedal4416 (Jan 3, 2015)

rbgolf01, will you be building the wheels your self? Schwinn laced a little different than how some people learned to build wheels. If you need any advice, photos, or pointers let me/us know. 

What color are you painting the frame?


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## rbgolf01 (Jan 3, 2015)

pedal4416 said:


> rbgolf01, will you be building the wheels your self? Schwinn laced a little different than how some people learned to build wheels. If you need any advice, photos, or pointers let me/us know.
> 
> What color are you painting the frame?



 well looking at either  red or maroon and  then ivory and getting some stencils to replicate the original look.i think the attached picture has the right pattern that is was when I found the frame.
im not building the wheels , but am looking to a shop or place to send them.when I bought the rims from a 

guy in Cape Cod when I lived there and they even had old yellowed schwinn paper wrapped around them when I got them.


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## Duck (Jan 3, 2015)

rustjunkie said:


> Wheelsmith double-butted. Straight gauge...unseemly: look like sticks.



 Don't use sticks.


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## rustjunkie (Jan 3, 2015)

Duck said:


> Not that I've seem them all, but the majority of S-2's I've seen over the years were laced with straight gauge spokes...




B-6, Phantom, Panther + +,...seems to me that the majority of 1940-1960s Schwinns used double butted spokes.


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## Duck (Jan 3, 2015)

rustjunkie said:


> B-6, Phantom, Panther + +,...seems to me that the majority of 1940-1960s Schwinns used double butted spokes.



  *** Or do like everyone else suggests. ***


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## Ozark Flyer (Jan 4, 2015)

Nice DX frame and hoops.  They will make a very cool Klunker build.  The dark maroon would look good with those cream hoops.  Rustjunkie is right that the double butted spokes were the standard spoke of the period but (having several respoked wheels in inventory) you have to look closely to tell the difference.  I have a large bundle of NOS CAD plated Torrington dbl butted spokes for my "proper" builds but for a Klunker my preference would be a stainless straight gauge or even better a heavy duty .105 straight gauge spoke like used on tandems or the 80's Cruiser and Spitfire 5's.  Indistructable...almost.  Great project.  Like Duck said, it's your money and your choice.  Im sure you will have fun with it.  Keep us posted.


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## spoker (Jan 4, 2015)

there is only one post here that is pissy,all the heavyweights for sure used double butted spokes,must be some load factor deal,i dont often do og bikes anymore so i buff off the chrome on the npples,polished brass nips really add some nice contrast,hope this wasnt 2 pissy for ya,AJ


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## Freqman1 (Jan 4, 2015)

All of my original Phantoms have double butted spokes as well as all of the ballooner Schwinns I've owned. Just my observation. V/r Shawn


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## Nickinator (Jan 4, 2015)

Does anyone have a pic of the differences between the double butted and straight gauge spoke? I am clueless about it.
If it wasn't so dang cold I'd go outside and look (the Schwinns are relegated to the shed & garage  )

Darcie


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## Freqman1 (Jan 4, 2015)

This should explain it. V/r Shawn

http://www.wheelbuilder.com/spoke-information.html


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## Duck (Jan 4, 2015)

The double butted are wider on each end than in the middle, while the other's looks like sticks...


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## Nickinator (Jan 4, 2015)

OK got it, thx- good pics on the Wheel Builder site.


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## Lux Low (Jan 4, 2015)

So you want to build wheels, Search the interwebs for a a how to video to measure hubs, you will need caliper , maybe a ruler to measure, there are web pages with spoke calculators and apps for your phone, so figure out spoke length, most 26 inch wheels are 269 mm cross 4, with the hubs your using i would suggest measuring, as i am unsure how they measure up to all the rest. we are now a wheelsmith dealer and pretty sure we posted *Competitive Spoke prices in our ebay store*.


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## Duck (Jan 4, 2015)

View attachment 189136 This was done w/ straight gauge spokes...


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## rbgolf01 (Jan 4, 2015)

Lux Low said:


> So you want to build wheels, Search the interwebs for a a how to video to measure hubs, you will need caliper , maybe a ruler to measure, there are web pages with spoke calculators and apps for your phone, so figure out spoke length, most 26 inch wheels are 269 mm cross 4, with the hubs your using i would suggest measuring, as i am unsure how they measure up to all the rest. we are now a wheelsmith dealer and pretty sure we posted *Competitive Spoke prices in our ebay store*.




so do you do wheel building if I send you the parts I have ?


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## Freqman1 (Jan 4, 2015)

rbgolf01 said:


> so do you do wheel building if I send you the parts I have ?




Not to try and take business away but you might want to try your local bike shop (LBS) before you incur the cost of shipping as well as the cost of the build. V/r Shawn


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## rustjunkie (Jan 4, 2015)

diy:

http://sheldonbrown.com/wheelbuild.html


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## rbgolf01 (Jan 4, 2015)

Ozark Flyer said:


> Nice DX frame and hoops.  They will make a very cool Klunker build.  The dark maroon would look good with those cream hoops.  Rustjunkie is right that the double butted spokes were the standard spoke of the period but (having several respoked wheels in inventory) you have to look closely to tell the difference.  I have a large bundle of NOS CAD plated Torrington dbl butted spokes for my "proper" builds but for a Klunker my preference would be a stainless straight gauge or even better a heavy duty .105 straight gauge spoke like used on tandems or the 80's Cruiser and Spitfire 5's.  Indistructable...almost.  Great project.  Like Duck said, it's your money and your choice.  Im sure you will have fun with it.  Keep us posted.




so iam doing a klunker flavor to the rebuild, so I am thinking the double butted spokes  as i read the responses here. its a not going be klunking just a little street riding for fun rides and a wall hanger along side my Gary Fisher Klunker.


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## pedal4416 (Jan 4, 2015)

Luxlow, Myself, Or your local bike shop will do a great job, but nothing beats riding a wheelset you built yourself!!!! Lots of info online, and we on the cabe can walk you through some of it if you get hung up. If your doing a klunker build and not too concerned with "period correct" straight gauge stainless are just fine and less expensive, but the look of double butted is very sexy!


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## Ozark Flyer (Jan 4, 2015)

I have one nice set of 36 in the classified section now.  Give me a shout and I can probably hook you up with another if needed.

Sorry for the shameless plug.


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## GenuineRides (Jan 4, 2015)

FYI - Double butted modern stainless can be found here

http://www.wheelfanatyk.com/store/butted-14g-spokes/


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## pedal4416 (Jan 4, 2015)

Wheel fanatyk is he lowest price for Wheelsmiyh spokes. He's able to sell them for less than most dealers pay for them because he used to own Wheelsmith. The lowest right now I'm able to go is .90¢ per double butted spoke-right now...Soon to be less expensive. And remember Wheelsmith spokes do not come with nipples unless the dealer supplies them!


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