Rebuilding Carbon rims?

[Robbie]

Hi all,

I've got some 50mm carbon tubulars but I fancy a powertap hub - are carbon wheels any harder to build than a normal wheel?

I've never built a wheel before, but am quite patient so am not bothered if it takes me a week to do!

Thoughts?

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

I would advise against making your first build with a carbon rim and an expensive rear hub, and here's why; First off your spoke count is more than likely under 32h, which means there's less margin for error when it comes to trueness and equalized tension. Since your carbon rim is a cheap Chinese or Taiwanese product, the 50mm rim depth is a dead givaway, manufactures suggested max kgf is vitally important, otherwise your at risk of pulling a nipple right through the rim and ruining it if you run the tension too high. You just cannot run as high tension levels with carbon as you can with alloy rims. Have a reputable shop with a decent wheel builder do this rear wheel for you. If you really want to learn how to build wheels, start out with cheap alloy rimmed trainers and higher spoke counts.

 

[Monty Dog]

If you've never built a wheel before I wouldn't start on a carbon rim - deeper rims and fewer, shorter spokes just complicates matters too - adjustments need to be smaller and spoke tension far more even. A decent builder will use a spoke tension meter to ensure spoke tension is even too.

 

[brianf7]

Get an old rear wheel and pul it apart and play with it first then buy a spoke tension gauge $60 from Park tools .

But if you are going to the expence of buying a powertap hub why not get it built into a new rim by a good wheel builder .
It makes sence.