The Bicycle Wheel

The Bicycle Wheel is a book for every cyclist from novice rider to experienced wheel builder going beyond the most commonly asked questions. This volume answers questions such as: Should I use low- or high-flanged hubs for touring Should I spoke crossed-four or crossed-three? Are radially spoked wheels stiffer than crossed-four? How can I build a 32-spoke crossed-two wheel? Should I use butted or straight sookes? Does tying and soldering give a rough ride? Based on years of experience the author has divided the book into three parts. Part One Theory explains how wheels respond to loads. It discusses the merits of various designs and components and explains what causes failures. Part Two Practice gives a step-by-step guide for building front and rear wheels and wheels with different patterns and numbers of spokes. Part Three Data contains test results and formulas for computing spoke lengths and other wheel dimensions.