How to Build a Bike Wheel: Spoke Prep with Linseed Oil or Wheelsmith SpokePrep

http://thebiketube.com/wheel-building/bicycle-spoke-prep

A vital step in bicycle wheel building is prepping the spokes with some kind of spoke prep.

There are two reasons to prep spokes: 1. Provides lubrication while you are lacing and truing the wheel
2. It becomes like a thread-lock after it the wheel is laced.

You can use prep that is manufactured specifically for wheel building or Linseed Oil. They both work well.

When building a rear wheel where spoke lengths differ, it's important not to mix the spokes. For this reason, Wheelsmith Spokeprep comes as two colors spoke prep. You use one color for the drive side spokes and the other for the non-drive, which helsp keep them separate when you lace the wheel.

Linseed Oil can be found at a local hardware store or Art shop (its used to thin oil paints). The point of spoke prep is to provide some lubrication when lacing and truing the wheel and then to act as a bit of a thread-lock to keep spokes from easily loosening.

Whith spokeprep it's important to not use too much. Dip it just to the threads and then roll the excess off.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• bicycle wheel building
• spokes
• spoke prep
• linseed oil
• wheelsmith spoke prep
• how to build a bicycle wheel
• bike wheel build
• wheel build tutorial
• bike wheel build tutorial

[akacoke]

hi, when it comes to using linseed oil, does it matter if its boiled or non boiled? thanks

[SniPeXBasiKs]

sounds like he said will smith spoke prep XD

[switchback18]

I've never had spokes loosen on any wheels I've built. Lube of some kind is needed to get decent tension, but I've never found that the lube allows the nipples to loosen. I would think that the tension would be a greater force holding the nipples still than the lube could overcome. You'd need a fairly big impact anyway, which may well trash the rim. It seems this way in practice anyway.

So yes, any oil is better than no oil, but to be absolutely sure then spoke prep/linseed is ideal.

[fredzimt]

@rcdevil2

I guess any oil would be better than no lubrication at all. Linseed oil has the additional advantage of locking the spoke nipple after it polymerizates.

But then I'm not sure if that is necessary when you build your wheel with decent spoke tension.

[rcdevil2]

could i just use motor oil or olive oil? if not are there any other alternatives that can be found in my garage or kitchen? thanks,