On the eve of this very non-commercial weekend (Easter 2017) let’s reflect on a personal aspect of wheel building. Much time is spent on performance, component options, tension strategy, and rider relations but building wheels is more a lifestyle than economic choice.

For many, the atelier (workshop of an artisan) is home. Wheel building succeeds in no space at all (think, back seat of a support vehicle) but for most their atelier is a spiritual place. So much time spent deep in the maize of tension and trueness, work space is an integral part of the process.

Here you share aesthetics and design priorities with visitors. There is no one way to do it, each of us is different, but every thoughtful wheel building space meets needs we all share: simplicity, tools at hand, tranquility. While building is a straightforward engineering process, the work is largely cerebral. The atelier is both a stage and a tool.

I’ll never tire of other wheel builders’ spaces and can’t help but fantasize what work there might feel like. One such belongs to Olivier Lambert whose “Roues d’Olive” is deep in the Swiss Alps in the picturesque town of Fully.

Village below, riding above!

Just imagine the challenging and spectacular scenery he enjoys year around! And when it’s time to work, the atelier provides a serene, almost film set-like tranquility that must help calm one down after a lively dirt session!

Tidy, simple, quite nice.

Rim decals are clever, initials with topographic lines.

Lacing often involves ingenuity as there’s precious little available on which many builders agree. Olivier has a nice desktop cutout to support the rim. A camera tripod provides a steady, adjustable hub support. Good idea!

Upholstered and professional.

For some, an ideal atelier includes a dog bed or headphones to block out industrial noise. Lucky to live in a riding paradise. May customers find you (but not to the point there’s no time to ride)!

[all images courtesy of Olivier Lambert]

Start a blog! The number out there is well past the point of discouragement. Like a micro-organism in the ocean, just do your thing!

Justin VanAlstyne is adding to his wheel building skills, acquired a P&K truing stand, and shares it with us in one of his first posts. You don’t need to be a 30yr veteran to be a keen observer, capture amazing images, and produce a good read.

Please check it out. Like Spring flowers that now grace so many hills (north hemisphere 2017!) the blue P&K is a masterpiece of high craft, blossoming with care to detail and passion for wheel building.

Thanks, Justin!

Triumph of Collaboration
PBMA continues to gain members, supporters and influence. So great to see mechanics network like never before, debate important issues, and clearly begin to gain in stature and resources. Both the FB page and the organization are open for applications and eager to share the growing list of benefits.

Another great mechanic story hails from Rwanda where the National Cycling Center is taking shape.

From ashes to elite cycling in a decade.

Read more →