From the wooded mountains of northern Slovenia come some of cycling’s most impressive tools. Unior (from Slovenian for “universal tools”) has been crafting hand tools in Zreče since 1919. They sponsor many professional teams, including (for 2019) Ineos (the legendary Sky of TdF fame), Aevolo, Segafredo, Movistar, DeVinci, Commencal, and Deceunink/Quick-Step; plus illustrious US mechanics Vince Gee and Win Allen.

Their dishing tool is completely unique—a bent steel tube with two large polymer disks and central indicator.There is no single Best Dishing Tool, regardless of budget. Everyone has a favorite and most of us own several. Unior is certainly World’s Strongest, a deeply chromed and thick wall tube is burley enough to be a DH handlebar. The black disks touch a wheel rim’s side and easily reach past mounted tires.Once handled, it’s hard to beat the all-around durability, versatility, and simplicity. It weighs almost 2lbs (850g), the rim disks cannot fall off the tube, and you can use it with confidence to keep paparazzi at bay.

There are no templates for success with a craft like wheel building, each of us creates a personal system unique to our situation. Since we never finish honing the craft, it pays to study other builders who are willing to share.

Rich Lesnik, master builder at Rivendell.

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Among excellent makers of allen wrenches (think: Bondus, Allen, PBSwiss, Pedro’s, Park, Wihus, and others) only one has addressed engagement geometry like external socket wrenches have.

Hex screw on left. Allen screw on right.

Historically, allen screws arose for embedded fasteners. The wrench inserts into a fastener rather than surrounding it. But the hexagonal interfaces have similar limits. In order to transmit maximum torque to a fastener without deformation drive shape was devised for external sockets, often known as “flank drive.” That name belongs to Snap-On, a socket drive pioneer but you’ll find such drive geometry everywhere today. Read more →

We are changing indicators and dropping the price of our digital tensiometers. No reduction in accuracy! This change is an opportunity but necessary as the previous indicator was discontinued, replaced with one unsuitable to our tool.

The answer was to go with a lighter more compact indicator without a rotating bezel. Now (Jan 2019) our digital tool with EVA case is $248 (from $310) and with Nanuk case, $278 (from $340).

Rugged, compact, handsome.

The battery is still a longlasting 2032. For tensiometer nerds, here are 2 big advantages besides price.

• The “zero” button gives an instantaneous response with a very light touch, and
• The display offers two decimal places (0.o1mm) which eliminates the shaky, constantly changing third place that’s of no value in tension measurement.

For data output, besides manually transferring readings, a dedicated cable with foot pedal is available. The new system is entirely compatible the spokeservice.ca tension utility.

Meanwhile, please enjoy the savings and do your level best to be a true Tension Detective!

To build a wheel you must measure your hub and rim to determine spoke length. The better your measurements, the more accurate the spoke length prediction. Here’s a tool to make that easier.

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Here is a definitive anti-friction, anti-vibration treatment for spoke threads. Apply to clean threads like paint. Allow to dry, then build and ride, reaping benefits beyond the reach of other products.

Why FIX?

• Richer in PTFE (aka, Teflon) providing unmatched friction reduction especially important for thin spokes and high tension. Less friction = less windup = more accuracy = less effort = faster builds = better wheels.
• When dried, its rubbery texture is less crusty.
• Anti-vibration thread friction is very low but permanent even after adjustments.
• No ammonia—better for nose and environment. Water based.
• Easy to speed cure with a heat gun.
• Compatible with all lubes needed between nipple and rim and to resist nipple surface corrosion.

Available in 15, 30, and 60ml bottles with instructions. For OE quantities, please inquire. 15ml fixes about 75 wheels, 30ml~150 wheels, and 60ml~300. Each bottle comes with a handy York tip that, if clogged, can be easily cleared with a spoke. We use LPDE extra soft bottles for easy dispensing.

Each experienced builder prefers a particular spoke thread treatment. For many, FIX is the hands-down best and yields the most luxurious and effective building experience. Imagine nipple adjustment at high tension with a smooth, almost hydraulic feeling.

High performance and heavily used bicycle wheels need nipple thread treatments. Here are some popular thread solutions and considerations.

For many experienced users. pro’s outweigh the con’s for each of these methods, There is certainly no best way to address the challenges of corrosion resist, building friction, and vibration loosening. If you, like me, prefer FIX, then you are willing to master its application so it does not add excess time. It offers the pleasure of super low thread friction, compatibility with any lubrication before or during the build. Once you have been spoiled, it’s hard to go back to any other thread treatment.

The chart below shows the relationship between nipple friction and spoke tension. For the sake of discussion, only 3 curves are showed— a FIX coated thread, an oiled thread, and an oiled and Loctite treated thread. Granted, this chart is not literal but it’s meant to convey a relationship.

A wheel needs some (hopefully small) friction at zero tension to resist vibration induced loosening. However friction should be as low as possible in the rest of the tension range, especially the tensions encountered in building.

You can see how a FIX treated wheel would be a delight to build and easy to adjust even at finished tensions. I trust your choice for wheelbuilding thread treatment, but maybe it’s time you tried another idea!

Click here to download a users guide.

As a tensiometer maker, there is no such thing as “too precise.” In that quest, we’re constantly improving various elements of our design and process.

The past year has brought better calibration fixtures, instruments, and insight. So here is a new chart that applies to all dial tensiometers and digital models including Mitutoyo and IPIC.

The first Wheel Fanatyk design (known as “Original”) does not share this new chart; neither do similar models such as those by FSA and Avocet.

The Original Wheel Fanatyk tensiometer

FSA’s model

The tension visualizer utility by SpokeService.ca has been updated to show these new calibrations. Most importantly, we have better precision throughout the range of spokes and tensions. We’ve also added 1.65mm spokes, made popular by Sapim’s D-light.

Download a pdf copy of the chart here. Enjoy precision!

You’re building along when a nipple runs out of spoke thread. You feel an increase in friction as unthreaded spoke shaft encounters nipple threads. This can occur with a slightly too long spoke (or too small rim). What to do? Consider turning the nipple further into this stiff zone. Why?

1/  Nipples are softer metal (brass and aluminum) than spokes (steel) and their threads yield with minimal resistance. Also, spoke thread is rolled so peaks are above the spoke surface and valleys, below. When the nipple encounters the spoke shaft, only 1/2 of its thread must yield; far less interference than between two machined threads.

2/  Spoke threading, as with most thread forms, carries the entire tension load on 3 or 4 threads. The rest are available but not load bearing. Driving a nipple down a spoke a few turns past threading has inconsequential effect on load carrying capacity.

3/  Testing shows that nipples support spoke threads. When a few spoke threads are not engaged and when the spoke endures riding induced load cycles, fracture can occur in those empty threads. Full engagement increases spoke fatigue life for thread fracture. It would be an enlightened building strategy that forced all nipples to be turned further so no spoke threads were empty.

Another option is making only 6mm of thread on your spoke so that when it comes flush with the nipple top, spoke threads are entirely embedded in the nipple—a great way to increase fatigue life.

4/  A nipple driven further down a spoke develops friction that helps prevent vibration induced loosening, a good outcome for any hard-used wheel.

Beware of excess spoke protruding from the nipple inside the rim, it may interfere with the tire. Otherwise, please remember the possible benefits of tightening nipples past the spoke threads. Not all bad, in fact, there are some interesting benefits.

2cm wide, scaled for up to 320mm spokes

Now is a good time to introduce a new product, a better spoke ruler than any before. This ruler is by Pi Spokes, a very interesting project of which you will hear more in the future.

J-bend side

Features:

1/  At long last, a ruler marked in 0.5mm increments. These finer increments are easy to read (or ignore). Let’s face it, spokes are not all made exactly to whole millimeter lengths. Builders deserve to round up or down with complete accuracy. Spoke machines like our Morizumi can also cut precisely to 0.5mm so a finely graduated ruler is perfect.

Know your lengths!

2/  The spoke lies in a groove below the scale so the issue of visual parallax is minimized. Lengths can be more quickly established, even in poor light.

3/  One side is for J-bend elbows, the other for straight pull. The ruler is made of highest grade aluminum, scale is permanently laser etched over bright purple anodizing. Price is $20.

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.

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