Wheelbuilding Wheelbuilding Wheelbuilding is the process of assembling wire wheels (generally a bicycle wheel, but including wheelchairs, and some cars). The components of a wire wheel are the rim, spokes, nipples, and hub. The wheelwright must ensure that the wheel is true in two ways: lateral (sideways wobble) and radial (roundness/hop). The wheel also needs to be properly dished if applicable (the left and right sides of the rear wheel differ, the drive-side spokes requiring higher tension). Spokes should have no residual twist (windup) from tightening the nipples. The spokes may be "stress relieved", i.e. subjected to a greater tension during
Bicycle wheel Brass nipples are heavier than aluminum, but they are more durable. Aluminium nipples save weight, but they are less durable than brass and more likely to corrode. A nipple at the rim of a wheel usually protrudes from the rim towards the center of the wheel, but in racing wheels may be internal to the rim, offering a slight aerodynamic advantage. A wheel can be formed in one piece from a material such as thermoplastic (glass-filled nylon in this case), carbon fiber or aluminium alloy. Thermoplastic is commonly used for inexpensive BMX wheels. They have a low maximum tire pressure