MINOURA WHEEL ASSEMBLY KIT User manual

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The Complete Kit
for Wheel Assembling and Truing
“WHEEL ASSEMBLY KIT”
Instruction Manual
MADE IN JAPAN

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CONTENTS
ASSEMBLING BICYCLE WHEELS
CAUTION
REQUIRED TOOLS AND PARTS
• ABOUT COMPONENTS
RIM
SPOKE
NIPPLE
HUB
• BEFORE YOUR WORK
• HOW TO ASSEMBLE WHEELS
CHECK THE RIM
CHECK THE HUB
INSERT TO THE HUB
FIRST SETTING
SECOND SETTING
COMPLETE SECOND SETTING
SWIRL SPOKES
THIRD SETTING
FINAL SETTING
• TENSIONING SPOKES
ABOUT SPECIAL TENSIONING OF
THE REAR WHEEL
TENSION RIGHT SIDE SPOKES
• HOW TO FIX SIDE SHAKING
• HOW TO FIX VERTICAL SHAK-
ING
WHEEL TRUING STAND
(Workman Pro)
• PURPOSE
• COMPONENTS
ARMS
GAUGE FOR VERTICAL SHAKING
GAUGE FOR SIDE SHAKING
• HOW TO OPEN
• HOW TO FOLD
RIM CENTERING GAUGE
(FCG-300)
• PURPOSE
• HOW TO OPEN
• HOW TO CLOSE
• HOW TO USE
SPOKE WRENCH (NW-100)
• PURPOSE
• HOW TO USE
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ASSEMBLING BICYCLE WHEELS
Thank you for purchasing Minoura “WHEELASSEM-
BLY KIT”.
This kit includes three kinds of tools that you will need
when you build or adjust your bicycle’s wheels; a wheel
truing stand, a wheel centering gauge and a spoke
wrench.
With the process to build a new bicycle wheel by your-
self, you can save money rather than buying the com-
plete wheel at a shop. Because you don’t need to pay
extra charge for anyone to build it in his factory. You
also can increase your bicycle repair skills and change
your bicycle much better than ever before.
Please read this instructions carefully before use, and
get a knowledge about bicycle wheels. We hope you
will get good skills with our “WHEELASSEMBLY
KIT”.
IMPORTANT NOTE
The following instructions are just a sample way
we took. So you need to understand that you
should use another approach when you build a
different wheel.
In this instructions, we picked up a rear wheel
with 36-spoke for MTB.
We don’t explain in this instructions about the front
wheel and composite wheel.
Also you should understand that carbon or alloy
made composite wheels cannot be repaired or
trued.
§ REQUIRED TOOLS AND PARTS
You have to prepare the following tools and parts be-
fore your work;
• Rim
• Spokes
• Hub
• Nipples
• Quick Release Skewer
• Vibyl Tape
• Rags
• Acetone
The following items will help your work;
• Nipple driver or small flat screwdriver
• Spoke tension meter
• Plastic hammer
• Small bowl or box for nipples
• Lubricant
ABOUT COMPONENTS
§ RIM
In this instructions, we use a light alloy rim with 36
holes. Please check the following points.
DIAMETER
Check the diameter of the rim.
Rim should be correct fit for your tire. You cannot use
the wrong one.
There are some common rim sizes for bicycles in the
market, for example 26, 27-inch and 700C. If you al-
ready have tires, you should make sure of the diameter
of your tires before going to the shop.
SPOKE HOLES
Check the number of the spoke holes on the
rims.
We usually use a rim for bicycles which has 36 spoke
holes. However some choose another rim which has 32
or less holes, for example for the front wheel of road
bikes.
And check the rim has eyelets which will reinforce the
spoke holes.
VALVE STEM HOLE
Check the size of the valve stem hole.
You should look for the valve hole on the rim surface.
BothAmerican and English style valves require a larger
valve stem hole, but French style valve needs a narrow
hole.
SECTIONAL SHAPE
Check the sectional shape of the rim to fit for
your tire.

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Most road bikes usually use tubeless tires which are fixed
by rubber glue, so it requires flat sectional shape.
However most MTB usually require the rim with ordi-
nary tube which has shoulders inside to hold the tire
bead.
Wrong sized rim, too narrow or too wide, can cause the
tire to come off or be punctured easily. So you should
ask to your local shop about the combination of the rim
and the tire, and choose the correct size.
MATERIAL
Check the material of the rims.
There are many kinds of material for the rims in the
market; light alloy, stainless steel, chrome plated steel
or carbon. They have their own benefits, but they also
have their own problems.
If you will use the wheel only for race, you can choose
a light weight one. But if you will use the wheel every-
day, you should take strength rather than weight.
In this instructions, we choose a light alloy rim, because
it is light weight enough and durable and has a reason-
able price.
DISTORTION
Check the distortion of the rim.
At first, place the rim on a flat table, and next, push
down the edge with your fingers. If the other side has
raised up more than 5mm, the rim is bad. You should
exchange it for a better one. It is the most important
thing when you buy a rim at a shop. Because it is diffi-
cult to fix the distortion of the rim will keep its own
shape.
§SPOKE
In this instructions, we use 36 pieces of 14-gauge non-
butted 265mm stainless steel spokes. Please check the
following things.
MATERIAL
Check the material of the spokes.
There are various kinds of materials for spokes in the
market; stainless steel, chrome plated steel or titanium.
They have their own benefits, and also they have their
own problems.
Titanium spokes are very light weight, but they can be
broken easily by sudden force. Chrome plated steel
spokes are cheap, but they will rust easily.
You should choose the material with your own pur-
pose.
We use stainless steel spokes because it is cheaper than
titanium, and its has enough strength.
SHAPE
Check the shape of the spokes.
There are two kinds of its style; straight and swaged.
We usually use swaged spokes. However some choose
straight spokes with a special hub for the front wheel
of road bikes.
There are other kind of shapes; butted and non-butted.
Butted spokes have flat shafts on its center part for
aerodynamics. But you should understand that butted
spokes are weaker than non-butted spokes.
SIZE
Check the length and diameter of the spokes.
Mostly there are two different diameters of the spokes;
14-gauge (2.0mm) and 15-gauge (1.8mm).
We usually use 15-gauge spokes for bicycles. Although
some heavy weight riders should choose 14-gauge
spokes.
All spokes must be the correct size for the nipples, it is
the most important thing.
And there are many length of the spokes available.
Length is decided by two factors; radial or tangential
wheel style, and front or rear. Rear wheel requires a
special style to construct, it is “offset”.
We can see the different spoke angles on the rear wheel
between right side and left side. Right side (rear cog
side) spokes are more near by hub center than the left
side. Because rear wheel must have 8 to 10 transmis-
sion gears on its right side, so the spokes must walk
away to the center.
We recommend the best spoke length combination for
best fitting, right side spokes should be 1mm shorter
and left side spokes should be 1mm longer. You may
ask to your local shop what the length of the spokes
that you need.

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THREAD
Check the threads on the spoke’s tip.
The thread of the spokes must be as same as the nipples.
You should screw all nipples through the spokes be-
fore your work, and check the condition of the threads.
In some cases, you should wipe off lube or grease on
the thread with rags. Lubricant sometimes will cause
some troubles to the spokes and the nipples during your
ride; loosening each other.
§NIPPLE
We use 36 brass nipples which fit for 14-gauge spokes.
Please check the folowing points.
SIZE
Check the thread of the nipples.
The nipples must fit for the thread of the spokes.
At first, you should screw all nipples through the
spokes, and check the fittings.
You should make your attention especially on 15-gauge
spokes. They can put through the 14-gauge nipples
easily, but it is bad combination (15-gauge spoke and
14-gauge nipple) that the threads will be broken at a
moment.
Do not use different sized spoke wrench to the nipples.
If you use it, you will not be able to continue your
work as you will round the nipples.
Do not select too short sized nipples. Because the
spoke wrench must reach the nipples.
MATERIAL
Check the material of the nipples.
There are two kind of materials in nipples in the mar-
ket; brass and light alloy.
You should select brass nipples because light alloy
nipples are light weight and colorful but weak. If you
don’t have special spoke wrench for the alloy nipples,
you will round them easily, and you will not be able to
continue your work.
§ HUB
In this instructions, we use light alloy 36-hole rear hub.
Please check the following points.
HOLES
Check the number of the spoke holes on the
hub.
The number of the spoke holes should be the same as
on the rim. If you choose wrong one, you must buy the
right one.
SHAPE
Check the shape of the hub flange.
We can see the direction of the holes on the hub flange.
We usually choose the hub which direction of the spoke
holes are as same as the hub shaft. However in some
cases, for the front wheel of road bike, someone can
select the special hub which have radial direction holes
to install the straight spokes.
Also you should check the shape of the spoke holes,
too.
If it has no hollow to sink the spoke head, the spokes
may be cut by the edge.
And you need to check the thickness of the hub flange.
If the hub has too thick flange, you cannot set plain
spokes to it.
MATERIAL
Check the material of the hub.
There are various kind of materials for the hubs in the
market. Chrome plated steel hubs are cheaper than light
alloy, but they can rust easily.
SHAPE OF THE HUB SHAFT
Check the shape of the hub shaft.
The hub shaft have three types; for normal quick re-
lease skewer, 20mm diameter through axle for down-
hill bikes or for plain hub nut.
If you choose the hub for quick release system, please
make sure that your quick release skewer will fit the
hub shaft.

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BEFORE YOUR WORK
1.
Check the number of the spoke holes in the rim and the
hub, as well as the number of the spokes and the nipples.
2.
Make groups of the spokes; for front, for right rear and
for left rear.
And make sure that all spokes in its own group are the
same length within 1mm.
3.
Drop oil on the thread of the spokes and wipe off.
Excess oil may cause bad effect, loosening spokes dur-
ing your ride. And keep them away from any dusts.
4.
Wipe all spoke holes in the rim with rags.
5.
Put all nipples into a small bowl or box, and place them
where they are easy to be reached.
6.
Make sure your work area is well-lighted.
HOW TO ASSEMBLE THE WHEEL
1. CHECK THE RIM
You should make sure that right and left side spoke
holes in the rim are offset on the rim’s centerline to
keep integrity of the wheel.
In the case of Aero-rim, you will see all spoke holes
are on the same line, but they are slanted inside the
rim. You can see the angle of them from the inside of
the rim.
And place the rim on a desk with valve stem hole at
the far side.
2. CHECK THE HUB
If the next left side spoke hole to the valve stem hole
is offset upper from the rim’s centerline, hold the rear
hub with its drive side down. It is important for the
wheel’s integrity.
You should pay attention to the position of the spoke
holes on the hub flange also. Upper side spoke holes
on the hub flange are half pitch offset to the other side’s
holes.
3. INSERT TO THE HUB
Insert the first spoke from inside to the spoke hole
anywhere you want. And insert the rest of the spokes
into every second holes on the hub flange.

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4. FIRST SETTING
Hold the hub vertically with its drive side down, and
insert the first spoke into the left side hole of the valve
stem hole, which is on the upper side of the rim’s
centerline, and screw a nipple slightly.
Next, insert the two pitchs left spoke of the hub into
the fourth left spoke hole in the rim, and screw a nipple.
Then insert the rest of the spokes into every fourth
holes.
5. SECOND SETTING
Turn over the wheel to assemble another side before
inserting spokes.
As STEP:3, insert the spokes from inside to every sec-
ond hub spoke holes. In this time, you should make
sure that these spoke holes are half pitch left to the
other side holes.
6. COMPLETE SECOND SETTING
As STEP:4, insert the rest of the spokes into the next
left spoke holes which were already inserted in STEP:4,
and screw the nipples slightly.
After you finished this work, you can see all spokes are
constructed with parallel and radial pattern.
7. SWIRL SPOKES
Rotate the hub to cross the spokes.
With holding the rim and rotate the hub clockwise.
Now, you can see all spokes are in swirl pattern. This is
the foundation to cross spokes.
You should push or pull the spokes to sink all its heads
into the spoke holes in the rim.
If you don’t do it, the crossing spokes will not reach to
its own holes.

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8. THIRD SETTING
Insert the first spoke from inside into the spoke hole on
the hub flange, and pull up it avouch and drop it to left.
Pass the spoke under the spoke which is pulled from
fifth left hub flange spoke hole. And insert the spoke
into the second left rim spoke hole, where is two left
next to the passed under spoke was inserted.
Then screw the nipple slightly.
Pass the rest of the spokes and insert them into the spoke
holes in the rim with same process.
9. FINAL SETTING
Turn over the wheel, and assemble the other side spokes.
Be careful that you drop the spokes to the left in STEP:8,
but in this side, you must drop them to the right.
Completed wheel

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TENSIONING SPOKES
§ ABOUT SPECIAL TENSIONING OF
THE REAR WHEEL
In the front wheel, it is very easy that you can tension
all spokes equally with ignoring the direction of right
and left. However in the rear wheel, you have to se-
lect another process; offset tensioning.
You can notice that the rear wheel has different spoke
angle pattern with looking at the wheel from behind.
Rear hub is not symmetrical to the wheel, left side
flange is far from the wheel centerline, and right side
flange is deep in the wheel. Because rear hub must
have extra space where the transmission gear will be
located. But you have to assemble rear wheel sym-
metrically in this strange situation for its stable bal-
ance. It is offset.
In offset wheel, the torque works only to the right side
spokes. Because right side spokes should be assembled
more vertically than left side.
So you should understand that right side spoke ten-
sion is more important than left side spoke’s one in
this offset assembling. Well adjusted right side spokes
can keep your wheel stable in the future. Left side
spoke tension is just a help.
§ TENSION RIGHT SIDE SPOKES
At first, you have to take care of right side spokes only.
Left side spokes will be adjusted after this process, so
now you don’t have to worry about them.
We suggest that you have to tension all spokes equally,
so that you should start all tensioning from the spoke
next to the valve stem hole.
And we suggest that you can tighten the nipples, but
you should not loosen them during tensioning and tru-
ing. The threads of the nipples and spokes are not as
durable as you think. You can try once only.
1.
Install the assembled wheel on a wheel truing stand.
Spread arms of the truing stand and insert the hub shaft
into the hollow of the top of the arm.
Fix the quick release lever or tighten the hub nut slightly
with pushing down the wheel.
In this instructions, the drive side is in the right.
In this time, make sure that the wheel is installed cor-
rectly to the truing stand. You will not be able to finish
this process with slanted wheel installation.
And take all gauges of the truing stand away from the
wheel now.
We will explain how to use the wheel truing stand in the
following pages.
2.
Rotate the wheel slowly, and tighten the nipples, which
are connected to the drive side of the hub flange, equally
by your finger until these nipples are tight.
3.
Tighten the nipples equally with a spoke wrench little
by little.
You should make sure that you don’t tension all spokes
completely, because you will have to tension the other
side spokes later.
4.
After you finish this work, check the vertical shaking of
the wheel first.
You can ignore the shaking within 3mm now, it is just a
habit of the rim. It will not cause any troubles. But if
the vertical shaking will be appeared more than 6mm,
you may not use this wheel in a race to prevent acci-
dents.

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5.
Remove the side shaking. Of course, you have to do
this process with right side spokes only. We will ex-
plain how to fix the side or vertical shaking in the fol-
lowing pages.
And you don’t have to worry about the wheel centering
adjustment now, you will do later.
It is very important thing that you cannot touch to the
right side spokes at all after you finished above adjust-
ment process.
6.
Tension the left side spokes and adjust wheel centering.
Rotate the wheel slowly, and tighten the left side nipples
equally by your finger. When the nipples stop, you can
use the spoke wrench.
See the vertical gauge and rim, adjust the left side spoke
tensioning until the rim is in the center of the gauge
scale.
Sometimes remove the wheel from the truing stand, and
put the rim centering gauge onto the wheel to check the
wheel is symmetric.
We explain how to use the rim centering gauge in the
following pages.
7.
Adjust the side shaking again after you finsh the wheel
center adjuting.
Understand that this side shaking was cause by the left
side spokes only, so you should fix it by the left side
spokes only. Do not touch the right side spokes.
8.
Finally, check spoke tensions with a special spoke ten-
sion meter if you need.
HOW TO FIX SIDE SHAKING
The side shaking within 2mm may not cause any
troubles. But if you want to be it zero, you can try
again and again with the following process.
1.
You can see two knob bolts on both side of the U-
shaped gauge frame. Put the tips of them close to the
surface of the rim. Do not touch the rim.
Rotate the wheel slowly, and check the side shaking.
And stick vinyl tapes to two spokes; one is the begin-
ning amd one is in the ending of the side shaking.
2.
Make three groups of these spokes between the vinyl
tales as below;
Group-A : Three or less spokes in the beginning
and in the ending of side shaking.
Group-B : Three or less spokes between Group-
A except for the center one.
Group-C : The center one between the vinyl tapes.
3.
If the rim shakes to the right, tighten the left side
spokes. Do not loosen the right side spokes. Because
the nipples are made by soft material, brass or light
alloy, so its thread can be broken easily by loosening.