Cycle Repairing and Adjusting
With a Chapter on building a Bicycle from a Set of Parts

OVERHAULING A BICYCLE U pair of spokes in, and note which way each alternate hole is drilled and begin accordingly. With the two pairs of spokes on the one side of the wheel in position, get two pairs on the opposite side similarly fitted. Now screw up the eight nipples equally on the spokes until there is no slack to shake the hub about, but without putting any tension on them. If they have been properly started and screwed up, the wheel should be fairly true when spun round. With these eight spokes properly spaced, the rest of the putting together is easy ; but before going any farther, be sure they are properly spaced by counting the number of vacant holes in the hub flange and rim between each pair of spokes on that side of the rim, and by noting that all eight nipples are screwed on the spokes equally, without there being any tension on them or slackness sufficient to shake the hub and spokes in the rim. Without a perfect start it is impossible to build the wheel properly. When all the spokes are in position and nipples run loosely on, go round the wheel with the brace or nipple key, and run the rest of the nipples up to very nearly as far on the spokes as those on the first eight. Then get them all up equally, so that there is no shake, and no tension on them. If all the spokes have been cut dead to one length, the wheel should now be roughly true when spun ; but if found much out of truth there will probably be found a spoke or spokes which are too tight at that part, and these must be let out before proceeding farther. Now begin to get tension on the spokes by screwing