Wheel Building as Meditation

Few things rival wheel building for me as a meditative state when it comes to bike work. The focus necessary for a good build, paying attention to roundness, trueness and spoke tension simultaneously is fantastic. And the result of such labor, both mental and physical, delivers a satisfaction that never ceases to please me. 

Today I took a break from writing and emails to lace a new rim onto the rear wheel of my Harvey Cycle Works rando/adventure bike. As my fender bike it sees duty during winter months and next spring I have a few rides where it will need to be tip top. 

More on that bike soon when I do a post about my personal bikes.  

But if you've never laced and tensioned a wheel, it's worth exploring. I don't get to do it as often these days as I once did. But when the opportunity arises, I revel in the time with my trying stand, tensiometer, and spoke keys. Thankfully there are a couple more builds in my near future!