Wheelsmith

Double Prep

I tried building wheels once without spoke prep and I will not do it again. The wheels turned out okay in the end, but it was harder to build and did not have as high of tension as I would have liked. Spoke prep helps for a number of reasons. First off, the two different colors makes it really easy to remember different spoke lengths for the dished rear wheel. Secondly, it makes it easy to get a higher spoke tension out of the wheel because it creates a smooth surface for the threads of the spokes to thread into the nipple, allowing less creaking and spoke twisting while tensioning. Lastly, since it is dry substance it will stay inbetween the surface of the spoke thread and the nipple forever, making wheel adjustments easy for years and years to come! A 10 year old wheel with spoke prep trues way more easily than another used without it. Spoke prep is a must for any hand built wheel.

I built my first set of wheels before this product came along. I still can't believe it! This stuff makes it easier to get the right spoke tension. Plus, if you ever have to disassemble your wheel, this compound makes it easier.