Wheelbuilding Ciao!
About This Free Introduction
This is the first article in my series on wheelbuilding, and I am sharing it for free as an introduction. It tells a little of my story and sets the foundation for understanding why the wheel is such a unique and fascinating part of the bicycle.
I am both a scientist and a craftsman — a pharmaceutical chemist and a carpenter. I like working with my hands, but also with precision and theory. One day I fell in love with cycling, then with bicycle mechanics, and finally with building wheels. That passion has never left me.
This course will be wide and full of detail: a clear, practical resource for everyone, from riders who want to understand their wheels to shops and experienced builders looking for deeper knowledge.
This first article begins with my early fascination for bicycles and shows how that curiosity grew into professional wheelbuilding. It explains why the spoke wheel remains one of the most efficient and elegant structures ever made, why the tire must always be seen as part of the system, and how craftsmanship still matters in the age of factory production. It sets the tone for the wider course to come: practical, detailed, and grounded in both science and hands-on experience.