Are hand built wheels worth having?

[citybabe]

I was having a chat with a lad in a semi-local bike shop about upgrading my wheels. I've been looking at Fulcrum 5's or Mavic Ksyrium wheelsets. The lad said that he builds wheels in the back of his shop. I said I'd take my bike over one day and have a look at what what he can offer.

I don't know how much he would charge until I have a chat with him but he did say that spokes were £1.20 each and a new Shimano cassette would be £30

Would it be worth while having a set made compared to buying a factory built pair?

Can anyone give me a reasonable idea of what a good hand built set could cost?

 

[fossyant]

Fulcrum 5's and Mavic Ksyriums are very nice wheels - I have some Ksyriums.

Hand builts are also nice and can be built to spec. I've generally run mainly hand builts due to the reliability. Also with commuting, the wheel choice I have means I can easily replace carttridge bearings and have learnt to re-rim wheels and re-build them - saves alot of money.

If you've got a high wear environment, like commuting, pick something that can be maintained easily - e.g. handbuilts.

 

[Smokin Joe]

Hand builts are only as good as the builder. They can be excellent or crap.

 

[Red Light]

Hand builts are only as good as the builder. They can be excellent or crap.

+1

 

[PK99]

I was having a chat with a lad in a semi-local bike shop about upgrading my wheels. I've been looking at Fulcrum 5's or Mavic Ksyrium wheelsets. The lad said that he builds wheels in the back of his shop. I said I'd take my bike over one day and have a look at what what he can offer.

I don't know how much he would charge until I have a chat with him but he did say that spokes were £1.20 each and a new Shimano cassette would be £30

Would it be worth while having a set made compared to buying a factory built pair?

Can anyone give me a reasonable idea of what a good hand built set could cost?

I got a pair of 36 spoked Mavic open pro rims on ultegra hubs from Harry Rowland a year ago: £265. Harry has a reputation as one of the best wheel builders around.

 

[fossyant]

Hand builts are only as good as the builder. They can be excellent or crap.

They can. Hence buy on reputation. Never had a bad set. Had wheels built by Frank Herety, Paul Green (of Rick Greens) and Will's Wheels. All have a great reputation in these parts.

 

[Hacienda71]

I was talking to Paul at Rick Greens this afternoon about wheels and his view was that at the higher end of things with a hand built you can choose exactly what you want, but for a beater wheel you are better going for a reliable mass produced wheel Aksium or up in price Kysirium which provide a better vfm solution. My Aksiums have done about 9000 miles and have had a hub service today, a true and one spoke replaced during that time.

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

Hmm...double butted sapim spokes which I have used before and had no issues with despite being in a hilly area, of heavy build and usually carrying panniers and often a trailer too - i.e. lots of weight for a rear wheel to drive, cost me about 66p each - and I think that's pricey! I've always used Sapim or DT.

Generally I end up rebuilding a factory built wheel after about 3-6 months. I'm lucky to have had lots of experience building all kinds of wheels - it's an art and I would rate myself adequate - but they do tend to stay true.

I'd encourage anyone to learn the art, my first wheel was an old rigida steel rim on a '70s SA AW hub, sat in the dining room copying from another, took me hours but I learned a lot (mostly realising from doing it wrong what I SHOULD have done - which is valuable learning). That taught me how to true a wheel properly - so when someone showed me a/the proper way to lace up a wheel methodically it all fell into place. There is something rewarding about riding on a wheelset that's your own.

I'm rusty now, need to re-learn as I'm hoping to run a skillshare workshop on wheelbuilding/maintenance for a community group during this summer.

But I digress, yes, handbuilts when you are paying good money, are all about the builder. I've seen some handbuilts with spokes that "ping" when a tyre is fitted and inflated, meaning that stress relieving, a vital last step of the building process has been missed. Sure they are hanbuilts, but badly-handbuilts.

 

[David Dobedoe]

citybabe

For worth what it's worth it depends on how much cycling and what sort of cycling you are doing or want to do?
Quite a lot of riding, not racing - Mavic Aksium seems to be the wheel. They can be found quite reasonably priced. I know quite a few high mileage racers who train on these and have positive things to say about them.

Even more cycling, with daft amounts of time on the bike probably better with some good handbuilts. The components need to be good quality as well as being well put together. One advantage of the handbuilts is they can be put together to meet you needs. I good wheel builder can help you with this. I have found that by the time good hubs need replacing technology has moved on. And even then I've been able to sell them! Talk to some wheel builders about options to suit you. Quick google and you'll have move information than you need. I have ridden LEJOG on 32 spoke medium quality hand built wheels with racing tyres and carrying camping gear. So if the wheels are well built they're tough enough.

If you have specialist competitive needs factory wheels have a lot to be said for them but expect to splash the cash.

For expeditions, again handbuilts.

You'll end up with several sets of wheels, its a bit like shoes. Different shoes for dancing than cleaning out the pig shed.

 

[e-rider]

£1.20 per spoke is expensive if you are buying a pair of wheels - that's the price if you buy just one spoke - usually much cheaper if you buy 72!

As others have said, handbuilt wheels made by a clown will be crap. And cost obviously depends on spec. A good pair of handbuilt wheels will be generally more realiable, stonger and easier to source spares than factory built wheels, however, they might be a bit heavier as a result.

 

[Moodyman]

For a heavier rider carrying loads of stuff everyday, yes, good handbuilts are worth the peace of mind.

For a lighter recreational rider, factory wheels will do the job.

 

[User269]

Hand builts are only as good as the builder. They can be excellent or crap.

+1. This is really important. In my experience of handbuilts from 2 different sources, they frequently went out of true even well after running in. Factory built wheels have not given me any trouble, even cheap ones. I'm still running a pair of Campag Eurus wheels which I've had for 7 years, and they're still perfect even after a bad crash 3 years ago.

 

[oldroadman]

So there you have it. Factory wheels rarely give trouble, Mavic have a very solid reputation, anything a bit different, a top quality builder is your answer. So good people, who is the best wheelbuilder in the lady's area of Norwich?

 

[User269]

So there you have it. Factory wheels rarely give trouble, Mavic have a very solid reputation, anything a bit different, a top quality builder is your answer. So good people, who is the best wheelbuilder in the lady's area of Norwich?

Why, Nicholas Parsons of course. And he can knock out a pair in Just a Minute.

 

[Judderz]

Why, Nicholas Parsons of course. And he can knock out a pair in Just a Minute.

It'll be the 'Sale of the Century'