Budget touring wheelset for heavy rider

[uphillstruggler]

can I ask, what is it you need to replace?

Rims, spokes, hubs or the lot? I only ask as if you only need new rims, it may be a cheaper route to enable you to save money for your next bike?

only a thought

 

[raleighnut]

Bit excessive IME.

In what way?

 

[dan_bo]

In what way?

Doesn't add *that* much to the strength of the wheel Over a 3 cross

Getting Spokes long enough for some combis is a PITA

 

[Zorro]

can I ask, what is it you need to replace?

Rims, spokes, hubs or the lot? I only ask as if you only need new rims, it may be a cheaper route to enable you to save money for your next bike?

only a thought

Rims are shot, and the hub has seen a shed load of miles. I am happy paying a couple of hundred quid for a new wheelset as my current set was bought in 2011 or 12. Have had a few broken spokes and a number of wheel trueings so think it is time for a new wheel

 

[Zorro]

Condor, in Holborn make wheels to order, they will be amazing, unfortunately with a price to match.

Spa Cycles in Harrogate also do the same at half the price (and do mail order)

I looked at Condor, but bought from Spa

I will check it out, thanks

 

[Yellow Saddle]

I can only quote what my wheelbuilder told me, John has been building wheels for 60+ years and not just for bicycles so I reckon he knows a thing or two.

I don't believe in tenure. Fact and logic is more important. Building wheels for 60 years isn't a substitute for even a single calculation. He's wrong.

Longer spokes do NOT change the characteristics of a wheel. Extra crosses have an effect on torque transfer, but that's another story altogether. Extra crosses do not contribute to durability or strength.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

This illustrates the problem of 'crowding' as you can see the spoke head is almost obscured by the crossing spoke, if the hub was any smaller then it would cover it more making replacement very tricky.

View attachment 458046

Crowding is predictable. On a small flange hub (that's a small flange by this definition), the number of crossings should not exceed the number of spokes divided by nine. For instance, 36/9=4. That's the max for a small flange hub, as you can see from your example. Because the figure is precisely four, the spokes will touch. Had it been say, 40/9, the figure would have been 4.4. That tells you there would have been a bit of a gap between spoke and spoke head.

On a 36-spoke wheel I would go 3X.

On a tandem wheel with 40 or 44 spokes, 4 X is good.

That wheel in your photo is either very poorly built or not complete. The spoke line has not been corrected and it hasn't been stress relieved.

 

[raleighnut]

That wheel in your photo is either very poorly built or not complete. The spoke line has not been corrected and it hasn't been stress relieved

Photo nicked off t'internet for illustration purposes only.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Spa Cycles have been supplying wheels to the touring fraternity for donkeys.
They’re brusque with advice, but know their onions....

 

[raleighnut]

I don't believe in tenure. Fact and logic is more important. Building wheels for 60 years isn't a substitute for even a single calculation. He's wrong.

Longer spokes do NOT change the characteristics of a wheel. Extra crosses have an effect on torque transfer, but that's another story altogether. Extra crosses do not contribute to durability or strength.

Yet John is famous as a wheelbuilder, often mentioned in Classic Racing Motorcycle/Car magazines as one of the best in the country. Long past retirement age he continues to work alone in his own shop.

 

[mcshroom]

I'm a similar weight and went for Spa wheels. 36 spoke, 3-cross, Deore LX hubs and the equivalent to the current Exal LX17 rims.

I used them for everything from full touring to audaxing and wore the rims out without damaging a spoke or losing true. I would definitely recommend them

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Yet John is famous as a wheelbuilder, often mentioned in Classic Racing Motorcycle/Car magazines as one of the best in the country. Long past retirement age he continues to work alone in his own shop.

Yet, he believes the stuff you quoted. Fame is not knowledge.

 

[raleighnut]

Yet, he believes the stuff you quoted. Fame is not knowledge.

You'd just argue against any post I make, all I know is the wheels he has built for me have all been trouble free and I've been a customer for 40+yrs.

 

[Spoked Wheels]

You'd just argue against any post I make, all I know is the wheels he has built for me have all been trouble free and I've been a customer for 40+yrs.

I think your wheelbuilder is building wheels the way some builders used to do it in the past, 4x it's not a very common lacing pattern nowadays, I can only think of tandem wheels with 40+ spokes. This is due to most wheels having max 32 spokes, that is the current tendency I'm afraid. I agree with YS that 4x is not stronger than 3x or that longer spokes bring more strength, maybe you got confused with more spokes.

I also would go with 36 spokes and 3x.

 

[Gravity Aided]

I usually use hybrid bike wheels, and 700x30 or 32 tires. With weight, I'd worry as much about tires as 3x or 4x. When I started cycling, I was near 400 pounds. I'm not thin, now. I am 6'3", and with a touring load, I could see the sense in a 4x pattern, although 3x has held up fine so far.