Going back to handbuilt wheels

[jpembroke]

Fed up with factory wheels and their unrepairable, overcomplicated, proprietary spokes. Just had a very nice chat with Harry Rowland and have decided to order some handbuilt wheels from him: Ambrosio Zenith Hubs, Ambrosio Excellight Rims, DT Competition spokes, brass nipples - all for £240. Weigh about 1660g per pair too. Lovely.

Somewhat p*ssed off about my Campag Proton rear wheel though. All it needs is two new spokes on the drive side (straight pull) but can't find them anywhere.

 

[PpPete]

Sounds like a good plan.

Don't know the Ambrosio stuff but I've never for one minute regretted the decision to go handbuilt.

 

[Steve Austin]

Harry's wheels are great!! I'm sure you'll be happy with them. He doesn't build bad wheels

 

[jpembroke]

Harry Rowland reckons the Ambrosio hubs are as good as Record but half the price and Excellight rims are on a par with Open Pro. All sounds good to me. And if I get another broken spoke in France (which I won't because these wheels will be built to last) I know I can easily repair them at very little cost.

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

Somewhat p*ssed off about my Campag Proton rear wheel though. All it needs is two new spokes on the drive side (straight pull) but can't find them anywhere.

Don't know if you have tried the larger Campag outlets but Proton rear wheel spokes kits can be bought for US$56 plus p&p of about US$12 to UK at

http://www.jensonusa.com/store/product/SN307A09-Campagnolo+Proton+Wheel+Spoke+Kit.aspx

 

[jpembroke]

Don't know if you have tried the larger Campag outlets but Proton rear wheel spokes kits can be bought for US$56 plus p&p of about US$12 to UK at

http://www.jensonusa.com/store/product/SN307A09-Campagnolo+Proton+Wheel+Spoke+Kit.aspx

Thanks for that. I may do that at some point - repair them for a spare set of wheels. Still prefer the idea of handbuilt wheels simply from a maintenance point of view. Snapping that spoke in France in the summer very nearly ended my holiday. Don't want to be in that situation again.

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

Still prefer the idea of handbuilt wheels simply from a maintenance point of view.

Sorry please excuse my ignorance but I have heard that the low profile Campags (including the Protons) are serviceable by most LBSs (unlike the semi-aero or aero's). Could you please enlighten why the broken spokes could not be replaced by similar (if not identical) commonly available spokes of similar lengths?

 

[jpembroke]

The drive side spokes (the ones that are breaking) are of the straight pull variety (the others are normal spokes). I have phoned various LBS's in Cheltenham and Bristol and they have all said the same: that they don't have any in stock and that they are a nightmare to get hold of. There doesn't even appear to be a Campag Service Centre in the UK now since Italian Cycle Products went under. Well, it was supposed to have been taken over by Velotech but they have no website or phone number that I can find.

Believe me, if I could get these fixed then I would but I appear to have reached an dead end.

 

[accountantpete]

Mercian cycles stock "old" Campag bits - might be worth a call.

The website's a bit naff but you should get a contact number

http://www.merciancycles.co.uk/

 

[AlanW]

I agree with you 100%, however before you rush iout and spend your dosh, check out the Easton EA90 SL wheels here

Or if your budget will not go that far, have a look at the Easton EA50's, here

Bomb proof and I have never heard a bad word said about them either.

And no I don't work for Easton either.

 

[fossyant]

Always been a big fan of handbuilts, had two new set's done this year - one for the best bike (well had the hubs re-built into CXP33's 28h) and a new set for the fixed - (Formula hubs and CXP33's).

Bomb proof is the word for handbuilts - and quickly fixable....

1660g is very respectable for those.....

The problem with many factory ones are the special spokes..... alloy or aero that is wheel specific...but they are lighter......

Factory wheels look loads flashier, but for regular everyday, hard worked wheels.....handbuilts....especially if you rely upon them everyday....

 

[ASC1951]

Harry Rowland reckons the Ambrosio hubs are as good as Record but half the price and Excellight rims are on a par with Open Pro.

My handbuilt Ambrosio rims and hubs did about 20,000 miles and were only replaced because the rims wore out - the hubs were still going.

 

[jpembroke]

My handbuilt Ambrosio rims and hubs did about 20,000 miles and were only replaced because the rims wore out - the hubs were still going.

That's encouraging. Thanks for the info.

 

[dan_bo]

Surosa (0161 624 8260) are a way away from you but they should be able to replace the spokes on your protons- or at least they did with my Sciroccos.

 

[beancounter]

Harry Rowland reckons the Ambrosio hubs are as good as Record but half the price and Excellight rims are on a par with Open Pro. All sounds good to me. And if I get another broken spoke in France (which I won't because these wheels will be built to last) I know I can easily repair them at very little cost.

Well then, your wheels will be very good indeed, in fact almost exactly as good as my pair of Record hubs / Open Pro rims....

bc

p.s. which in any case only cost me £265 from my very obliging LBS