Hand Built Wheels

[Norry1]

I asked my LBS for a price to turn my cheapo Raleigh Singlespeed conversion into a Fixed. They said they'd build me a rear flip flop wheel (which they are now doing for me).

Can anyone advise what the benefits of getting a wheel built rather than getting one "off the peg"?

Cheers

Martin

 

[Moodyman]

Handbuilt wheels tend to me more expensive than equivalent machine built ones as you're paying for skilled labour.

But you get better built wheels with very even tension. A skilled wheelbuilder will be able to feel his way round every spoke and make sure they're balanced. This is what makes the wheel strong and stay true.

Being big and heavy, I frequently broke spokes on machine built wheels. I then stumped up for handbuilt wheels and thus far, no problems.

You also get to choose the rim, hub and spoke specification, which matters a lot if you're a serious rider where performance matters.

 

[Smokin Joe]

No performance benefits, but they are easily repairable with readily obtainable parts.

 

[numbnuts]

On my MTB I have hand built wheels over ten years old now, not had any spokes break or come loose

 

[Hacienda71]

My lbs offered to build a fixed rear wheel, and I thought their price was pretty cheap compared to some of the wheel sets you see. It might just be because fixies are fashionable and main retailers are overcharging.

 

[e-rider]

the problem with handbuilt wheels is that they are only as good as the guy building them - if the wheel builder is inexperienced or just useless, you'll end up with crap wheels (a pair that I bought from Ribble in the 1990s spring to mind)

The advantage is you can select the exact rim, hub and spoke combination that you want (including the number of spokes and the lacing pattern); and as mentioned, they are easier to repair yourself - spokes for factory built wheels are never available and if they are they cost a fortune.

 

[Smokin Joe]

Funnily enough, the best pair of handbuilts I ever bought came from Ribble in the 90's! Proves tundragumski's point though, it is all down to the individual builder. However, if the guy who does the initial built isn't up to much no damage will have been done and a re-tensioning by a good builder will sort them no problem.

 

[PpPete]

Even a relatively inexperienced wheel-builder can get a good result if they take their time and carefully follow a good "recipe". The pair on my best bike (the second & third wheels I ever built - using Roger Musson's book) have stayed remarkably true despite some serious abuse. Come to think of it, the first wheel I ever built - to the same recipe - and using "recycled components" is also still going strong.