Know a good touring wheel builder?

[dragon72]

I'm conceding that after 6 broken spokes during the last 3 mini tours, that I need to get the rear wheel replaced or sorted. I'm off on a fully loaded tour on Corsica this July and then I'm moving to Mexico in late August for at least two years. So I want to get this sorted sooner rather than later.

Anybody know/recommend a reputable wheel man, preferably near me (Brighton & Hove Actually)?
Merci

 

[hubbike]

roberts cycles

 

[shirokazan]

roberts cycles

Yes, I'd have said Roberts too, being only up the road at Croydon.

 

[andym]

Or there's Harry Roberts in Ramsgate. Or Spa in Harrogate (especially if say, you wanted to specify Rigida rims)..

You don't actually need to go to a wheelbuilder in person - just ring them up, tell them what you want (or let them tell you what you want) and then they build the wheel and post it to you. Things may get a bit more complicated if you want to specc rims or hubs that they don't normally stock, but there's usually a solution.

 

[Yellow7]

My tourer has 13,000 miles to date (presently en-route to Cape Town). I've ridden some seriously bad roads here in Africa (Congo!!) and never popped a spoke. ((OK, I use a rohloff hub which reduce the chances of rear spokes popping as the spokes are not 'dished' as the spokes either side of the hub are the SAME length, unlike with a deralier hub).

I used chose the DRC MT19 rims and used a wheel builder in a shop called 24seven cycles in Stony Stratford, Milton Keynes. He used DT Swiss spokes.

OK, maybe it's not local to you but as I said, never had a problem with my wheels. If your choosing your own rims / hubs you get get him to buy them then he could send once all built.

It's also worth using a front rack with a top section, I use Surly racks, this way weight can be distributed over the bike better.

Also a saddle WITH the rear springs, (e.g, Brooks) these work essentially as shock absorbers, helping to iron-out the load-stress put upon a rear wheel from the main mass, the rider!

Mark. wallisonwheels

 

[P.H]

Or there's Harry Roberts in Ramsgate.

Or even Harry Rowland;


http://www.harryrowland.co.uk/

I have a pair of wheels from him which are proving to be excellent, though I usually use the equally excellent Paul Hewitt.

http://www.hewittbikefitting.co.uk/index.php?page=wheels

 

[andym]

D'Oh! Thanks for that. Memory not what it was ...

 

[hondated]

I would not bother going to Roberts for wheels as has been recommended because, having had my tourer built by Chas I know that he goes to Harry Rowland for wheels.

 

[andym]

It's a small world!