Have questions or want to discuss cycling? Join Now or Sign In to participate in the BikeRide community.

New: Take Part in the September Giveaway to Win the Luckeep X1 Pro ebike


Want to build a set of wheels
#1
I want to build a set of wheels as much to learn how to build and true wheels as to end up with a decent spare set of wheels. The issue is finding parts. I've looked around a bit and if I want Ultegra hubs and say a Mavic Open Pro set of rims it's actually cheaper to buy a built wheel set instead of parts. Now, I suspect I might be able to find used parts on eBay or Craig's list but...

Any ideas?
  Reply
#2
While it is cheaper to buy pre-built wheels, they are usually made by machine. A properly hand-built set of wheels will last a lot longer and stay straight. Amazon has a good selection of hubs, rims and spokes. I am planning to do a tutorial on measuring and building wheels.

You might be able to find a good used set of hubs, but I'd recommend buying the rims new (unless you can find used ones that have never been built). Both eBay and Craig's list are good places to find used parts (buyer beware).
  Reply
#3
Looking at Jenson USA (and their priced do seem to be reasonable) for a set of Ultegra hubs and DT Swiss R1.1 rims (just to pick something) would be on the order of $300. Add skewers, rim tape, spokes and nipples and it's probably $50-70 more. The same set of wheel from say Colorado Cyclist, built, would be $290 (~$350 from Excel).
Now clearly they're making a profit in both the parts and the built wheels but boy, what a difference.
Oddly it sounds like one could buy the wheels for less than the parts then true them ones self and save money. Am I missing something? Is there something inherently better about starting from scratch instead of a built wheel?

  Reply
#4
There is an in-depth discussion about this topic over at <a href="http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=253910">bike forums</a> that may be helpful.

  Reply
#5
Not that many people build their own wheels so large shops sell more complete wheels. They'd rather have you buy everything at once rather than shop around for the best price on individual components. You would think that parts would be cheaper because you're doing the labor of building them yourself, but the manufacturer's cost to machine build a wheel is tiny.

You might check around at local shops to see what they have. Since they sell few hubs and rims, you can sometimes talk them into a good deal on stuff that's been sitting there for a while. Ultimately, short of keeping an eye on ebay and craigslist, you will probably never save much money buying just the parts for any common popular rim/hub combo. If cost is your main thing, buy the pre-built wheels.

But I would really encourage you to try building your own wheels. It takes some patience and precision, but I think it is one of the most enjoyable aspects of bicycle maintenance. You will really learn a lot about how to true and maintain a wheel in a different way once you've built one from scratch. If you're just getting these for spares, I'd say take your time, look around for good parts (even if the front and back won't match), and go for it.
  Reply


Possibly Related Threads...
Thread
Author
Replies
Views
Last Post
 
14,603
07-17-2014, 08:21 PM
Last Post: nfmisso
 
29,354
02-03-2011, 03:12 PM
Last Post: GeorgeET
 
11,422
08-01-2010, 09:18 AM
Last Post: Bill
 
12,563
01-13-2010, 04:53 PM
Last Post: KDC1956

Forum Jump:

[-]
10 Latest Posts
Northeast of India or Myanmar rides
Today 01:36 AM
New from South Florida
Yesterday 12:31 PM
Newbie from DC
10-12-2024 08:29 PM
Best Accessories for Polaris Ranger 1000...
10-12-2024 07:16 AM
Naming a bicycle - Yes or No?
10-12-2024 02:11 AM
Ketone Ester $$$
10-11-2024 05:55 PM
Energy gels for cycling
10-11-2024 05:52 PM
Change comes hard in the cycling communi...
10-11-2024 11:30 AM
COLNAGO SUPER (unknown year)
10-11-2024 08:12 AM
Broken Bottom Bracket
10-11-2024 01:26 AM

[-]
Join BikeRide on Strava
Feel free to join if you are on Strava: www.strava.com/clubs/bikeridecom

[-]
Top 5 Posters This Month
no avatar 1. Jesper
26 posts
no avatar 2. GirishH
21 posts
no avatar 3. meamoantonio
15 posts
no avatar 4. Flowrider
13 posts
no avatar 5. Painkiller
10 posts