Handbuilt or Machine made wheels - which to go for?

gbrunsdon
gbrunsdon Posts: 104
edited September 2010 in Road buying advice
For my training / commute all year round bike...

Been offered handbuilt Open pros / Ambrosio Zeniths from Dave Hinde for c £160

and Campag Vento for about the same price/ slighty less.

decisions, decisions????

Advice / experiences appreciated..

Comments

  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,310
    Well, I wouldn't think twice and I'd go for the hand built... very good price, you'd struggle to buy the components at that price, I tell you as i build my wheels.
    The Open Pro are still top rims, but these days they wear quicker than they used to... see if you can get a similar quote for Ambrosio Excellence (or excellight)... under 200 would be a bargain.

    The Vento are bog standard wheels with a nonsense lacing pattern, whereby you need all sorts of different spoke sizes... and BTW, as a general rule, it's very very difficult to fit tyres on a Campagnolo rim
    left the forum March 2023
  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    edited September 2010
    I'd recommend handbuilts for training and commuting, mainly for availability of spares if you ping a spoke (which you really shouldn't if they're built well.

    HOWEVER

    I cannot advise getting stuff from dave hinde, please, before you buy just google him or look at the results that google throws up about him from this site alone.
    Neeermad
    Carbon 456
    456 lefty
    Pompino
    White Inbred
  • racingcondor
    racingcondor Posts: 1,434
    I would Google Dave Hinde and form an opinion from that.

    EDIT - I see I've been beaten to it! :lol:
  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    edited September 2010
    Your thread's title is confusing - you mean handbuilt vs factory built?

    Machine-built typically refers to the stuff you get on low end bikes - they are laced and trued by machine and build quality is, well, variable.

    However, the likes of Mavic, Easton, Campagnolo and Shimano have invested in some high tech kit to control the manufacture of their wheels - but are typically refered as factory-built.

    Handbuilt - a lot depends on the reputation of the builder. I'm not sure Dave Hinde has the kind of reputation you're looking for?
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • gbrunsdon
    gbrunsdon Posts: 104
    thanks for the advice - guess I need to find a wheel builder with a good reputation...
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,310
    Harry Rowland, but he won't do them for 160
    left the forum March 2023
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    gbrunsdon wrote:
    thanks for the advice - guess I need to find a wheel builder with a good reputation...

    Paul at Rick Green in Handforth is a mighty fine wheel builder...

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