New rear wheel what can I re-use?

ralasdair

So I came back from having parked my bike in town for a couple of hours earlier on to find that somebody had (by accident or design), managed to put a bloody great buckle into my rear wheel.

I'm pretty sure it's beyond truing (it barely gets past the seat stays), so I'm looking at a new rear wheel.

It's an Ambrosio WS23 that came with my Bianchi Via Nirone, so I've got a few questions:

1) Any suggestions for a similar cost/performance wheel to replace it?
2) If I don't buy a full new wheel, can I reuse bits like the hub and spokes (and obviously, I can reuse the cassette)?
3) If I can reuse these bits, if I go into my LBS with the old wheel, are they likely to build me a new wheel using these bits and a new rim, or will they want to build the whole thing from scratch?

I suspect this is going to be an expensive undertaking for a bike I've only just bought

Pokerface

You can reuse the hub. I wouldn't bother with the spokes, especially if the wheel was buckled. Spokes are cheap anyway (or can be).

LBS will build it the way you want.

amaferanga

How bad is the wheel? It may be possible just to get it trued again if its not actually damaged.

If the rim does need replacing then you could potentially reuse the hub and spokes and just get a new rim. The trouble is that by the time you buy a new rim and pay someone to build the wheel, its often cheaper just to buy a new wheel. I'm not familiar with the wheels on your bike, but my guess is that they'll be fairly low end as with most bikes that cost less than a grand or two so it may be a good time just to replace them with something a little lighter and nicer.

ralasdair

amaferanga wrote:

How bad is the wheel? It may be possible just to get it trued again if its not actually damaged.

If the rim does need replacing then you could potentially reuse the hub and spokes and just get a new rim. The trouble is that by the time you buy a new rim and pay someone to build the wheel, its often cheaper just to buy a new wheel. I'm not familiar with the wheels on your bike, but my guess is that they'll be fairly low end as with most bikes that cost less than a grand or two so it may be a good time just to replace them with something a little lighter and nicer.

Well, it doesn't look like the rim's actually damaged, but it's not so much out of true as really very bent.

I'm thinking I might go for a Mavic Aksium (or a pair of if I feel I can afford it...), as that looks like a decent wheel at a reasonable price. The whole thing's a bit frustrating as it's a new bike! Oh well...

Butterd2

I had Aksiums as OEM on my Scott when I bought it. They are not bad wheels and can certainly be picked up cheap on eBay as a lot of people seem to upgrade them anyway (as I did). The front has been no problem at all and is now on my FG commuter, I did have some issues with the rear freehub but I am a big rider (220lbs) so it is now relegated to my turbo trainer wheel with a turbo tyre on it.

MattC59

My brother has just bought a pair of Hope Hoops - Pro 3 On Mavic Open Pro Rim:
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=38867

He has a Bianchi Via Nirone and is about 210lbs and he managed to wreck his rear wheel as it seems it wasnt' up to the hammering his weight and leg strength dished out. He says that the new wheels are great, stiff, strong and well priced.