Hand built wheels walk through?

odessouky

I would like to get a set of hand builds, but I'm at a loss of what to do, where to go, and how to do it?

I've read the thread about the chap who has R500s and wants to do the same, but the choices he was given are pretty confusing...

I kept seeing Archetype a lot...

So, can someone recommend what to do? Do I order the parts online, then take them to a bike shop to build them?

I'm looking at the cheapest I can get away with, yet do not want to skimp on quality and durability.

It will be ONLY for exercise rides, and weekend 50-100 miles runs with friends. NO COMMUTING and probably never in the wet.

I am 85kgs, and the bike is a carbon frame, with 105 groupset. My current wheels are shimano R500s, which will go on the commuting bike.

Can I get something nice for about £200 to £300? 1500gms...ish?

I live in SW London, and hopefully someone can recommend a local store to build the wheels; Wimbledon, Kingston, putney etc..

Can you advise on what to get, from where, and who to go to for the build?

ugo.santalucia

I am based in Richmond if you want to come for a chat. Otherwise, if you want to deal with a shop, Pearson in Sheen build wheels. Either way 85 Kg and 1500 grams, not sure about that one...

owenlars

Ugo is right, Pearson built me some terrific wheels about three years ago. nearly 6000 miles on and they are still as true as the day I picked them up.

gaanrowl

Save yourself alot of time and hassle and go see Ugo! it will be well worth the tube fair.

ugo.santalucia

owenlars wrote:

Ugo is right, Pearson built me some terrific wheels about three years ago. nearly 6000 miles on and they are still as true as the day I picked them up.

Must be two years... three years ago I was living in Buckinghamshire and only building for some locals there

rattyc5

I weigh 16 and half stone. bought some handbuilt hs sons arshtype rims with sapim spokes (32) on 105 hubs. not light but neither am I! hit a pothole and innertube exploded and blew tyre off rim. no damage to wheel at all. when I lose more weight I will buy same wheels with maybe less spokes better hubs. love these wheels.

IanRCarter

I received my handbuilt wheels a couple of weeks ago from David at http://www.dcrwheels.co.uk. His website is great, he only uses components he fixes make a good wheel, whereas other wheel builders may stock as many rims, hub and spoke options as they possibly can. He gives his own opinion on each of the components too, so it's not just a sales blurb. I had a few options based on my riding requirements and what he stocked so I got in touch and we went through the process of discussing what would suit me best and any alternatives which he suggested I could make. I upgraded the hubs from what I initially chose. He gives great advice and isn't out to con you out of as much money as possible - he actually suggested a similar rim which was a bit cheaper and when I questioned the benefit of more expensive 'aero' spokes he said the normal spokes would be better for me. He also offers free wheel truing at the expense of you getting them to him (undoubtedly cheaper to get it done at a LBS if you have to courier them) but it's still a nice after sales service he provides.

In the end I went for H Plus Son Archetype rims, VIA road hubs with black Sapim spokes and red anodised spoke nipples (part of the reason for going handbuilt was so they looked good on the bike) in a 24:24 spoke count (originally going for 20:24 but he had no stock of 20 hole hubs in black and I'd have been waiting a few extra weeks, which I didn't want to do). £468 in total including rim tape and shipping, and they ride so much better than the stock wheels on my Spesh. The bike feels so much lighter accelerating and getting out the saddle, freewheeling is eerily quiet with these hubs, the roads feel smoother and I can hold a tighter line when cornering. I'm not the most experienced rider but I still notice the difference and a much more worthwhile upgrade than getting a new carbon frame or upgrading the groupset.

cycleclinic

The archetype rim works. Try not to buy the components online and give to a shop to build, if you are going to buy the parts online build them yourself.

Archetype in a 24F/28R spoke counts will work on your choice of hubs. For your budget Miche Primato hubs work very well but such a build will be 1700g not 1500g. Lighter builds are possible but lighter rims or hubs are needed. Lighter rims which are stiff enough for a lower spoke count tend to cost a bit more and lighter hub that are reliable tend to cost more too. A build with Pacenti SL23 rims and Dura Ace 9000 hubs would weigh as little as 1570g but will cost you north of £550. Is saving the 130g really worth the extra spend I will leave that up to you (well the hubs are worth it).

The wider rim/improved ride comfort is what you will notice most followed by the other stuff. Via hubs have a narrower flange seperation than DA or even Miche Primato hubs which is why I don't use them as the larger the NDS bracing angle the better in my opinion.

Seeing you are london based have a chat with ugo is worthwhile no matter who ends up building your wheels. Also don't discount higher spoke count builds on ultegra hubs or the lightweight Campagnolo record with a shimano freehub body. a build with ultegra hubs 32F/32R and not be too heavy depending on the rims used.
For a really light rim there is a Ryde Pulse Sprint in 28H or 32H drilling. The 32H rims on ultgra hubs would bust your budget but they would be light and a nice wheel to ride on. Myself I have recently built a set of Archetype on Chorus hubs and love them with some 27mm Pave's mounted.

JayKosta

Before you start buying components, find wheel builders who you might use, and get info from them about cost, and what components they would work with. Buying components yourself might save some money, but what if problems happen like wrong spoke size, or the rims have some defect. When you pay the builder to supply the components those type of headaches are HIS - not yours...

Jay Kosta
Endwell NY USA

ianbar

i used just riding along to build mine, only ridden couple of times but they seem pretty fab! £400 for archetype rims, hope hubs, sapim race spokes. to cut the cost less spokes and mavic rims would cut the cost. my lbs recommended hope wheels, made handbuit just not to order but seem to provide good value

veronese68

I would have a chat with Ugo, he's in the right sort of area for you. I'm very pleased with the wheels he built for me. He will give you sound advice as to what you need and where to buy.

giant_man

odessouky wrote:

I would like to get a set of hand builds, but I'm at a loss of what to do, where to go, and how to do it?

I've read the thread about the chap who has R500s and wants to do the same, but the choices he was given are pretty confusing...

I kept seeing Archetype a lot...

So, can someone recommend what to do? Do I order the parts online, then take them to a bike shop to build them?

I'm looking at the cheapest I can get away with, yet do not want to skimp on quality and durability.

Can you advise on what to get, from where, and who to go to for the build?

Go on a wheelbuilding course and build them yourself.

You know the saying, if a job is worth doing well ... blah blah ...

mrushton

Ugo has lots of info. Read the recent Harry Roland interview posted on this site and look at eg Wheelsmith. All these guys will give you practical advice