Wheel builders

Alex34

Looking for a new set of wheels, my stock Bontrager wheels are rubbish and rear hub is starting to play up.

I tried a mate's ultegra 6800s a few months back and loved them... the only problem is they look hideous on my bike. The colour does not go well with my almost black bike.

Did some reading and it seems Ultegra hubs with H Plus Sons Archetype rims and DT Swiss Comp spokes make a really good set of wheels. I came across Spa Cycling who offer this particular build, has anyone here used them before for wheel builds?

Also, in a few old threads a forum memeber who goes by "Ugo" has been mention as a really good wheel builder, is he still around and is he still building wheels?

Thanks in advance for any help.

Alex34

oxoman wrote:

Try Ugo or Malcolm at Cycleclinic. Both are on here.

Thanks. I found Cycleclinic's website, how do I contact Ugo? Can't seem to figure out how to pm on this forum.

Garry H

I think Ugo retired.

cycleclinic

There are rims which do a better job of being a extruded piece of metal bent into a circle. I.e cheaper lighter, stiffer, asymmetric rear option and tubeless tyre compatible, than the archetype. The only reason to pick the archetype is that tubed tyres are an easy fit.

Alex34

thecycleclinic wrote:

There are rims which do a better job of being a extruded piece of metal bent into a circle. I.e cheaper lighter, stiffer, asymmetric rear option and tubeless tyre compatible, than the archetype. The only reason to pick the archetype is that tubed tyres are an easy fit.

What else do you suggest then?

I weigh 80kg and ride to stay fit. Not bothered about aero rims , prefer matt black finish with black spokes and minimal decals. Not going tubeless anytime soon but the option to is fine.

cycleclinic

Well if you insist on Matt black you have the archetype or the expensive pacenti. If gloss black is an option linking and mavic have good rims. DT Swiss have the rr411. Velocity have the quill but it is expensive. There is no point in using tubed tyres anymore. If you insist on using tubed tyre pop down to your tyre fitter and ask him to put inner tubes into your car tyres and film his/her face as you ask. Maxxis and IRC make very good tubeless tyres. Hutchinson make a decent one too in the sector 28. Nearly all rims now are tubeless but the kinlins and the new mavic are the best picks but they are gloss black.

svetty

thecycleclinic wrote:

There is no point in using tubed tyres anymore.

Other views are available

keezx

Then why do we see so many threads filled with all kinds of points against tubeless (on bikes)? :roll:

cycleclinic

Some rims and tyres just don't work together, then there are the tyres that just don't meet expectations and finally all the tubeless noon errors that make them awkward. However there are tyres that meet expectations and there rims that are properly compatible and there guides to set up and dealing with punctures without having to resort to tubes. The problem is there is s so much poor info out there and opinion without basis many people just stick to tubes. We side track though. The rim suggestions are still the same.

Alex34

thecycleclinic wrote:

Well if you insist on Matt black you have the archetype or the expensive pacenti. If gloss black is an option linking and mavic have good rims. DT Swiss have the rr411. Velocity have the quill but it is expensive. There is no point in using tubed tyres anymore. If you insist on using tubed tyre pop down to your tyre fitter and ask him to put inner tubes into your car tyres and film his/her face as you ask. Maxxis and IRC make very good tubeless tyres. Hutchinson make a decent one too in the sector 28. Nearly all rims now are tubeless but the kinlins and the new mavic are the best picks but they are gloss black.

Thanks, points taken but I will be running innertubes for the foreseeable future.

So what other options do I have with black rims that you think are better than the archetypes for round about the same money (matt or gloss)?

cycleclinic

Kinlin XR22T or Mavic Open PRo UST thats it. Everything else is either more expensive, not a good (i.e more flexible or some other problem) and more expensive... Some like the DT Swiss R460 but I have given up on them they are sometimes aceptably round most of the time they make me look like an amateur.

Both those rims are gloss black though. the kinlin is the cheapest and comes with a asymmetric extrusion for the rear, this is a good thing. Tyre fitting if you use tubeless tape is not difficult either.

That is not to say the archetype is a bad rim it is just it is narrower, less stiff and not tubeless compatible compared to the Kinlin or the mavic. The archetype is still preferable to a number of rims though, for example if you were looking at traditional rim like the mavic open pro or the ambrosio excellence/excelight.... then the archetype is the better rim.

Alex34

Thanks again. Have been reading some bits and bobs about Kinlin... seems like really good rims. Have some decisions to make now.

On another note, what should I do with my stock Bontrager wheels? They are cup and cone but poorly sealed so let moisture in. Seems like such a waste to bin the whole wheels but is it worth changing the hubs?

cycleclinic

keep them as spares. always have a spare set of wheels.

Alex34

thecycleclinic wrote:

keep them as spares. always have a spare set of wheels.

Thanks alot for the advice. I will be in touch beginning of next week to discuss wheel options and cost. By the way, are you Malcolm?