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nick_the_wheelbuilder

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Everything posted by nick_the_wheelbuilder

  1. nick_the_wheelbuilder
    Indeed that's one of my guiding principles: You shouldn't have to babysit your wheels. They should be fit for purpose and last years before needing any attention or repairs (spoke tensions, rim truing) Look after your hubs with fresh bearings every few thousand km and they'll look after you.
  2. nick_the_wheelbuilder
    All Stans Mk3 rims have either cracked at the spoke holes, or will crack at the spoke holes - this is a design, engineering and / or materials issue. If you over-tension the spokes you should get bulging at the spoke holes, not cracking. Specifically the Stan's Mk4 rims have specifically addressed this issue and to my knowledge not a single Mk4 rim has cracked at the spoke holes since their launch over a year ago.
  3. nick_the_wheelbuilder
    Nope. A local outfit.
  4. nick_the_wheelbuilder
    Public service announcement (A rant based on some wheels that came in to the workshop yesterday) If you bought some MTB wheels from a big brand name shop which use Hope hubs and Stan's new Arch, Crest or Flow Mk4 rims, make sure they built the wheels with the offset rims the right way around. The wheels that came in yesterday had the rear rim on the wrong way around. The "long" side of the rim needs to be on the cassette side. If not, you're not getting the benefit of the offset spoke bed, designed to achieve more even spoke tensions between drive and non-drive side. Also, have a look inside the rim through the spoke holes. The spokes should NOT stick up through the tops of the nipples. (something else I noticed on these wheels - spokes used were at least 2mm too long) At the end of the day, you get what you pay for. Wheels built with the same hubs and rims, are NOT always equivalent. Ok, rant off.
  5. nick_the_wheelbuilder
    And yes, one can build a strong enough wheelset that you won't have to worry. 28 spokes is enough, if the rims are strong enough, and the wheels have been built properly. Can easily re-use one of your existing hubs.
  6. nick_the_wheelbuilder
    Yes, riders over 100kg need heavier duty wheels. 28 or 32 spokes per wheel and good strong rims are a must. Happy to give you some options and pricing - get in touch by email, phone, whatsapp info@wheelbuilder.co.za 0834528716
  7. nick_the_wheelbuilder
    The rim needs the right "shape" - a deeper valley in the center, and raised "shoulders" on the edges onto which the tyre bead stretches and locks. The exact circumference of these raised areas is critical. If the circumference is too much, the tyre will stretch too much, damaging the bead and risking the tyre failing and blowing off the rim. If the bead seat circumference is too small, the tyre won't sit tightly enough, and will easily come unseated during cornering or when there's an impact - also pretty dangerous. Only use rims for tubeless which are specifically approved for the purpose, by the manufacturer.
  8. nick_the_wheelbuilder
    Just to reiterate - on the road you NEED rims and tyres designed for tubeless use, or you risk a major incident. Almost all new carbon rims are tubeless ready, and most of the big name alloy rims too. Plastic type thin rim tape is also a must, 2 layers to deal with the higher pressures of road use. Never use Gorilla tape or duct tape type stuff on road tubeless rims. The tyres fit too tightly and this can compress the rims, causing loss of spoke tension.
  9. nick_the_wheelbuilder
    Heavy guys over 100kg need heavy duty wheels - luckily the e-bike market has made these more freely available. Strong rims are the most important component, as long as the wheels are built properly, with the appropriate spoke tensions (meaning high enough tension and very even tensions) Good strong rims like Stan's Flow EX3, DT Swiss EX511 or HX531, or Spank 359 will do the trick nicely. Normal 2-1.8-2mm double butted spokes work fine, with brass nipples. I give a lifetime warranty on my workmanship and the spokes I use (Pillar or DT Swiss normally)
  10. nick_the_wheelbuilder
    Absolutely nothing could come close in weight to the original Crests. They were like 375g or something. The new Crest Mk4 are 399g each in 29” which is still light. DT Swiss XR391 is 440g in comparison. Both 25mm internal.
  11. nick_the_wheelbuilder
    Crests are lightweight XC racing rims, and well suited to gravel riding - they’re not strong durable trail bike rims. That said, I still haven’t heard of a set of Crest MK4 rims cracking yet.
  12. nick_the_wheelbuilder
    Thanks for that feedback
  13. nick_the_wheelbuilder
    Since the release of the new MK4 rims from Stan’s, no more cracking. Had my Arch Mk4 for a year and they’re awesome. In addition to the options listed above, there’s another new rim from Aero Agencies Zero MT25 / MT30. They’re priced like Lyne and offer an asymmetrical profile. Rims are really well made - busy testing a set now but first impressions are good.
  14. nick_the_wheelbuilder
    I wouldn't build a 28h rim to a 32h hub - never ever.
  15. nick_the_wheelbuilder
    May I brag on behalf of my customers? A stunning matching road and MTB wheel set - not for the same guy though. DT Swiss 350 hubs, bladed spokes and Nextie carbon rims. The pics speak for themselves. MTB 1360g set
  16. nick_the_wheelbuilder
    New rim day for sure. If that crack propagates, the tyre could leave the rim in a hurry. Best case scenario it makes a sealant mess. Worst case it causes a crash. Neither option is very appealing.
  17. nick_the_wheelbuilder
    I get most of my spokes locally from the Pillar and DT Swiss importers. Carbon rims are no different to build compared to alloy. I'd even say they're probably less prone to damage during building than alloy.
  18. nick_the_wheelbuilder
    I've been asked to build some stunner wheel sets lately, so I thought I'd share some photos with you all. Various carbon rims (South Industries, Nextie, Stans) on DT Swiss 240S & 350 hubs, with bladed spokes and brass nipples. All came in between 1290 and 1390g per set. What a lucky bugger I am that other people trust me to build their awesome wheels
  19. nick_the_wheelbuilder
    Many trails start at the Garden Route dam - an easy trailhead to find. You could also head up to the Garden Route Trail Park - very much worth a visit.
  20. nick_the_wheelbuilder
    Thanks. Love this bike. Can't imagine anything else riding as nicely. My Jhb gear was always 34-18 but since moving to the Garden Route I've had to back it off a bit
  21. nick_the_wheelbuilder
    Brands that sell thousands of bikes can save some money by using 4 spokes less per wheel, hence 28 spokes vs 32. Sometimes it's also a design consideration - much more challenging to make a 32h straightpull hub. Unless you're 95kg+, you should see and feel no difference between 32 and 28h wheels. The weight savings of 28h vs 32h can't be more than 30g per wheel - so it's marginal. The most important aspect is the quality of the spokes and nipples, and the quality of the wheel build itself.
  22. nick_the_wheelbuilder
    Mine in current form. Loving the new Arch Mk4 rims on Cure hubs, and the Vittoria tyres. 34x19 ratio for everything.
  23. nick_the_wheelbuilder
    A rebuild with new spokes and nipples is all that's required. Those rims are fairly narrow at 22.5mm inner width, so if you want a worthy upgrade, opt for new wider rims which will also be stronger. Happy to help if needed.
  24. nick_the_wheelbuilder
    Personally I'm loving the Vittoria range at the moment. I'm running the Agarro front and Barzo rear and it's a nice combo - grippy enough for rowdy trail riding and fast enough for gravel roads.
  25. nick_the_wheelbuilder
    With the new Mk4 rims Stan's has solved the issue. Since their release in Sept last year they've not had a single warranty claim. I've been riding the Arch Mk4 since October and they've been faultless. The Flow Mk4 and Flow EX3 are some of the strongest rims on the market today. Other ridiculously good rims are the DT Swiss XM481 and EX511, and their e-bike spec HX531. DT also have the M502 and E532 available which are less expensive, slightly heavier (eyeletted) options.
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