2023 wheel balancing charges!

[Andymann]

I actually melted some lead and then cast 5c sized 3mm lead disks which I stuck on with double-sided tape.  But one came off so I had to then use insulation tape which looked really bad.

I've since replaced the insulation tape with a clear profilm wrap but it still looks a bit agricultural

 

[splat]

6 hours ago, Thomo said:

I have no issue paying for expertise and right tools and equipment.

And the more pedantic the perfectionist the better.!

Especially for something that I cannot do myself.

[Wyatt Earp]

On 3/20/2023 at 3:49 PM, SJ01 I miss my Ma so much Broken heart said:

😶 is this an error when load shedding started ?  Quick rich...R600 p/h 😄

Let’s look at it like this.

Do you have the tools and skill to do it yourself ?

 

[Wyatt Earp]

On 3/20/2023 at 9:54 PM, betaboy said:

I suppose both…🤔

A wheel gets trued, side to side movement.

One can technically for the purpose of semantics (which the worlds greatest wheelbuilder ever was a big fan of) argue that balancing is getting the hop out.

 

A job I’ve seen many, many an “expert” wheelbuilder fail at.

Edited March 22, 2023 by Wyatt Earp

[Wyatt Earp]

7 hours ago, Thomo said:

I have no issue paying for expertise and right tools and equipment.

And the more pedantic the perfectionist the better.!

What is concerning is the average spanner swinger charging similar ...

The school of YouTube mechanics and bike technicians.

[betaboy]

21 hours ago, David Marshall said:

Can't agree more.  I know of shops that will build a wheel for under R200.  Not me.  I charge R600 for a standard wheel build and that will usually take me over an hour.  I can build in half an hour but I am a perfectionist so you can bank on at least an hour. 

As for tools - I can build without any fancy equipment but I can build a far better wheel with good tools. My three most expensive tools would set you back around R115 000.  (P&K Lie truing stand EU 1800,  DT Swiss tension meter EU336, Kowa spoke cutter/threader USD2600) Throw in VAT and shipping and you get there.  That is 190 wheels have to be built before I earn a cent.  Haven't mentioned a host of other tools - dishing tool, spoke keys, spoke stock (of around R80 000) and a lot more. 

You are right - R600 barely turns a profit.

The cost of getting a true hand built wheel is worth it. I once had a tubby set that was built in Belguim in my racing days and it never once ran out of true. They were solid, of course in those days we had zero potholes and the wheels were built for cobble abuse! Yeah I think a good wheel is even more important than ever with our road conditions. Shops don’t always double check apple tension… in SA, if the wheel is balanced and true we think it’s okay! 😂😂😂

[NotSoBigBen]

I trust only 3 wheelbuilders that I know and I know a few .... Wyatt is one, another is my ex-SIL the original proprietor of Just Cycles and lastly the Grumpy one!

I ride quite a few of my own 'home built' wheels but I wouldn't dare even think about letting someone else ride them, knocking my own teeth out that's one thing 🤪

[tubed]

13 hours ago, Wyatt Earp said:

A wheel gets trued, side to side movement.

One can technically for the purpose of semantics (which the worlds greatest wheelbuilder ever was a big fan of) argue that balancing is getting the hop out.

 

A job I’ve seen many, many an “expert” wheelbuilder fail at.

Truing is the easy part, getting a wheel round which has a hop in it takes skill and patience and is best executed with proper tools.

Ambrosio used to have these small plates over the drilled valve hole to add weight to balance the wheel,  

[Wyatt Earp]

18 minutes ago, tubed said:

Truing is the easy part, getting a wheel round which has a hop in it takes skill and patience and is best executed with proper tools.

Ambrosio used to have these small plates over the drilled valve hole to add weight to balance the wheel,  

No, they aren’t weights for balancing and weight, they are eyelets that some manufactures add for extra strength and to prevent nipple wear and contact against the rim surface itself.

[tubed]

15 minutes ago, Wyatt Earp said:

No, they aren’t weights for balancing and weight, they are eyelets that some manufactures add for extra strength and to prevent nipple wear and contact against the rim surface itself.

ah, good to know

Edit: I should have read your post better, are we talking about the same thing, not the eyelets, the brass looking plate I was referring to.

"These are actually rim balance weights licensed to Ambrosio by Faliero Masi."

Edited March 23, 2023 by tubed
I should read the reply properly first

[Custombicyclewheels]

On 3/20/2023 at 3:43 PM, David Marshall said:

I charge based on time (R600 per hour).  Can be anything from R75 for a simple true to a lot more if you need to re tension , dish, remove tubeless and straighten out dents etc.

Its not a bad idea.Ive been building for some of the local bikeshops from home and im a perfectionist .120rand a true and 300 rand a build.I would just charge the bikeshop a 100bucs a build.Sometimes i would cut and thread spokes for complete wheelsets and stil charge the 100 rand labour.

[splat]

11 hours ago, gertvanderwalt said:

Its not a bad idea.Ive been building for some of the local bikeshops from home and im a perfectionist .120rand a true and 300 rand a build.I would just charge the bikeshop a 100bucs a build.Sometimes i would cut and thread spokes for complete wheelsets and stil charge the 100 rand labour.

Perhaps you are undervaluing yourself (skill and time)