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Copyright Dave Yates Cycles & Engineering 2007
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Custom Wheels The right wheels for the job The right pair of wheels can transform a bike from a "so so" ride to a thoroughly enjoyable experience. However, a poor pair can make the best frame and equipment feel rubbish. The following advice is based on Dave's 30+ years of building custom bikes of all types. Dave has been building wheels since he was a lad, long long ago when the world was young! We only use the best components and spokes, and each wheel is repeatedly stressed as it is built to even out the tension in the spokes. We offer a free true-up after you have ridden them for a short period. As a general rule, Dave favours Mavic rims. Mavic are hugely experienced rim makers and their products have stood the test of time. From the wheelbuilders point of view the sign of a good rim is how easily it trues. Mavic rims, especially the heat treated ones, build into a really strong wheel that holds its shape well. For basic road use Mavic Open Sport is a well priced rim that is ideal for entry level bikes. For racing the CXP33 is a shallow aero section rim which produces a stiff wheel without the bone jarring rigidity associated with composite wheels. For Audax riding the Open Pro rims are superb. Slightly deeper than the traditional box section rim they have a welded joint and machined braking surface. This gives really smooth braking and eliminates the annoying glitch at the join present on some rims. Click on any of the images below to enlarge.
All our wheels are generally built 32 hole with a cross three, symmetrical spoking pattern. However, if you want something different ask and it shall be done ! For example, heavier riders may benefit from more spokes, 36, 40 or even 48 for tandems. Discuss your requirements with Dave, he's probably done it before, whatever it is you want. Touring wheels need to be STRONG. The Mavic A319 is our recommendation for heavy touring if your choice is 700c wheels. A deep wide section with double rivetted eyelets, a welded joint and machined braking surface makes this rim the best choice for this use. The A119 is a lighter rim for not so heavy touring.
If you prefer the 26" ATB route for touring then the XM719 is hard to beat or the XM317 if the budget is tight.
Other rims can also be obtained so if you have a preference, please ask. Hubs The hub is the heart of the wheel, it is well worth paying a little extra for the best hubs you can afford. Usually the hub is dictated by the make of transmission you have chosen so go to the next group up. It is sometimes possible to mix and match but we don’t recommend this unless you want a particular range of gears that is not available from the manufacturer. A mix and match transmission set up is unlikely to work as well as components designed to work as a system. Spoking Patterns Over the years there have been many fancy spoking patterns claimed to give an advantage. We find that for most uses the traditional cross three pattern where each spoke crosses three others on its way from the hub to the rim is best. Yes we know its boring but it works very well and "if it ain't broke, don’t fix it" we feel is the best philosophy here. That said, if you want something different, for whatever reason, ask, and if it's possible to do it we will. We are after all talking "custom" wheels here!However, do not ask for radial spokes! Most hub manufacturers specifically exclude radial spoking from the warranty on their hubs. It puts far too much strain on the hub flange and will probably end up with a broken hub. Prices The possible combinations of rims and hubs are countless. If you would like a price for a wheelbuild please let us know what combination you would like and we will be happy to let you know the cost (provided we can obtain the components you want!). Please telephone 01526 343322 or Email for further details.
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