Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Chicago - Anybody know Marcus'/Yojimbo's basic wheel prices?

My roommate wants a fixed gear, and since I can't really save her any money by building basic wheels myself I was just going to put in an order at Ben's or IRO, but I was wondering if anybody knows off the top of their head if Marcus sells formula/aerohead or formula/mavic wheelsets at something like a competitive price compared to those guys. I called just now but I must have missed him, and I know he's probably not going to be in tomorrow and she kind of wants to get the order in before thursday if we're going that route. I figure somebody here has to have bought some entry-level wheels from yojimbo's. Other Chicago suggestions obviously welcome, though I doubt anybody besides maybe upgrade would sell something like that.

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=187340

Hard to beat this price for wheels.

Kenal0

**** that. saving $50 on wheels that are machine built is not worth it. i would definetely spend the extra dough to get the built up by someone competent. marcus, or iro (velocity handbuilds tony's wheels). i'm not sure whether bens hand builds their wheels or not, i think they probably do.

velocity deep v's in colors laced to flip/flop high flange formula hubs, 14spokes, rim tape, & spokes pre-stressed & whatnot will run you about $350 at YJ's garage. You won't find a better build for less money. I've never seen anyone take so much care of wheels as Marcus does. Nothing leaves the shop until it's got his seal of approval - ask anyone who rides wheels he has touched - indestructable.

Marcus is one of the best, but he's pretty backlogged at the moment, so it could take a while before he could get to them. I know someone who got Formula/Aeroheads from him, and they were significantly more expensive than, say, the IRO option. As far as I know, he doesn't keep much in the way of stock entry-level wheels.

You might want to watch teadogg's eBay auctions for available wheels built by Marcus. I think some Formula/DeepVs went for $300 recently? Custom would be more, I'd guess.

I got wheels built by Lickton's in Oak Park and I don't really recommend them. I think Boulevard might have some stock beginner wheels. Good luck.

Supposedly those $125 wheels are hand built.

**** that. saving $50 on wheels that are machine built is not worth it.

Uh huh. Wheels handbuilt by someone who know their craft, and will stand behind their work are worth every cent. That said, buying online and having a good wheelbuilder check, true, and retension your wheels at the outset isn't a bad option.

The older guy with the big beard over at Cycle Smithy saved my wheels from destruction, he's also really good, though they can get pricey.

Marcus's wheels are stellar. I'd have all my wheels built by him if I didn't recently learn how to build them myself. My first set of wheels from him (and actually my only pair) is a phil/deep-v combo that has withstood a lot of crap including getting tagged by a car. They went slightly out of true but were ridable.

You also get free truing for the life of the wheelset.

I assume this still stands but if you ask Marcus when you should bring the wheels in for truing (he will recommend one stress relieving after 200-500 miles), he'll just say, "what truing?".

Tough.

That said -- as chicagoamdream pointed out and as prices here reflect, he's pricier and backlogged but there is no doubt that they're worth the price. If I were going to get a wheelset from someone other than Marcus, I'd go IRO. Tony's wheelsets stand up very well (the roommate and her boyfriend have been riding sets for about two years -- no problems) to daily riding.

I think Marcus has pre-handbuilt wheels that are cheaper. Teadogg?

I have a surly/mavic wheel on my cross bike

yeah, some of them are cheaper. I don't know exactly how much off the top of my head, but sometimes there's something like a surly/mavic lying around - good hub, great rim. The demand for deep Vs, and their increased production costs due to powdercoating make them a little more than box section rims.