Fifty Plus (50+) - Looks like I get to build a wheel

My LBS -I should say EX-LBS. If you live in the SF Bay Area, avoid Mike's Bikes at ALL costs- has screwed up the spoke replacement on my Kaitai and claims that my rim -just one of them- is showing micro cracks. This is the 3rd time they have messed something up so I expressed my disatisfaction and they have summarily dropped me as a customer (some legal action may be pending, depending on how they handle the refund of the remaining 4 years of my 5 year service contract. If they won't honor the agreement, they better not be keeping the money. I believe that's known as "fraud"). So, I have one respoked wheel and one in its original condition. I figured they could do it faster than I could -bad assumption- but now it looks like I get to find out. Oh boy... break out the truing stand :eek: My Kaitai might not see the road again this year. Sure glad I have two bikes. What a mess.

I do count myself very lucky in that I have a good LBS- But wheels are a problem. (Not with my LBS by the way). I am very particular about my wheels and all my wheels are hand built. Except for the stock wheels that came with the Giant and I will even get these rebuilt sometime.

Finding a wheel builder is the problem. I used to use a Builder at the other end of the country and they were good. Good wheels at remarkably cheap prices and you name the quality and they would build it and just charge me. I learnt very quickly how to retrue my wheels but I still had the problem of Spoke tension and Rigidity. Just by chance- I put a set of wheels that were going to be the spares for a group of us doing a long ride into my LBS for retrue and check. They came back and the bill was not too high- but they said the wheels had some damaged spokes on that ought to be replaced and the rims were coming to the end of their life. When we priced it out- it would be cheaper to buy a set of new wheels but They suggested Building a set for me. I now have two wheelbuilders that I use.

For simple retrueing of a wheel- I do it myself. Still worried about spoke tension but after a couple of retrues I put it into the LBS. They are cheap enough for me not to bother but I have built a wheel up from Scratch and it still runs.

Look online for supplies of Spokes- and rims etc but be prepared to take a long time building your first wheel. A couple of members here might be able to help you on the right contacts- but Remember that to build something properly- You have to have the right tools. Do not go for the cheap spoke spanner that fits 3 different size nipples,. Get individual tools that will do the job properly. If you get the wrong one- You have the tool for in the future when an odd size wheel appears.

Sorry to hear about your LBS but hopefully- You will find another shop locally for those occasions when you have to get someone to do it for you.

Yeah, it's a shame. Bought my Kaitai from them and I couldn't have asked for a better experience.
So I went back for my Reno (only this time from a different location. Can you say "Hoity Toi"?) and I was treated, shall we say, perfunctorily. You know, "Just get his credit card and get him out of here". The oversights and omissions of detail were pretty blatant. They didn't even give me a receipt (I got a copy later). I'm probably lucky the bike stayed intact. Then I brought my Kaitai in for service and they dropped the ball on it. So, as one last shot, I brought in my wheels to be respoked and they dropped the ball again. Both times I had to call them to follow up and it turned out to be a good thing because they just forgot about me each time. At no time have they offered an apology, made any concession, or accepted any culpability. I pretty well believe in loyalty and if you treat me well -even just decently- I will reward you with repeat business. A LOT of repeat business... money. And it's so funny that they would say "It's time we parted company" You know, like we had a relationship or something? Losers.

I have a good LBS and not only to me and my friends. The number of times I have seen them talking a customer into buying a bike- Lower than the customer initially wanted- just because the customer did not require the Extra quality bike. The money saved on purchase will get the Helmet- Gloves- pump and other parts required when you start out. As they pointed out- That customer buying a bike now- is a few repairs in the coming year- an upgrade in a few years time and a lot of accessories to be bought in the next 5 years.

They know they will not get a great deal of Labour charges out of me as I do my own repairs. What they will get from me is loyalty- as I know they look after me.

That customer buying a bike now- is a few repairs in the coming year- an upgrade in a few years time and a lot of accessories to be bought in the next 5 years

Now, is that some inescapable logic, or what?
I guess Mike's can make it by on one time customers. I have a hard time believing that many go back for more. They claim that I'm the only one who's had any problems with them, though. Three out of four times? Wow, what are the odds on that? :rolleyes:

The good news--
This co. has a rating on Mike's Bikes.

http://www.checkbook.org/sitemap/San_Francisco/Ratings_And_Articles/Bicycle_Repair_Stores/detail.cfm?uKey=26

The bad news--
You have to subscribe to the service

Building wheels is fun.
Give it a try.

There are plenty of great books and resources for learning to build a wheel.
Jobst Brandt's book The Bicycle Wheel is my favorite but one Google search will
point you at plenty useful knowledge.

A truing stand is very useful but not essential. You can do the final true in the bike frame (or fork).
If you buy a stand, the Park TS-2 is the gold standard and worth every penny.
Get a Park spoke wrench designed for the spokes you plan on using. I prefer DT spokes
and the standard brass nipples use the Park black handle wrench.
You can get DT spokes and Park tools from Colorado Cyclist.

You can reuse hubs, rims and spokes if they're in good shape.
With hubs, do the relace in the same direction as the original so the indents
in the hub flange line up with the new spokes.

As for truing and tensioning, it takes practice but go slow and make small (that's SMALL)
adjustments. Tension until the wheel feels like a known good wheel.

If you decide not to do it yourself, check with a local club to see who's building wheels
in your area, get some recommendations from riders not some LBS mechanic.

I ONLY buy bicycles at LBS and, upon departing with new bike, tell them that they will never see the bike again. I avoid LBS like they were the plague!
If you are merely replacing the rim with the same brand/model of rim, just lay the new one on top of the old and transfer spokes.
After building multiple wheelsets, I think the Park TM-1 Tensionometer, the Park WAG-4 dishing gaiuge, and truing stand are ultra important to the final outcome. My favorite truing stand is the Minoura Workman Pro....I use it instead of my Park truing stand. I purchase my spokes from http://www.lickbike.com/ and my tools from http://ebiketools.com/ ...... great satisfaction with their service. Universal cycles ( http://www.universalcycles.com/index.php ) usually has a good selection and prices on wheel components/parts. I just built a new set of wheels for my 3 week old POS Cannondale F-5 with XT Disc hubs and Mavic XC-717 Disc rims from Universal and the DT DB spokes/nipples from Lickbike . The Cannondale F-5 was made to sell....not to use....... and the Cannodale LBS only wants to sell the bike....
Hope this helps.......

This sounds like "buy a new wheel" or "find a new LBS" time to me. There is no time to "build a wheel" on my clock. I'll tackle some mechanical things here and there, but I'm a ways from trying to build or make a significant repair on a wheel.