Bicycle Mechanics - Condition of New Wheels on Arrival

I'm having a conversation with a wheel maker. It seems we have a different opinion about the condition new wheels must be in when they are pulled out of the box.

Round, straight to tension and de-tensioned are not at issue.

I'm talking about finish. Are all of the bladed spokes aligned properly? Have all loose bits of metal (chads) been removed from the rim after drilling? Are there fingerprints on the hub or carbon? Is there visible grease on the hub or around the seals.

Their position is that all the tweaking and shining should be done at the shop level. You need to inspect them after shipping anyway.

I'd really like to hear from shop guys about what they see and what they expect. Also from anyone who has bought on-line where product is drop shipped to your door (and it hasn't been opened since it left the warehouse).

What is it reasonable to expect? Cleaning and shining is easy. Aligning the bladed spokes takes 2 minutes.

Thoughts?

I would expect a built wheelset to be a finished product. A spot of grease or a fingerprint I'm not worried about but metal fragments should be removed, spokes should be aligned, and lube should be where it belongs and nowhere else. I can tweak the odd spoke that slipped in shipment and spray and wipe fingerprints but I shouldn't have to do much more than that. Otherwise, I can buy hubs, hoops, spokes and nipples and build the wheel myself. Hmmm...come to think of it I did build my last wheelset.

The expected condition would probably depend a lot on the price paid. I'll gladly clean fingerprints off of closeout wheels bought at 1/2 price but an 800 dollar wheelset had better be pretty good out of the box.

I think it's time to find a new wheel builder.
The only follow up you should be required to do is inspect them to see if they are built to order, and to apply any decals of your own branding.

What they are claiming is that same as buying shoes, and you must pick off excess glues, leather, correct the lacing, and shine them before sale.

DUH!

I think it's time to find a new wheel builder.
The only follow up you should be required to do is inspect them to see if they are built to order, and to apply any decals of your own branding.

What they are claiming is that same as buying shoes, and you must pick off excess glues, leather, correct the lacing, and shine them before sale.

DUH!

Hah, good luck doing this. Most of the wheels I see come out of the box (obviously not handbuilt) out of round, lateral true, tension, grease splooging out of seals (sometimes). There are never any fringerprints on the rims, but coloured spokes sometimes are "dinged" already (as in the paints rubbed off).

I really don't care anymore, as long as the wheel itself isn't missing eyelets, or physically damaged or missing spokes. We have to do the prep anyways. And I don't see any other way to "force" them to ship us better prepped products so we don't have to do it.

In my experience with large distributors I have often thought that it would have taken me less time to build the wheels up from scratch than it does for me to correct the shoddy workmanship of their pre-built wheels.

I work in an R&D and manufacturing operation. Excess grease must be wiped off. All parts aligned properly and wipe down those fingerprints. Wear rubber or cotton gloves. Protects the product and the hands. What other PPE is missing?

Sounds like poor workmanship.

I work in an R&D and manufacturing operation. Excess grease must be wiped off. All parts aligned properly and wipe down those fingerprints. Wear rubber or cotton gloves. Protects the product and the hands. What other PPE is missing?

Sounds like poor workmanship.

You obviously don't work for KHS or Dahon.