Bicycle Mechanics - Upgrade 1993 wheels 7spd - Possible?

I have a 1993 Schwinn Traveler with full Shimano Exage 300EX components which is a good bike for bad weather and winter riding. Everything on the bike is spotless and works like new. The only area I wish it had better parts were the rims. They are 700cc wheels but since it has a 7 speed hub in back, I don't think it is possible to put a new wheelset on it.

What type of wheels could I put on this bike to upgrade it's performance? Should I just get new rims and build the wheels with the existing hubs?

Performance has a cheap $50 wheel true stand and a $150 stand. Since I only would true wheels once in a while or rebuild these wheels, would it be worth it to buy a stand or have them done at a lbs? What is the difference between a cheaper stand and a more expensive stand?

I have only been riding about a year but really find tweaking and mechanics of biking as much fun as biking is.

Mark

7 speed uses the same 130mm width frame spacing as the newer 8,9 and 10 speed so you can use a new wheel set but you may either need to get a new shifter pod for the extra speeds or see if the 7 speed cassette will fit the new hub body.

Mountain bikes of 7,8,9 speed use 135mm.

7 speed uses the same 130mm width frame spacing as the newer 8,9 and 10 speed ..............
NO it doesn't!! Early 7 speed was 126 and the later stuff was a compromise 128. A few may have been made with 130

Strictly speaking you don't need anything but a bike frame and spoke wrench to
make wheels. Rim set will run $20-30 each, but unless care is taken to match
the rim thickness (in the direction of the spokes) you may have to get new spokes
as well. Spokes are reusuable if undamaged and unrusted. Most damage occurs
on the cassette side of the rear wheel from chain drop in between. This would
be the bargain basement approach. The bike frame is used to true the wheel and
dish the rear wheel. Easiest way is to tape the new rim to the old rim, making sure
the tube hole is between spokes that are parallel coming into the rim and not crossing
close to the rim. A study of the spoke pattern will show what I mean. Then loosen
up the spokes til the hub is real floppy and one by one warp the spokes to the new
rim. From this any wheel holder is somewhat of an improvement, the $50 variety
is one you can duplicate with a length of steel flat 1" to 1.5" wide by 1/4" thick
notched on one end for the hub a spaced on a board, adjustably. The more the
money the easier it is to set up and true the wheel. Dial test indicators from China
are dirt cheap and can be clamped up as a truing aid but are a bit over the top.
The rest is only money. Unless you plan or anticipate a lot of wheel building, do
it once for the experience and then buy the wheels prebuilt. Truing stands are
a luxury, not a necessity for building wheels. Steve

I have a 1993 Schwinn Traveler with full Shimano Exage 300EX components which is a good bike for bad weather and winter riding. Everything on the bike is spotless and works like new. The only area I wish it had better parts were the rims. They are 700cc wheels but since it has a 7 speed hub in back, I don't think it is possible to put a new wheelset on it.

What type of wheels could I put on this bike to upgrade it's performance? Should I just get new rims and build the wheels with the existing hubs?

Performance has a cheap $50 wheel true stand and a $150 stand. Since I only would true wheels once in a while or rebuild these wheels, would it be worth it to buy a stand or have them done at a lbs? What is the difference between a cheaper stand and a more expensive stand?

I have only been riding about a year but really find tweaking and mechanics of biking as much fun as biking is.

Mark If the frame is steel,buy a shimano 8/9 wheelset and use a 4.5mm spacer before the 7 speed casette on the hub. Just spread the frame by hand drop the wider hub in and ride it. If the stays are aluminum or Cf and 128 droout spacing,you can do the same thing. You can get open pro rims and ultegra hubs from several sources for $200-250. that's as good a wheel as that bike needs.