Are there any HONORABLE on-line wheelbuilders?
 

Please learn to build your own wheelsor be extremely cautious in selecting a wheel builder.
I will avoid any/all future transaction/interaction with www.SUPERSPOKES.com
I ordered a Ultegra-Velocity Fusion-DT Swiss wheelset in early December. I was told that it would "take a couple of days to get the Ultegra hubs so I would not receive my new wheels in time for Christmas" but I was assured delivery during the week after Christmas. It has been over a month since my credit card was charged and still no wheels and no completion/ship date. They will not/do not return phone calls. They will NOT provide urgently requested build status and completionship dates via email.
I do not expect to receive the new wheels at all.
I normally build my own wheels (with great satisfaction) but I was recovering from (October) triple bypass surgery.
Please provide opinions and suggestions for selecting an on-line wheel builder.

I let my LBS do mine - 3 sets over the last 4 years. Same guy, No problems to date. Course I don't race anymore, except myself. Also get free tuning if needed after 6 months.

You've probably already contacted your credit card company, right? They might "stop payment" or whatever it's called.

Joe Young built two sets of bullet-proof wheels for me. He is the best in the opinion of many (and not cheap, either) Interesting web site: http://www.youngwheels.com/

Looks like these folks are in Minneapolis or thereabouts from the area code. Maybe there is Minneapolis TV station that that does a Consumer Watch-type segment on their local news. Try to enlist their aid. Also, the Hennepin COunty Sherrif's office or Minneapolis PD (the fraud units) might be able to help. Just a thought.

I must admit that I am lucky. Plenty of Good wheelbuilders in the UK and The one I use is at the other end of the country. Got onto him via a special deal on a cheap set of wheels (Cheap on cost -not quality) and stayed with him for years. Then just before one of my big rides My LBS helped me out on a quick repair on the Tandem wheels and Use them now.

I used the Wheelbuilder initially for cost but they build a pretty good wheel and the advice they offer is top rate. I would like to know how they can offer a complete wheel for the Retail Price of just the Hubs- but they do. My LBS were quoting me a lot more for a wheel build- Till I told them what I could get the wheel for, and now they come near the price. Quality between the two is the same- Excellent- so I now use the LBS.
Incidentally- In the last year- 3 bike shops in my locality have closed down, and I have heard of the only one in my home town closing down next week. I only used the local shop occasionally as they do not offer performance or top quality products, but yet another bike shop closing down- because we are all using the internet for purchases.

I have had wheelbuilding done by St. John's Street Cycles. in the UK.
http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/

Even with the relative values of the dollar and pound, I feel they are still a great value.

Paul

No personal experience but guys on other forums (or would that be fora) rave about Mike Garcia. Site is http://oddsandendos.safeshopper.com/index.htm?338.

Have found SJS to be arrogant when advice requested. They are the "Experts" or so they say- but they are about 20 years out of date. They are also expensive on a lot of their items-- Saying that- If anyone is looking for a good Front Halogen lamp that is just about good enough for Offroad use and is cheap- Look at the SMART twin halogen lamps that they do. I can recommend them and SJS do knock them out cheap. This is probably the cheapest Front lamp that works and is available in the UK.

The Online shop I use is Merlin cycles and they are Only MTB. Quality is superb and they are cheap. As to the accessories- they do a good range and are cheaper than my LBS but may still be expensive compared to the US.

http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/bikes-and-wheels.htm

I build my own wheels, but I recommend my favorite of several LSBs, Leucadia Cyclery, and my favorite mail order, Harris Cyclery of West Newton MA (Sheldon's turf).

Peter Chisholm at Vecchio's in Bolder CO built me a great set of wheels. He's kind of old-fashioned and opinionated, but then, so am I.
http://www.vecchios.com/bikes.html

Colorado Cyclists wheels are very good too. I finally found a local guy with a great reputation who I plan to use next time I need a good set of wheels made.

I've used Joe Young and have never had an issue and the quality of his work is outstanding.

http://www.youngwheels.com/

Can't help with this. I've always buit my own wheels and it's not difficult. Use good quality parts and follow
a few time proven rules and you'll have good, durable wheels. All it requires is a decent spoke wrench.

Afraid I'm no help either, another determined do-it-yourselfer. Actually I find the zen of wheel building one of the most relaxing antidotes for a really s**k-a** day. Which means I'm now stretching my tubulars on complete wheels, not just rims. They'll probably never see a bike frame, but they're so relaxing to build.

Sorry you've had such a bad experience. I used to build my own wheels during the winter months. The downside of that is that when something goes wrong with the wheel down the road, there's no one to blame but yourself. Actually, I have a pair of 20 year old wheels I built up on a set of high flange Dura Ace hubs that are still going strong.

Thank you very much for your responses and suggestions.
I am glad I used a credit card instead of my debit card. I have contacted the credit card customer service and they are sending forms appropriate for disputing the charge.
Since I now have the OK from my cardiologist, I shall gather the components (already have all tools) and build the wheels myself.
I have become very apprehensive about ordering from a company that charges a "restocking/cancellation" fee. I am suspicious that the scam is to take an order (possibly no intention of filling it), perpetrate cancellation by putting the customer off untill cancellation, and collect the "restock/cacellation" fee with no expediture/effort.
TRUST has become obsolete for me.......Please be cautious!

[QUOTE=Thrifty1 Since I now have the OK from my cardiologist, I shall gather the components (already have all tools) and build the wheels myself.
QUOTE]
.
Now the problem starts for the rest of us. What hubs/spokes/ rims are you going to use and what style of riding, on what bike and how aggressive.

And to quote yourself.....Please be cautious! On the building and all the advice you are about to get.

Consider a phone call to Rich (Hands on Wheels) at Rivendell Bicycles. He's built me two pair at very reasonable prices and he's very flexible about choices you want to make. Prices very competitive. The roads I ride are pretty "country", chip seal to pot hole, and his wheels have stayed very true and held up well.

Anyway, another choice. Rivendell is very approachable and has a good reputation for customer satisfaction.

Thanks for the post Thrify 1. At least the rest of us won't get stung by that firm. I just built my first wheel and I'm finishing the final tension process. I made plenty of mistakes and was thinking of posting a top 10 things not to do when building a wheel. But overall, I found it was tedious, but not that hard.

I just sent this email to Superspokes:

support@superspokes.com

60,000 bicyclers may read this thread!

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=260554

Looks maybe a little "iffy"
 

Checked the phone number in White Pages and got:

"The name and address associated with this phone number are unlisted or private.
Phone Details Type: Cell Phone Provider: Verizon Wireless Location: Twin Cities, MN"

Hope it works out for you OK

Good luck

Mike is aces. He built me a custom set and I love it.

Keep building - by the time you hit the fourth wheel, your fingers have a good idea of what to do, it's coming automatically, and the tediousness disappears. Now, you add a good beer or two, a fine cigar, and settle back in your chair for an quiet, relaxing, enjoyable evening.

Gary, I understand that you're peeved but what if the wheelbuilder has just had the flu for the last couple of weeks like the rest of the country? My local shop guy might take a month or more to build me a custom set of wheels. So why should your guy be any different?

I've found that given enough patience most people come through for you. I probably wouldn't go to them again because of the communications issues but still would expect my wheels.

And you CAN cancel the credit card debt after a 30 day delay from their expected delivery date.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Mavic-Ksyrium-Eq...QQcmdZViewItem

It's EXTREMELY difficult to beat these wheels.

I'm real happy with the wheels Spin-Lite built for my LWB recumbent. Lighter, stronger and better (sealed) bearings. Black; rims, spokes, hubs and nipples. Yeah! Ultimate road wheels? No! Just real nice wheels for 'bent bent that only set me back $350.00. I like it. bk