waterrockets 

I got the parts for my new front wheel on Monday and had a chance to build it up today.

• Alchemy Elf Hub
• 24 Sapim CX-Ray spokes, radial
• KinLin XR-300 rims
• Brass nipples

The completed wheel weighs in at 660g. While I would trust PSIMET to build wheels for me, and they'd probably be built better, I can't pass up a chance to build a wheel myself, so the "roll your own" option worked out great for me. Lots of patient email conversation over various options and preferences. Great service, safely packed, and all the right parts were in the box.

urbanknight

Sexy!

Lectron

boat anchor

waterrockets 

yeah, I could have gone weight weenie on it (20h, AL nips), but this is a full-time training and racing wheel.

My last wheel was a boat anchor. I haven't weighed it, but it was a 32h 3x DT comp, Ultegra hub, and Velocity Deep V rim. I'm thinking that would be in the 800-900g range... but that wheel still hit a bunch of finish lines in first place

This new hub is feels pretty silly light. Weighed it at 65g.

Tunnelrat81

I'm certain he'd do a better job building than me too, but just like you, I'm watching the porch every day for the 'jumbled box of wheel parts' to show up for me to spend some time with. Be sure to give us a follow up on how the build parts hold up for you. That front hub is a feather!

-Jeremy

Copperhed51

Grrrrrrr, I don't need to be spending more money but this idea seems too fun to pass up. Does psimet include a lacing diagram or anything to help out morons like me? Looks like the wheel you built is pretty straight forward but I'm sure I could screw it up somehow...especially if I tried a rear wheel. I assume you have a truing stand and maybe a spoke tensiometer?

urbanknight

Waterrockets has built quite a few wheels, even some for our good BF members.

Aero Sapien

Is it cheaper to build a set or buy one of equivalent performance?

sstorkel

If you buy parts from Psimet, you don't get much of a discount for building the wheels yourself. Or at least that's what he told me. The only advantage is that you don't get stuck at the end of queue waiting for him to get around to your build. Other places may be different...

rydaddy

I'm a repeat customer and do the builds myself. It still comes out cheaper than if you shop around for the best deals on all the components yourself. And +1 to him spending the time to work out the details. Much appreciated.

Lectron

If you know your basics in wheelbuilding, head out radial is very easy to get 'perfect'
If it's lateral and vertical true and even tension (at least 80kgf + ) it's prolly as good as it gets

As for WW stuff? I'm done with that lol. I like things that works.....over time.
Looks like a nice set. The rather deep section distributes the load good over
multiple (thin) spokes. Wide flanges makes i lateral stiff (at the cost of some aero)

Velo Vol 

If I tried that I would never commence rolling.

Psimet2001 

WR - looks NICE! Now go beat the snot out of it. Can't believe I didn't strip those XR300 tags off of the rim though....I blame the help in shipping. I'd fire her but that'd make dinner a little weird . (BTW - couldn't do any of this without her - srsly.)

I have been doing books and taxes so I haven't been updating people, but IIRC yours shipped. The...uh....shipping manager sent me tracking numbers but they ar in the ....uh...pile o email. - pretty sure they went out a day or two after WR's.


Pretty much true. My "labor" is built into my "margins" on the product. I don't see charging a building "fee" when I only do custom wheels. That's like going to an eatery and getting a separate charge from the cook for cooking the food for you. Using the same analogy it is pretty easy and quick for a cook to put your ingredients on a plate and send it out to you for you to cook on your own, but he'd probably charge just about the same price as well. You'd get it quicker than if he cooked it for you as well.

I've seen a ton of inquiries lately and really have been on top of everything through until this last weekend. If you're waiting to hear from me - thanks for your patience. Just filed my taxes so hopefully I can get right back into it.

Quel

I've got the same wheel with a White hub instead of an Alchemy one (plus a matching rear with 28 spokes). Also from Psimet. Solid

When did they start putting the ugly Kinlin decal on there? Mine are blank, and they are only 2 months old now.

Grumpy McTrumpy

i'm surprised that WR has a weight weenie scale

Sir Real

Nice fridge.

waterrockets 

Yeah, the stickers are coming off before the ride today. I figured I'd leave them on for the photos so people don't glance and think is a Velocity hoop.

As UK said above, I've done this before. It's not hard though. Read the late great Sheldon Brown's wheelbuilding page. It's about all you need to know. I do have a tensiometer, and took this wheel up to about 105kgf. You don't need a tensiometer though. You can just tighten until you either see the rim warp from too much tension (then back it off and it will be fine), or tighten until it's just too hard to go tighter. Get the tension evened out by spoke tone, and run it by a shop for a quick spot-check on tension.

It's my wife's, actually... for shipping occasional packages.

Thanks we just finished our kitchen remodel, and I built the cabinets myself (starting from rough-sawn cherry and plywood).

Grumpy McTrumpy

mmmmmkay

Grumpy McTrumpy

so if you do a rear wheel you just "eyeball" the dishing?

Tunnelrat81

Yes (for me...I'm not the OP), I built one front wheel using my forks as a truing stand...and it has been perfect for over 2 years of riding. When I decided to buy parts for a full wheelset, I built this:

Between that first wheel and "soon" receiving my new parts...I have torn down and rebuilt a few wheels and "serviced" pretty much all of the wheels in my house on this thing. It's spectacular.

And I'll be borrowing a friends Tensionmeter for this upcoming build.... So yeah, it's a good idea to get/build the right tools for the job...although not completely necessary.

-Jeremy

waterrockets 

I built a dish tool. Using the factory edge on a piece of plywood to reference the rim, I cut a void out and put in a simple self-clamping mechanism for the pointer. Took maybe 15 minutes to make it, and I can use it with the wheel in the stand.

NickDavid

I really like my new PSIMET wheels and have gotten a few compliments on them. They're pretty much exact to WR's. My only recommendation is to ship the wheels with rim tape and even offer a mounted cassette for an additional charge.

People will sometimes pay extra for convenience.

jwible

I did. Mine even came with tubes and tires. Just had to pump em up, install the skewers (purchased from Psimet) and go. Just let him know what you want and he'll get you hooked up.

Psimet2001 

+1 - when I offer it sometimes comes across as an upsell, but most usually ask at some point. I can get anything anyone needs and have done a lot of "open box and pump up and roll" builds. I don't charge extra, just the parts cost.

Grumpy McTrumpy

I think it's a good idea.

Although I would recommend against offering tubular gluing service.