Interesting that pretty much every off the peg wheel I see has come from a factory that makes these wheels always need some post purchase work.

Taught another class last night and a new Specialized road bike had a stock back wheel that had gone out of true after very few test miles while the ancient Trek 8000 mountain bike on the handbuilt Rolf wheels (low spoke no less) were still dead true after many thousands of off road miles and after serving as a tow vehicle to haul a kids trailer.

Compare that to the handbuilt wheels I roll around on which never need touch ups as well as the wheels I build for customers.

I think my hands, eyes, ears, experience and a few sets of dial indicators are pretty good tools for checking the quality of a wheel build.

Spent the weekend doing mobile events and I don't carry a truing stand since every bike that rolls up doubles as that, and I tuned up a lot of wheels.

My friend has a set of wheels under his full suspension mountain bike that I built up 3 years ago and he is a big dude (300 pounds with gear)... these wheels were built to a tolerance of less than 2/1000 and after a year they were still within 2/1000 and after three years they are still within 2/1000.

Another customer hits the curb at 350 pounds and his custom mtb / urban wheels are going into their third season... he tells me that they are still as perfect as the day they were delivered and he has no need for any service on them... they are also the only wheels he has over owned that he hasn't killed in short order.

The 0/0 racing wheels I got from Arvon, that were built 20 years ago (and raced) are still absolutely perfect... the build quality and tolerances are astounding.

I build tandem and touring wheels, racing wheels for mtb and road, and wheels for commuters which probably see more abuse than any others... I get no complaints.

None.

Zero.

I'm out.