Originally Posted by
63rickert
Bike shop is charging for spokes and charging for labor. For shops that build only a few wheels and/or have high overhead $100 is reasonable. Sure you can get it done for less. Yellow Jersey still builds for $25 and charges $30 for a wheel of butted spokes. In your case there would be shipping both ways. YJ can build a wheel in 20 minutes while taking care of other customers on phone. Most can't do that.
The spokes will keep breaking. A fresh and good build will ride much better, enough different you will notice. Only real question is should the original rims be saved. Originality is nice but how used or used up are they? Were they good rims in first place? Some 70s is wonderful, other is just old parts. New 700 rims would give far better tire choice if you care about that.
Thanks. I'll look into Yellow Jersey.
The rims are good shape. I remember riding hours just about every day back then, but I think that was on my previous bike. I may have not actually put that many miles on this bike before I got my drivers license and a girlfriend and ... the bike fell down the priority list. Plus, they're Weinmann concave rims, which are quirky and different enough that I kinda want to keep them just because. Kinda the same with the hubs. They're Dura Ace high-flange hubs. I remember spending hours when I was 14 pondering over components and these are what I chose and it wouldn't quite be the same bike without them.