Originally Posted by
alcjphil
Building strong wheels is as much about the building process as it is about the quality of the components used. Very strong wheels can be built with 36 spokes if they are properly tensioned and stress relieved. Re using spokes from a wheel that has been breaking them is a very poor idea, they will have been exposed to stresses from uneven spoke tension and untrue rims. You won't save money by building the wheel yourself and then taking it in to a shop for final tensioning, you would have to first buy all the parts at full retail and then pay for the final build while hoping that you laced the wheel properly. Wheel parts for 40 and 44 spoke wheels will be very difficult to find and more expensive than the much more common 36 spoke rims and hubs. You can reuse a hub if it is in good shape which you should verify by doing a complete hub overhaul before committing to that route. Another point to re using spokes is that the new rim may possibly have a different effective rim diameter which may require different lengths.
i alcjphil!
Very kind of you to take the time to reply. I'm sorry as my first and only notice that someone replied came to my Gmail box 17 hours ago. I just assumed no one was answering because my thread or post (?) was probably too verbose. The problem I have I don't know how to really effectively shorten because it's a complex problem. I was out quite a few hours yesterday going to two different shops that do free estimates for rebuilding a wheel for me. I was limping along with rear V brakes open because the rear wheel wobbles quite badly.
I was mainly, as in my initial post here, looking at price and shop's level of experience as the used wheel I paid $150 for 17 months ago is so bad one of the two shops said I need a new wheel. I was foolish buying a used wheel as advice I perceived is that when you buy a used wheel you don't know the wheel's history. The first shop estimated $185. The 2nd shop said the first shop only gave me a partial bid description. I remember the first shop kept the second page of the printout and he said it was the "spoke information" like he didn't want to give it out treating it like it was their private in-shop information only. Also the first shop mechanic seemed to take it personal that I was going to go to another shop for a bid and pressured me into having him do the build -- professional pride I guess.
The second shop "SS" said in an instant, looking at the first shop's "FS" bid of $185, that in a year I'd be returning with the same problem, that (sadly) the FS wheel wasn't stronger than the wheel I had. The SS said in my case I really need a "touring wheel" and 40 spokes not 36 which would exclude the maybe best thing on my whole bike that the FS said was a "nothing short of awesome hub". It's a Shimano Deore XT FH-M770. Is that worth holding onto? I didn't tell the SS but I'd read if with a 36 hole wheel you use either double butted or triple butted spokes it's like equivalent in strength to adding 4 to 8 more spokes. That way I could save the cost of buying a 40 hole hub. Is that proper logic? The SS guy knew I'm low budget and with a 1998 Diamond Back with "4130 Cro-Mo" frame... but he showed online a hub made by "White" that would be ideal... but it was a $385 hub.
My price range for the entire wheel is about $200, and to hopefully use my Deore XT hub. My goal was to have a stronger wheel than what I had (see above). I always say, as in my thread here, that I weigh 285lbs and at times carry 60lbs of groceries. I don't trail ride my mountain bike. I commute in urban settings on streets and paved bike paths. I combine commuting with exercise always achieving the goal of getting exercise. I also plan to do short 150 mile max bike camping trips where I pull maybe like a CoHo X one wheeled trailer. The SS also said when they are very busy they take their wheel build jobs to a world renowned wheel builder near them in Bloomington, Minnesota. Have you heard of them? I can't find them with an internet search. He said they will build a wheel within 48 hours for $60. It's what their shop charges for labor. If you were me, and it's my choice, would you go the route of having that company do the build but the SS order the parts? Also what would your solution be for parts in my case? Thanks for your input!
Carpe Diem!
Winfred