How much do you charge to lace up a wheel??
06-29-06, 04:17 PM
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How much do you charge to lace up a wheel??
The title says its, how much does your LBS charge to lace up a wheel?
06-29-06, 06:15 PM
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I'm a part-time wheelbuilder with a small private shop. I primarily do commissions (I have a few built wheels, but mainly for demonstration) and mainly fixed-gear stuff (because they're popular right now.) If a customer brings in their own hubs and rims I charge for spokes and 40 bucks for the build. If they are getting the entire wheel from me the price is ((hub price plus rim price plus spoke price)-10%) plus 25 bucks. I think my prices are about in line with what most decent builders will charge.
06-29-06, 06:36 PM
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Originally Posted by Mothra
Just to lace or to build a wheel? Just to lace it up, maybe $40-60. Complete build from beginning to end including spokes & rim is about $100-150.
06-29-06, 06:38 PM
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The only people who trust me to build wheels for them are my friends, and I have a real problem charging my friends for services I enjoy providing.
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06-29-06, 06:39 PM
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Originally Posted by operator
That's ridiculous. $150? You can buy a a whole wheelset front and rear for that price.
- Wil
06-29-06, 07:12 PM
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OK, I have no problem with the cost, how much time goes into the job? I don't know bike shop rates, but most businesses these days probably have to charge $40.00-$60.00 an hour to be profitable.
06-29-06, 07:29 PM
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$30.00 just labor
06-29-06, 07:34 PM
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We have been at $35 for ten years and just moved it to $50. Labor only.
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06-29-06, 08:26 PM
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I've only ever built my own wheels - I don't think I would be able to afford the insurance if I started selling my services, folks these days being so damned litigious 'n all… 
- Wil
- Wil
06-30-06, 12:03 AM
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I think when I worked in bike shops we'd charge 10 or 15 bucks to lace a wheel. Really, that's a 15 minute job at the most.
06-30-06, 12:24 AM
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Originally Posted by neilG
I think when I worked in bike shops we'd charge 10 or 15 bucks to lace a wheel. Really, that's a 15 minute job at the most.
06-30-06, 02:23 AM
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The last wheel I had built up cost $40 for labor and 36 DT double butted spokes. 
This wheel builder is a profesional team mechanic who builds the best wheels I have ever seen. I'm really lucky to have found this man!
This wheel builder is a profesional team mechanic who builds the best wheels I have ever seen. I'm really lucky to have found this man!
06-30-06, 03:21 AM
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Originally Posted by gwhunt23
$40 wheelbuild including spokes.
Tim
06-30-06, 04:14 AM
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Originally Posted by Al1943
$150 for the labor.
Re: 40 bucks including spokes: Not that astonishingly low in my book. Simple straight gauge spokes don't cost $1, not even the best ones like DT or Sapim. More like 20-25 cents here, and there's no reason why they should be more expensive there. For a bike shop, about 15c, I imagine. So spokes cost $6 or so. 10 at the most. $30 for an hour's work is fair, isn't it?
Honestly, labour charges are way out of this world. A skilled mechanic can build about 5-8 wheels in an 8 hour shift, I guess. Is that work worth $350-400? Or, with Al's fee, $1000+?
NO.
06-30-06, 04:41 AM
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I charge $20 labor per wheel, but I don't own a shop and already own the tools for building my family's and friends' wheels, so it's more of a hobby for me. I started out building them for myself and found out I was quite good at it, so I started doing it for other people.
06-30-06, 08:38 AM
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Originally Posted by urbanknight
I charge $20 labor per wheel, but I don't own a shop and already own the tools for building my family's and friends' wheels, so it's more of a hobby for me. I started out building them for myself and found out I was quite good at it, so I started doing it for other people.
06-30-06, 08:53 AM
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Harris cyclery charges $40 per wheel.
06-30-06, 10:10 AM
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Originally Posted by LóFarkas
Is that serious??? $150 for one wheelbuild if I supply spokes, hub and rim?
Honestly, labour charges are way out of this world. A skilled mechanic can build about 5-8 wheels in an 8 hour shift, I guess. Is that work worth $350-400? Or, with Al's fee, $1000+?
NO.
Honestly, labour charges are way out of this world. A skilled mechanic can build about 5-8 wheels in an 8 hour shift, I guess. Is that work worth $350-400? Or, with Al's fee, $1000+?
NO.
Al
06-30-06, 10:24 AM
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I build my own wheels...
Then you do charge 150 for labour per wheel? Are you some sort of a highly esteemed expert in a fancy shop? Like, pro riders or rich amateur racers come in, you talk with them about their riding, recommend parts, get them, calculate spoke lenghts, offer 2+years warranty, free truing and spoke replacement if necessary (it better not be...), etc.?
If all that is included, I could almost see a point in charging $100. Given that, apparently, Sheldon Brown will build you a wheel for $40, I still can't. Knowing the man from the net, I'm sure he'd be willing to give advice free. $150 is (would be, if anyone actually paid that much) a ripoff.
Then you do charge 150 for labour per wheel? Are you some sort of a highly esteemed expert in a fancy shop? Like, pro riders or rich amateur racers come in, you talk with them about their riding, recommend parts, get them, calculate spoke lenghts, offer 2+years warranty, free truing and spoke replacement if necessary (it better not be...), etc.?
If all that is included, I could almost see a point in charging $100. Given that, apparently, Sheldon Brown will build you a wheel for $40, I still can't. Knowing the man from the net, I'm sure he'd be willing to give advice free. $150 is (would be, if anyone actually paid that much) a ripoff.
06-30-06, 10:28 AM
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Originally Posted by FreeRidin'
The title says its, how much does your LBS charge to lace up a wheel?
Sheldon "More Fun To Do It Yourself" Brown
https://sheldonbrown.com/wheelbuild
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06-30-06, 10:29 AM
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Originally Posted by Moose
Nobody walks into a shop and puts all the parts in the mechanic's hand and says "Build this, 3-cross please!" (even if they did, one should take the time to check it all out before just digging in)
-D
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06-30-06, 10:34 AM
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Originally Posted by LóFarkas
$150 is (would be, if anyone actually paid that much) a ripoff.
Compared to most labor that I pay $150 for, a wheel for that rate would be a bargain.
Al