Rebuild or buy wheels, which is better/cheaper?
03-21-11, 06:07 PM
#1
scrumtrulescent
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Rebuild or buy wheels, which is better/cheaper?
I want to rebuild the wheels on my PX8 and I need some advice. I am confident that I can build the wheels, but I am wanting some suggestions on what you guys do to your "keeper" bikes. On one hand I want to rebuild the wheels which looks like it will cost around $130... on the other I saw some cheap wheels for around $30 each and it would solve the problem of me having to have a french threaded freewheel. However, what is the durability of a wheel that costs $30?
Here are the rims I am looking at $60
https://www.niagaracycle.com/product_...oducts_id=5138
and the DT spokes with nipples will run $60 as well.
Here are some wheels I found
rear
https://www.niagaracycle.com/product_...ducts_id=31418
front
https://www.niagaracycle.com/product_...ducts_id=34649
Here are the rims I am looking at $60
https://www.niagaracycle.com/product_...oducts_id=5138
and the DT spokes with nipples will run $60 as well.
Here are some wheels I found
rear
https://www.niagaracycle.com/product_...ducts_id=31418
front
https://www.niagaracycle.com/product_...ducts_id=34649
03-21-11, 06:27 PM
#2
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Make sure you are looking at new wheels with the correct rear hub spacing. Not sure when they made PX8s but anything post mid 80's might have the wider 130+mm spacing. Most readily available new wheels are at this wider spacing. Previous to that woudl be 126mm spacing. You can make the sider ones fit, but you will always have to spread out the rear triangle everytime you take the rear wheel on and off, unless you do a cold set (manually bend/spread the rear stays out.....very carefully!)
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03-21-11, 06:37 PM
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If your rims are OK, find a decent hub with the same OLD as the French one, and the re-spoke them.
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03-21-11, 07:34 PM
#5
feros ferio
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The choice is obvious for those of us with original hubs in good shape, such as the high flange Campagnolo Records on Capo #2.
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Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
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"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
03-22-11, 08:06 AM
#6
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Short run, buying them is cheaper.
But not better. The experience you get wheel building is very helpful. In addition, my handbuilt wheels last far, far, longer than any machine built wheels I've ever had. I sold off the pair I built for one of my fixies 10+ years ago recently. They'd seen hard riding on RVA city streets, and I hadn't touched the spokes since I built the wheel-- still perfectly tensioned and true. And I'm a big guy-- about 190.
But not better. The experience you get wheel building is very helpful. In addition, my handbuilt wheels last far, far, longer than any machine built wheels I've ever had. I sold off the pair I built for one of my fixies 10+ years ago recently. They'd seen hard riding on RVA city streets, and I hadn't touched the spokes since I built the wheel-- still perfectly tensioned and true. And I'm a big guy-- about 190.
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03-22-11, 11:17 AM
#7
curmudgineer
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Another option, if you can afford to be patient to find what you want at your price point, is buy an appropriate vintage wheelset from ebay (also possible via purchase of a complete bike on CL, but searching will be much more difficult). Or post in ISO/trade here.
