Selecting a wheel builder
 

When deciding on a new wheel builder, particularly one that is local (or little known), what questions can I ask to understand if they are good or not? At the cost of custom wheels trial and error could get expensive.

Do you have any references?
How long have you been selling wheels?
If you were buying wheels, who would you recommend?

Personally, I would place a premium on how the wheelbuilder stands behind their wheels. I build wheels myself, and I have a lifetime warranty on all my wheels - meaning I will guarantee anything related to build quality for life (ie truing, replacing broken spokes)(although if the wheel is not local, shipping charges are involved). Wear through a brake track, you are on your own - that is not build related. I would expect the same from any other competent wheelbuilder - that they stand behind their work.

Beyond that, I would ask if they use a tensiometer, and how they balance spoke tension. It is a lot easier to build a true wheel with okay spoke tension than it is to build a true wheel with even spoke tension, that is tensioned to spec. The first wheel would seem great at first, but it would go out of true and/or break spokes more easily. FWIW, the best answer they could give is that they use a tensiometer from a major bicycle components manufacturer, and that they use some variant of the Park TCC spreadsheet (for more info on this: )http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-...lator-for-tm-1).

Psimet wheels:http://www.psimet.com/

Rob is a regular here, good guy with a good product at a reasonable price, he will be the supplier of my next wheel set.

Bill

Thanks. I have emailed with Rob and his service seems great, along with pricing. I have also spoken with a few others I have found recommended in the forums. While finishing my "due diligence" as a consumer I did come across a builder with a good price, seemingly good experience, but not known as far as I can tell. Probably popular in his local area. He does have a very short wait time compared to the more popular builders. So I will use the advice here to further make my choice.

the guy at my shop is a genius, but hes not know to us internety people, but id have no one else build my wheels