wheelset durability
 

Okay guys, I have some questions about my bike's wheels.

So it's been at least 300 miles put on to my windsor hour since I first got it and my wheel set seems to be fine still. I go up and down curbs (but when i can avoid it i always do), I've hit some nasty pot holes but I've only had a few minor falls (most of which were tripping getting out of the clips, lol).

A guy I met at a meet up said that he had problems with his windsor hour's wheel set pretty quickly into it's use. He doesn't trick on them though. What's the best way for me to tell if my wheels are still true without having a bike shop look at them? Also, with the mileage that I've put on my bike, should I have had a problem with them by now? If you guys have bought a windsor hour and had wheel problems, tell me what went wrong so I can know what to expect and how to avoid them.

Second question is, for those of you who started off riding on some crummy wheels, about how many miles did you ride before they came un-true?

And the last question which ties into that is I've been looking at new wheels sets. I know everyone is gonna say not to buy a crappy wheel set, get a velocity rim, etc. But if I decide to ignore the warnings and buy a retrospec deep-v wheel set from sgvbicycles.com for $120 (no shipping costs), will I regret being cheap? I mean right now I feel like my wheel set now is already crap, so these retrospec ones must be at least a little better right? I would be selling my old set for $50 bucks to a friend of mine so the price would technically be $70 with a trade-in. Worth it?

All wheels can go out of true soon after being built. Machine built wheels, which all budget wheels are and many better ones, will go out true even faster. It's just the spokes settling in and a quick trip to your lbs will see them nicely adjusted and trued and ready for action.

As for cheap - you get what you pay for. Buy cheap, you will get cheap wheels. If you're on a budget, and already have wheels, you're better of talking to a wheel builder about what he can put together for you - firstly because he may have a better choice of bits but mainly because the secret to a good wheel is not the hub or the spokes or the rim, it's how it was built and tensioned.

For my money, you've got wheels that are working. Get them checked if you notice wobbles or creaks, otherwise ride them until you can afford some good wheels.

Richard

The best way is to buy a truing stand and throw your wheels in there. Somewhat easier is to flip your bike upside down spin your wheels, get a Sharpie (used one that still writes well, but has a rounded off tip is best) and brace it against fork leg and chain stay. Slowly bring the tip closer to the rim 'til it stars writing on it. The wider the mark it makes in the marked areas and the more different marked/non-marked areas, the worse shape your wheels are in.

You never know. Your wheels were probably built by robots. Sometimes robots get lucky and build an OK wheel.

Dont get a cheap wheelset!
If your on a budget try the EigthInch Amelias
http://eighthinch.wordpress.com/2010...and-free-gift/
they come complete for $99 free shipping. I can say they are strong enough for curb hopping and potholes!
Also you should check out www.velomine.com
http://www.velomine.com/index.php?ma...x&cPath=87_172 Very nice wheelsets for $130
I fell victim to purchasing a $115 Tec9 Deep V wheelset about 3 years ago.....I regret buying cheap wheels to this day. You get what you pay for, The metal shavings from when the spoke holes were drilled still remained in the rim? Needless to say I found out why my flats were only on the inside surface on my tubes. Also the spokes make crunching noise to this day. As for fancy tricks...Get a bmx bike... or spend over $300 on a Very good wheelset that can handle the jumps, endos, bunny hops, etc. Hope this helps.

Don't stress out about having "crappy wheels" especially if you're on a budget. If you want to buy new ones that's cool but don't get them out of fear that your current wheels will self-destruct. The easiest way to tell if they're true is to just spin them in your bike. If you don't see any wobbles they're fine. You can also go around and feel each spoke to make sure you don't have any really loose ones. I try to ride light and I've never bent a rim. Even when I've abused my mountain bike taking it down stairs and off jumps they've stayed true.

If you do get new wheels, get good ones. Otherwise it won't be worth your money.

spin it and look at it. If the rims are going left/right or up/down it's not true.

0 miles. My kilo wheels were untrue out of the box.

I'ld rather get a Weinman DP18 from velomine for $120...

Don't buy new wheels.

My experience with wheels on BD bikes (Kilo WT and Moto Messenger) is that the build quality is very poor, and that they are not true or properly tensioned out of the box. I spent about half an hour on each wheelset getting them right before putting them into service. Also, the hub bearings in the Messenger required adjustment. Now that my wheels are properly tensioned, I do not expect to touch them ever again, regardless of how hard they are ridden.

My kilo tt pro wheelsets, with just tiny bit of adjusment were good enough for me. I've rode 400+miles on them so far and theyve been true and nice for me. Not bad quality at all.