Looking for a road wheel-builder or decent 2nd hand wheel

Itsfixed

HI

Does anyone know a good local wheel-builder or a decent UK crowd who can mail order? Looking for a handbuilt rear road wheel with a 7 or 8 speed cassette, with something like a Mavic Open Pro rim, Ultegra hubs and double butted stainless steel spokes. The most i would pay is €120 for the one wheel.

So far I've come across Bikedock in Belfast but they don't have Ultegra 8 or 9 speed, and anyone i've asked locally is charging way over €120. Might have to downgrade to a 105 hub.

Looking on Ebay as well for a good new or second hand set but if anyone here has a decent rear wheel going spare????? Particularly if you have a wheel with the older 7 speed hubs, like the Shimano 600.

This is because the frame rear axle spacing is actually 126mm as opposed to the standard 130mm (its an old but nice 1980s mercian frame) but 130mm will fit.

Trojan

I think Cliff in Cyclelogical is a good wheel builder, you should give them a ring and ask for a quote: 01 872 4678. The guys in Cycleways screwed me over when I tried to get a wheel built there (basically they had a week to do it, and told me 5 days later they hadn't got around to it yet - I dropped the hub into Cyclelogical and Cliff had it ready 2 hours later). I don't know about the other shops around town.

You can cold set to fit a 135 if you want, have a look on Sheldon's site. Depends on how comfortable you are with the idea.

I'm thinking about going Mercian (King of Mercia) with my next upgrade in a year or two. What's your frame, happy with it?

GP

Try Johnny at the The Bike Shop in Wexford. www.thebikeshop.ie

He has built me (and others) a few wheels and yet to break any spokes (in 2 yers).

I have also been riding a new pair of 24spoke wheels for 1 year now and only needed slght adjustments after first few weeks of "riding in".

He's very particular so I would defnitely reccomend him.

Itsfixed

Trojan wrote:

I think Cliff in Cyclelogical is a good wheel builder, you should give them a ring and ask for a quote: 01 872 4678. The guys in Cycleways screwed me over when I tried to get a wheel built there (basically they had a week to do it, and told me 5 days later they hadn't got around to it yet - I dropped the hub into Cyclelogical and Cliff had it ready 2 hours later). I don't know about the other shops around town.

You can cold set to fit a 135 if you want, have a look on Sheldon's site. Depends on how comfortable you are with the idea.

I'm thinking about going Mercian (King of Mercia) with my next upgrade in a year or two. What's your frame, happy with it?

Thanks will give Cliff a shout.

Don't know yet about the Mercian frame, which is a 1989 King of Mercia racing, not touring frame. Made of reynolds 653 and reasonably light. Lovely lug work. Got it off ebay for a song.

Working on getting the parts for a retro-ish build - looking for nitto randonneurs bars, a decent brakeset, and hopefully a brooks saddle. Can't wait.

Trojan

How much is a song these days? Throw up some pics of the frame when you get it, sounds great.

Itsfixed

Trojan wrote:

How much is a song these days? Throw up some pics of the frame when you get it, sounds great.

Oh sure i have it already, just waiting to be built up, which it will when my budget allows. Gradually picking up bits here and there, but the wheels are the biggest expense. Will try throw up a pic at the weekend or better still, a pic when its completed.

A song? Less than €100. Its in great nick, refurbished a few years ago.