Best value bike wheels
Best value bike wheels
Hello, my wheel rims have become worn and I'm looking to replace both wheels. My local bike shop recommended wheels costing £120. I can find many wheels online with numerous good reviews for much less than that, though. I use my bike for light commuting (5 miles per day) and I'm basically looking for wheels that will give the best value over the long term i.e. to minimise the cost of wheels (and repairs to them) divided by their lifetime. I'm not experienced with repairing wheels so it may be best to assume that I would take the bike to the shop if any repairs needed doing. Do you think my bike shop's suggested price is likely to be in the right ballpark, or could I get cheaper wheels that will be better value?
Re: Best value bike wheels
Is your bike shop building the wheels themselves?
IMO the best long term value come from buying decent hubs (These don't have to be top range mega expensive, something like Shimano Deore) A common rim that is likely to still be around in a few years and getting a wheelbuilder with a good reputation to build them. I'd expect to pay a little more than you've been quoted for that, somewhere around £150. The advantages are - they should remain true, but if they don't you'd expect the wheelbuilder to put it right. The hubs and spokes should be reusable next time a rim wears out, so the next time would be around half the price. The problem with bargain wheels online is where to take them if they weren't well built and need truing, any savings can soon get eaten up. Though you might get lucky and those prepared to do a bit of tweaking can get a bargain.
IMO the best long term value come from buying decent hubs (These don't have to be top range mega expensive, something like Shimano Deore) A common rim that is likely to still be around in a few years and getting a wheelbuilder with a good reputation to build them. I'd expect to pay a little more than you've been quoted for that, somewhere around £150. The advantages are - they should remain true, but if they don't you'd expect the wheelbuilder to put it right. The hubs and spokes should be reusable next time a rim wears out, so the next time would be around half the price. The problem with bargain wheels online is where to take them if they weren't well built and need truing, any savings can soon get eaten up. Though you might get lucky and those prepared to do a bit of tweaking can get a bargain.
Re: Best value bike wheels
Hi
You haven't given us much to work with, however a decent pair of wheels will give many years (decades?) of use for light commuting with an occasional rim change
My commuter has Shimano R501 wheels that I picked up for £60. They're factory-built with stainless spokes and I expect that when my winter commute eventually grinds the rims through I'll buy something similar again. The downsides for some will be the spoke count, black aero spokes (can be difficult to find a match locally) and max 10 speed. The upside has been that I haven't been near them with a spoke key (14 stones), they're cheap (the current version around £85 pair) and I'll still see at least four years of all-seasons use and several thousand miles
Regards
tim-b
You haven't given us much to work with, however a decent pair of wheels will give many years (decades?) of use for light commuting with an occasional rim change
My commuter has Shimano R501 wheels that I picked up for £60. They're factory-built with stainless spokes and I expect that when my winter commute eventually grinds the rims through I'll buy something similar again. The downsides for some will be the spoke count, black aero spokes (can be difficult to find a match locally) and max 10 speed. The upside has been that I haven't been near them with a spoke key (14 stones), they're cheap (the current version around £85 pair) and I'll still see at least four years of all-seasons use and several thousand miles
Regards
tim-b
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Re: Best value bike wheels
IMO, the best value for money is hand built.
You can spec them how you want them, and the difference in cost is easily made up in the difference in maintenance cost.
Order a hand built set from your LBS, Spa Cycles, or a local wheel builder.
You can spec them how you want them, and the difference in cost is easily made up in the difference in maintenance cost.
Order a hand built set from your LBS, Spa Cycles, or a local wheel builder.
“In some ways, it is easier to be a dissident, for then one is without responsibility.”
― Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom
― Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom