Cycling UK Forum

Just bought a pair of wheels off Ebay (I know, asking for trouble!).

However, when I got them yesterday I found that numerous problems (loose spokes, one at least bent). Worst of all, the spokes were too long and protuded proud of the spoke nipple into the rim well making the wheels unuseable.

Now I'm no wheel builder (content to replace the odd spoke and true wheels) but my understanding is when selecting spoke length that there should never be this problem.

When I emailed the person who supplied them, I received the reply...

these wheels have been built by a professional bike shop.
1)Long Spokes are to be filed down with a dremmel type tool or file down by hand.Then use heavy duty rim tape.
2)This product left the house in A1 condition
3) Suggest you go to bike shop and buy a spoke key and tighten them up.

None of this sounds right to me. Opinions and views please.

Wildduck wrote:.

these wheels have been built by a professional bike shop.
1)Long Spokes are to be filed down with a dremmel type tool or file down by hand.Then use heavy duty rim tape.
2)This product left the house in A1 condition
3) Suggest you go to bike shop and buy a spoke key and tighten them up.

1. they clearly haven't - - if you'd cobbled them together for practice/ a hack out of scrap bits in your shed, you may need to file them down, but you'd get the right spokes if you're buying spokes specially for the job
2. it'd take a hell of a knock to distort a properly built a1 wheel. they can go up hill and down dale with fatmen and their luggage after all.
3. suggest to him that he refunds you. . . unless they were listed as part built wheels made from oddments from an old store room??

Refund time (unless they were explicitly sold in this condition).

Take some photos if you can.

If they refuse to issue a refund then follow the procedure detailed on Ebay. If you paid by Paypal, then you might need to go through their Resolution Centre.

Can you post a link to the Ebay listing here, along with some decent photos of the problems with your wheels?

Listed as new (and now told professionally built).

The hell they were!

Just after a few more comments. I know it seemed like a stupid question but I just had to make sure I wasn't going mad or being unreasonable.

Can see a PayPal dispute and negative feedback looming......

I'm sure you will, but remain polite when dealing with the person. If you go mental (as tempting as it probably is right now) it could slow down the whole procedure.

You should really post some pics on here of the problems so we can see exactly what you're talking about.

Yep, always polite in these kind of dealings.

Item no. 230322089903

Just sold as new wheels, no other comments made about poor quality.

Will try to get some photos up tonight/tomorrow.

It appears the seller has already dug their heels in and a PayPal dispute and negative feedback is the only way to deal with this. At least the hubs look in a good condition and can be salvaged.

Don't take the wheels apart until the claims process is over. You might have to send them back.

No I won't (been here before..... ). They're still sitting in the box they came in (no hurry to use them or the hubs, got them as spares just in case....).

Had a couple of problems before with Ebay sellers; always resolved satifactorily via PayPal.

Besides the spokes protruding above the nipples - is the spoke "pattern" correct? (say compared with your existing wheels).

Had a couple of problems before with Ebay sellers; always resolved satifactorily via PayPal.

Shame you didn't learn your lesson re. Ebay.

That is not the advice needed at the moment though

Despite the obvious build problems I'd say you might have got a bit of bargain, the hubs are £32 each at SJS, and while the rims you have might be a POS you won't find a 406 rim for less than about £15, 36 spokes will set you back £15 That's £62 per wheel.


Take them to bits, chuck away the spokes - or see if you can shorten them and rebuild the wheels properly with the aid of this
http://www.wheelpro.co.uk/wheelbuilding/book.php

Is that how spokes are supposed to look joining the nipple?

I've led a sheltered life with bog standard MTB wheels.

406 wheels have quite a strained angle where the spokes join the nipple. As you see though, its not possible to ascertain quite how badly the wheels are made. Photos to follow....

m100

Can you get spokes for a pair of 406 rims for £15? I have to have mine hand cut at 50p each. ie £36 a pair.
Or do you mean £15 per rim and there is no potential bargain in the offing.