Wheel building recommendations?

[TSP]

10 years ago I’d have gone into my local bike shop… I don’t have one of those anymore!

Where do people get wheels built these days? There’s a distinct lack of decent bike shops in my area (Portsmouth and surrounding areas) and the few that are around are more into e-bikes than building up some 25 year old wheels.

Has anyone got any recommendations?!

Cheers

 

[Takingabreak]

Madgets in Diss built some wheels for me ages ago, other than that, I've built them myself or bought something off the peg

 

[Iwasgoodonce]

@cannondale king had/has a thing with wheels.

 

[bikeworkshop]

We build 25 year old wheels here in Bristol - large flange 4 Cross even, or steel Dunlop 27s!
Although nowdays we get a lot of ebike hub motors that have killed the crappy original rim and so have to do crazy spokecalcs, special order 13g spokes, reduction nipples, and then lace up, tension and true a wheel with a 14mm axle that won't spin in the stand once you've adapted it to fit.

A normal wheel is always a comparable pleasure.

I'm sure there are other competent builders to be found through retrobike

 

[Tsundere]

Also looking for a reputable wheelsmith.

 

[JRGSXR]

I have a couple of shops near me that are happy to build wheels. However the cost is prohibitive when added to a retro build. I was lucky enough to pick up the equipment to do it myself very cheaply. Watched a few videos, practiced on a couple of scrap rims/hubs with used spokes. Then jumped right in, been building all my own ever since. Saved a fortune and all my bikes end up with the rim/hub configuration I want. Give it a go it’s very satisfying to have built your own wheels.

 

[Twozaskars]

I’ve always built my own, started before the web so just did it by looking at another wheel.

 

[jonnyboy666]

if you are in portmouth i'd make the trip over to Gary at GA cycles, 02380 636648, 65 shirley road, southampton. i have my own shop and can wheel build but he is nearer to you, he builds anything, alloy, carbon, has a huge amount of spoke stock, plus all various rim inserts for carbon rims, also does motorbike wheels

absolute legend.

 

[TSP]

if you are in portmouth i'd make the trip over to Gary at GA cycles, 02380 636648, 65 shirley road, southampton. i have my own shop and can wheel build but he is nearer to you, he builds anything, alloy, carbon, has a huge amount of spoke stock, plus all various rim inserts for carbon rims, also does motorbike wheels

absolute legend.

That’s awesome mate - Thank you. I’m often in and around Hedge End & Southampton so this is ideal. Where is your shop located??

Thanks for all the help everyone and fair play to you all having a go yourselves!!

 

[jonnyboy666]

@TSP i'm Jon's Bike Repair on the edge of the new forest but Gary is your man for wheel building, drop my name when you go in, it's always worth mentioning who sent you to him.

my shop thread, quite a few pages now:-

https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/so-i-started-a-bike-shop-update-31-07-24.347464/