[Closed] Hand built road wheels

Or Royce hubs ?

try strada wheels,very good reputation and they build to your spec dependent on what you want, how light strong and how heavy you are.

My mate has a set of their wheels, he's 85kg and loves them.

On that basis, I'd get these: http://dcrwheels.co.uk/products/wheelsets/r45-cx-ray-archetype/ or, failing that, these: http://dcrwheels.co.uk/products/wheelsets/r45-cx-ray-archetype/

I weigh a little more than you. I trashed the stock wheels that came with my road bike fairly quickly. I was recommended a guy who built lots of the Gloucester Rugby boys' road bikes. He recommended Mavic Open Pros, DT Swiss spokes, but I couldn't afford CK hubs! This build with CKs would suit your budget. The wheels are excellent and I've done long days (100 miles) and fast (for me) days on crappy rods and they are reliable, confidence-inspiring and true! And if you're in the South West and want his details email me!

Oh as a 100kg-er I was recommended 36H rear and 32 front for spoke numbers. But went 36 both ends to be sure!

Give Just Riding Along a call.
They built me some wheels for my road/tourer, three years on and they've hardly seen a spoke key.
Really helpful on the phone and ordered hubs in especially for me, I was only buying a mid range setup, nice to get top end service 😀

[url= http://www.wheelsmith.co.uk/race24 ]Wheelsmith Race24's[/url]
These are very good. Did not get the Chris King's though.

Im 95kg and have 24 and 28 spoke stans alphas (the older 340g ones, not the newer tougher ones) and novatech hubs. Id not worry too much about having to overbuild them, once they bedded in they've not needed looking at, they'll wear out before they fall appart IMO.

What about some wide rims like velocity a23, h plus son archetypes? The stans are normal ish width but have low sidewalls so the tyre sits wider and its certainly comfier.

Get over on bike radar and have a word with ugo,he's the resident wheel builder on there. He built me a set using h plus sons archetypes and 105 hubs, and they're very nice indeed.
And he's a nice bloke to deal with.

I have a pair of Strada built H Plus Son Archetypes with CX Ray spokes, 32 front and rear and CK hubs.

Strada do build excellent wheels, but then so do a lot of people. DCR and Harry Rowland are two good examples.

CK hubs are lovely but really they are more of a posh purchase than anything functional.

Royce hubs do have a big advantage in that they are, apparently, very robust and maintenance free. They are also terribly pretty with their pearl effect lacquer.

I was 110kg and Strada still said I would be fine on 32 front and rear. I'm quite a bit lighter now (89kg) so if buying again I might go lighter but since they are on my winter/commuter bike their robustness is welcome.

Just moved from some fancy easton factory wheels that whilst lovely kept shedding spokes at inopportune moments, to hand built mavic open pro, hope hub wheels. Not put a huge mileage on them yet but they are lovely , confident building over our rough roads and roll really well.

Another vote for Wheelsmith Race 24's here.

I'd have a look at Hope Pro3 on Mavic Open Pros. I've used the hubs on my touring bike, I've ridden around 10,000 miles on the fully laden and they are still like new. There's very little weight difference between them and Chris King hubs.

There is even a cheap pair on ebay (not mine)you could try as a test.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/321386257270?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

Call [url= http://www.harryrowland.co.uk/ ]Harry Rowland[/url]. Dura Ace hubs, Mavic CXP33# and 28/28 Sapim spokes will be all the wheel you'll need and leave change from £400. Add some 25c Schwalbe One tyres and some latex inner tubes (another £100) and you will fly.

I have a set of the above with 24/28 spokes (I'm only 68 kg) and they are truly fantastic wheels. Raced them on smooth stuff and ridden some dreadful roads. I can't recommend them highly enough. Ask nicely and you can have black spokes and nipples for a stealth look.

#I also have a set of Open Pros on low flange track hubs. The CXP33s are lower profile and build a stiffer wheel.

85kg, my Mavic Kysirium ES must be seven years old now, they've been through loads of bearings and tens of thousands of miles. Typical peak district and Sheffield crap road and I ride them all seasons.

I've run tune hubs for years. Ring Paul hewwit he builds fantastic wheels and will advise you well

I have some Ksyrium Elites as well, and they are nice light stiff wheels. But for sportives, I'd ride my handbuilts every time. A little heavier but a much nicer smoother ride. And they were cheaper too!

As an aside, if you don't care for the Hope hub click, you may find the CK fizzing a little tiresome as well.

Don't get open pros, get something more modern with a wide tyre bed like a23's archetypes sl23's, hed ardennes etc.
Actually he hope/hed Ardennes in stallion build would be my choice.