I googled around, and asked on here, yet I still got some handbuilt road wheels from Dave Hinde.

And guess what? They’re excellent, or at least perfectly competent, as far as I can tell.

Round and true, even spoke tension, correct dishing, no scratches or any other damage, well packed, no settling (pinging) of the spokes on first ride.

And. Really really good price.

And. Arrived exactly on time, two weeks after order.

Open Pro CD on silver 105 with silver db spokes, £157.

Plus I like the look of them on my Kinesis Tk – quite low key, hubs have a nice machined (rather than polished) finish, rims are a gun-metal match for the frame. For sale shortly will be my Ultegra factory wheels.

Are you Dave Hinde?

Are you Dave Hinde?

+1

*WAVES* Hi Dave

I’ve got Dave Hinde wheels (Hope XC hubs and Mavic rims/spokes) and they are fine. What’s wrong with Dave Hinde wheels then?

You googled Dave Hind, and still went ahead and purchased from him. I think that negates your ability to ever be allowed to pass comment on anything ever again.

Yes, that’s right.

No – just wanted to point out that just because some people have had a crappy experience, doesn’t follow that nothing ever changes or that it is always that way. Folk are more inclined to spread bad news than good, so I thought I would share a positive experience for a change.

You googled Dave Hind, and still went ahead and purchased from him. I think that negates your ability to ever be allowed to pass comment on anything ever again.

You believed everything you ever read, without considering that might be a silent significant number of satisfied folk!

I’ve got Dave Hinde wheels (Hope XC hubs and Mavic rims/spokes) and they are fine. What’s wrong with Dave Hinde wheels then?

Search the internet.

Its widely known that Dave Hinde has never actually sold any wheels, those that do “buy” them are sent verbal abuse as a substitute.

Your wheels are probably from chain reaction cycles or merlin I imagine

those that do “buy” them are usually sent verbal abuse as a substitute.

+1

*WAVES* Hi Dave

+1

Hinde by name, arse by nature!

Are you naysayers people who have personally been wronged? Am I the lucky minority?

It has to be said DH builds decent wheels. It’s the ‘extras’ of lies, abuse, crap service and basically theft of peoples money that are the problem. If you’ve had some good wheels off him that’s great. But if DH was the last bike shop on earth, I’d give up cycling and walk. Never, ever again will that charlatan have a penny of my money.

I did get a rude/cocky response when I purchased some shifters earlier in the year via fastpartsforbikes (or whatever they are called) and asked where the rest of the cable outers where, however I got a wheel a few weeks back via the same and had no problems there, arrived quickly and in perfect condition.

I got a voucher from a mate, I went in and bought some stuff. It was an entirely pleasant experience with a good dose of bon homie on top. Sorry.

I’ve also got some of his Campag/Open Pro wheels well past their 10th birthday and drum tight.

Your wheels are probably from chain reaction cycles or merlin I imagine

I had Merlin wheels (Shimano XT on Mavic) before the Dave Hinde ones, they were not as good, required re-tensioning by LBS.

I’ve done DH a few times via ebay. Been fine.

I’m sure it is possible to have a perfectly reasonable DH experience, but with the choice of retailers out there from which to select, the question to ask is why would you bother?

for every 100 disgruntled customers, there will always be one or two with a tale of good service to tell

I’m sure it is possible to have a perfectly reasonable DH experience, but with the choice of retailers out there from which to select, the question to ask is why would you bother?

If the answer to that question is not obvious to you, you clearly don’t have to worry about money as much as I!

If you know of a better price for handmade road wheels do please share.

for every 100 disgruntled customers, there will always be one or two with a tale of good service to tell

This is kinda my point

– how much of this perceived ratio is down to the disgruntled being far more inclined to share, and the satisfied just keeping quiet?

– how much is direct experience?

I’m not saying that the reputation is not deserved, by the way. Just that I think there can be a big difference between perception and reality. A certain narrative gets built-up and then that version is taken as 100% gospel, no exceptions.

Better price – make em yourself!

I used both Pete Matthews and Harry Rowland in the past in my roadie racing days before I started building my own (so 10+ years ago). I assume they are both in business but must be getting on a bit. You get what you pay for and that includes product AND pre and after sales service. If you actually get what you have paid for with DH without months of delay or a myriad of calls you are half the way there but woe betide you if you want to make a warranty claim!

Convert – that’s bs. I’m pretty sure I couldn’t buy the parts for the total price.

Hubs are £80. Rims about the same. That’s already more than the total price without spokes and nipples, and the time to build. I don’t own a wheel jig either.

You say you get what you pay for – well I’m not certain that follows, tbh. I’ve only ridden them a few miles, but they didn’t ping and settle, they are already evenly tensioned – what else are you looking for?

Dave Hinde is my LBS, and to be fair, when I’ve bought stuff off him, he’s always been spot on..

And cheap too..

😕

how is he still in business?

heard nothing but bad reports about him

Well – just did a quick look around and got it all a bit cheaper all up but admittedly not a lot in it (£10 inc. postage). And if you don’t have the skills to do it yourself I guess you have to go somewhere……not hard to learn though & owning jig will save you in the long run. Building wheels – 1hour a pop for me now and that’s if I take my time and do a nice job – and strangely therapeutic too!

When I said you get what you pay for what I was eluding to was that it also included the pre and after sales service, not just the shiny bit of metal in your hand. Your ownership experience has only just started. For many (myself included) the DH purchase experience nightmare starts a little further down the road than you currently have travelled.

Ah well, I’ll leave this now.

Just wanted to say I took the risk, and am very satisfied. Wheels were less money than the parts, and substantially cheaper than elsewhere.

Also wanted to try and get some thoughts on how we form an opinion based more on re-affirming our earlier opinion than on balance. It takes a hell of a lot for our views to diverge and for us to look for balance – human instinct is to ignore everything that doesn’t conform to the original bias, or to shoot the messenger.

convert

Building wheels does appeal to me, but at £10 a pair I’d have to build a lifetime’s worth before I saved any money!

Also, I can’t at this point see what I’d claim on the warranty for? I could understand that view if I hadn’t received them, or if they were damaged, or shoddily built. But I do have them, and they are ok – they are wheels, there isn’t a great deal that can go wrong?

Now I really am leaving this thread to its own devices!

i think past posts have been very positive about wheel quality and service on wheels

think in other areas maybe its not just the ratio of disgruntled customers but the way in which they are treated that is the cause for concern