Need a front and rear 29er wheelset built. Found ‘Wheelcraft’ They seem good. Any testimonies or other recommendations.

Wheelcraft, book a days holiday beforehand though

Wheelcraft obviously, but if too far out then Dales in the city centre have built me wheels before and done a great job.

Yip.. wheelcraft. He likes a chat..

Wheelcraft is great. Big al does like a chat and industrial strength coffee.

As seen on tv in Oor Wullie.

Contrary to popular opinion, not Wheelcraft, seems to be living off his reputation these days.

Neil Walker in Kilmaurs is a better bet, and won’t spout shite about black spokes either.

also, Dave at Sprockets – he can build a decent wheel at a good price

Stevie at Xtreme Bikes is pretty handy too

Wheelcraft, as long as you’re not in a rush.

Al has built my wheels for years – if he’s living off his reputation these days, I can’t tell the difference.

and won’t spout shite about black spokes either

😀

Big Al has been building wheels for longer than I’ve been alive – which means he’s very good at it, but also a bit opinionated. It happens to us all.

What about an online retailer? Merlin/Chainreaction etc? Quality components at a good price. Any experiences on the build quality?

Have had a fair few Merlin wheelsets over the years and always found them to be good

Where does this reluctance in the use of black spokes come from? Are they inherently weaker or something? I was thinking on specifying them.

Where does this reluctance in the use of black spokes come from? Are they inherently weaker or something? I was thinking on specifying them.

They used to be. Now not so much.

+ 1 for walkers.

I was in a few weeks ago getting some spokes replaced and a guy came in wanting black spokes in a wheel build and Big Al didn’t go into his usual rant so looks like he has mellowed a bit on the black spoke issue.

I was in a few weeks ago getting some spokes replaced and a guy came in wanting black spokes in a wheel build and Big Al didn’t go into his usual rant so looks like he has mellowed a bit on the black spoke issue.

Aye, until the guy comes back in and he’s built them with silver ones, he’s done that before….

Yip,i asked for black spokes,went to pick wheels up and he had doe them in silver spokes,Suppose the amount of spokes he has lying around and the fact he charges 20-25 per wheel build means he either does the build for free or spokes for free,

Anyone know who has opened at the stables on Balmore road at lights with skirsa street,I’ve seen a shop in the back there but never went in for a nosey,Also theres the guys on the road to Torrance who used to work for Al i think

Any ideas of cost if you supply hubs and rims?

Al is 25 quid a wheel, i got hope hubs built onto my existing rims and it was around 230 quid,he was cheaper then anywhere for the hope hubs,and that was upgrading to the steel free hub so it didn’t get mashed by the cassette

Is that Oor Wullie real?

I had the “built it with silver because it’s better” one time, not from Al, I was so surprised I just went with it but if I’d taken a minute to think I’d have told them to get to ****. Not cool.

It’s not Glasgow area but I got my last few wheels built by Steve Deas at Icycles- I just combined a visit to the shop with a ride at innerleithen.

Anyone know who has opened at the stables on Balmore road at lights with skirsa street

At Lambhill Stables? There’s a bike kitchen thing there, not quite sure what the deal is with that.

Is that Oor Wullie real?

It was linked to from his website so I imagine so.

Wheelcraft will give you the colour of spokes you ask for. I’ve had a lot of good wheels from them.

Wheelcraft. Had so many good wheels out of there.

Yes he’s a bit off beat, and I’m sure the odd bad customer experience has been had, but there is nowt better than an Al wheel.

I’ve got a set of Wheelcraft built Open Pro Ceramics on Hope hubs that I’ll warrant have done more miles than some of you have ever cycled.

Mind you if you think about it that is a meaningless statement, but I liked typing it.

The cartoon is genuine. Is there such a thing as a forged cartoon?

Aye bencooper,thats the place,might just be for people using the cycle path

Any ideas of cost if you supply hubs and rims?

I had Neil @ walkers build my plus wheels, I supplied the i35 rims and novatec hubs, he built them, including supplying spokes, for 60 quid. This price may have been influenced by knowing him for years, and also big stiff asymmetric rims are not time consuming to build.

Wheelset I got built in ’93 from Wheelcraft are still going strong.

Personally I’d go on reputation and knowledge of the builder – they do tend to know their craft. Saying that, I’ve genuinely no interest in what colour spokes are so it wouldn’t bother me…I would insist on brass nipples though.

If you fancy getting to stirling speak to craig and grant at stirling cycles. The wheels they built for me for the shan are simply awesome.

I second what nobeer says about the living off the reputation thing.

Could try wheelsmith instead of wheelcraft. They’re out by falkirk and have quite a reputation in the cx community.