wheelset build cost at bike shop

f you lace them up and just tighten the nipples to the point where no thread is showing the bike shop can do the rest in under and hour for 2 wheels (£35)

not when you bring them in laced up the wrong way round and and some of them more tightened that others to you have to start over again to be able to do anything, effectively creating more work that just bringing in the parts…

But yes if you know a bit about what you are doing it can save time/money

I just don’t understand why the OP didn’t ask the cost beforehand, especially if money’s tight.

Would’ve saved him money as us the squabbling. My LBS quotes £40 per wheel build. I guess if that’s plus VAT it’s not far off what the OP paid.

Look at it another way – you tied up a skilled mechanic for half a day. What do you think a reasonable day rate is for a skilled mechanic? A plasterer is around £250, a decorator around £240, a chippy around £200 (quick Google) – so £105 for a half day isn’t all that bad.

But bike shops are terrible at actually charging decent labour prices (see above thread) which is why no-one makes much money in the bike industry 😉

It’s expensive for a bike shop but it’s not expensive in the real world, plumber out to look at something, that’s fifty or sixty quid without even doing anything.

Wheelbase charge 40 per wheel which is very reasonable IMHO

Can you do “x” for me?

“Yes”

I can’t believe there was no “how much will it cost?”

In my shop it’s usually

“How much will it cost to do “x?”

not when you bring them in laced up the wrong way round and and some of them more tightened that others

Well if you are that ham-fisted better leave the whole job to a bike shop. My advice was based on being able to follow some very simple instructions contained in 1 or 2 paragraphs….

I understand that you were on a tight budget here, and yes, it does look a tad expensive.

Recently the LBS built me up a pair of wheels.
The only component that I was particular about was the hubs , DT 350 ratchet hubs, I took the advice of the shop for spokes and rims.

The most important part for me in a hand built pair of wheels is the build quality.

A standard spec wheelset hand built by someone who knows what they are doing, and is taking their time to ensure trouble free use is sort it.

A high spec wheel thrown together is worse than the option above, leading to the usual wheel fettling to eventually get it right.

Another bonus is that the lbs will always be interested in any future repairs or adjustment.

Olly at Skyline Cycles is a good wheelbuilder and well worth his advice and wheel building skills and time.

What hub, rim and spokes did you go for?

If your on a budget you have prob ended up with a very expensive wheelset where a factory built set may have worked out better value.

Places like CRC will build the wheels for free if you use their custom builders online.

f you are on a budget as suggested it would have been wise to have built them up yourself to a point where they just needed finishing off

Had that a lot over the years “how much for a true?” to be presented with 2 ‘laced’ wheels.Always charged as a build (25 each).
£105/3 hours for 2 wheels is a bit steep/long.

Even Evans are only £40 inc Silver DB spokes and presumably nipples.

I think you were done….. I’ve not built a wheel in maybe 18yrs, but I bet it still wouldn’t take me 3hrs. Yes but they have built 2 wheels not 1 . Almost everybody claims to be able to build wheels but when you are charging people then they have to be built to a high standard or you are just going to get grief further down the line . Don’t forget that the price you paid will include VAT so the shop has charged less than £90 which is a bit more than you might expect but not excessive .

Classic irritation for a busy LBS… “I bought this stuff cheap online because your prices are a rip off, but can you put it together for me cheap/free?”

So yeah, not only annoying, they have to fit it in with their own work, probably aren’t specifically a wheel building service, and they’re making very little money from it considering labour rate is paying the salaries and overheads.

As for the price, so long as it’s stated up front, there’s no reason to complain. If you didn’t like the quote, go elsewhere. If price wasn’t negotiated up front then you should have done so, or go somewhere else that will do so.

to dhrider
my 2 season old hope pro 2 hubs , sapim bladed aero spokes , dt pro lock brass nipples , flows mk3

Usually about £20/25 a wheel for build

Ah blades spokes…..worth a 30 quid add-on right there….. Plus the hubs are used so the builder has to match whatever previous lacing pattern used (whether trailing spokes are in board / out board etc….). Should have been 200 quid 😉

Look at it another way – you tied up a skilled mechanic for half a day. What do you think a reasonable day rate is for a skilled mechanic? A plasterer is around £250, a decorator around £240, a chippy around £200 (quick Google) – so £105 for a half day isn’t all that bad.

Not sure where your getting these prices from, £500 a day for a plasterer, not around here unless your a chump 😆 And a “skilled” mechanic shouldn’t take half a day to build two wheels with new parts !! It doesn’t take me that long and I only build a few every year.

I used the WheelPro book to learn, but I did splash out on a Park tension gauge when I saw one cheap at Halfords as I drive the OH nuts pinging spokes while we are say in the living room. She plays along for so long telling me what is higher and what is lower but then gets irritated, especially if I take a wheel to bed… 😀

I learnt because my LBS wanted £90 a wheel to build + supply basic DB spokes and I had 4 wheels to build. I normally take my wheels there to get them trued for £10 pop (only very slight trues, not pringled or anything major) but I nearly fell over when they quoted £180 to build a pair of wheels.

Just on my 3rd set now and I really wish I had a wheel building jig. Must get round to buying/knocking one up.

Whoa, hold up! Come on op, you are skint but:

Hope hubs, flow rims and the cherry on top… SAPIM aero spokes. Cx or cx-ray… If the latter (and I can’t find any cx for sale. Are they new out?) 2.50 a spoke.

No skint man is buying cx-rays 😆

£2.50 a spoke! sheesh. I use ACI Alpina for 38-40p per spoke (black, 2.0-1.7-2.0 DB) or if splashing out Sapim D-light for 75-90p per spoke. The d-lights only save something silly like 20-40g/wheel tbh. Currently rebuilding my SS wheels (needed a 20mm capable front hub) which are on sapim laser and they are noticeably more fragile than the ACI and D-lights.

Not sure where your getting these prices from, £500 a day for a plasterer

Not sure where you’re getting £500 a day from, since I said the day rate was £250 😉

Anyhow, rebuilding a used hub with bladed spokes, done properly might well take an hour and a half per wheel.

‘Lbs built my wheels for less than the cost of my spokes!’ Doesn’t garner the same level of shock and outrage though…