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Rad Bikes, New Cross, are building me a 40h Rigida Sputnik (double wall double eyelet!) onto SON front wheel. Our 40h 719 set was built at Brixton and got us through 8 heavy weeks without fault, but it's looking like the usual Mavic weaknesses are coming to the fore in the rear so will probably ask RB to rebuild it onto a Sputnik (assuming the front behaves itself) when we return. Picking RB over Brixton as much because they're close to home as anything else, but they're doing free wheelbuilds for the summer if you're feeling cheap.
6pt-
Sputnik was definitely on the cards and its useful to know it's still available in 40h (for the time being. Have seem some slightly deeper rims suggested too - Velocity Chukker by DCR, Alex G6000 by JD Tandems. I guess the idea is the rim rigidity helps the wheel, but they all look pricey compared with the bombproof Sputnik. I guess there's my answer...
On another tack, is this for your Dawes? We have an A319 (25 mm external) running on the front and the V-brakes are sitting very wide to fit around the 25 mm rim. Are you just going with it or have you done something exciting to overcome that?
hamrack
Cross post from the wheelbuilding thread but I know plenty of people on here who have had rear wheels rebuilt.
The rear wheel (40h, 13 gauge spokes, DT Hugi hub, Mavic M3CD rim, drum brake) on our tandem has snapped two spokes in as many rides. The first was NDS and was repaired before we rode again. The second is DS, and on the other side of the wheel. I've had a feel of the other spokes and some feel worryingly lacking in tension, seems to me like it's time for a rebuild, with a wider rim this time(bought second hand).
Backstory over, my question is this. Who would people suggest to build a tandem rear wheel for a heavyish (170kg) team that would be suitable for touring and what rim would you suggest? Bonus points if they're London so I can drop the hub off in person as we need it ready to roll by 30th July...