Handbuilt or Factory Wheels?

Hello internet,

I like stiff wheels... but the handbuilt wheels i've had in the past pale in comparison to my limited experience of straight-pull stiff factory wheels.

So, Is it possible to build a stiff wheel that compares, for example, to a mavic ellipse, but with the inherant ease of repair and service that handbuilt wheels afford? Is it simply a case of wheelbuilder skill, or is the only way to acheive exceptional performance to get some OTP hoops?

Thanks in advance for any advice
Will tickle balls for answers

yep, find a good wheel builder, they will build the wheel to suit you, your riding and weight

just keep tightening till the spokes start pinging and then add an extra turn ( 360 ) for luck
that should get them nice and stiff

thanks for the ticking balls offer but i think i'll pass cheers

do i get a free ball tickling?

I like stiff wheels...

and I cannot lie

thanks for the ticking balls offer but i think i'll pass cheers

You sure? I'm very dexterous

SURE YOU ARE but the offer is still declined thanks

yep, find a good wheel builder, they will build the wheel to suit you, your riding and weight

Good point. I suppose what i'm asking is... will the j-bend spoke design be able to get the same performance/feel as a straight-pull roadie try-hard wheel?

SURE YOU ARE but the offer is still declined thanks

Your loss. My special finishing move is infamous

i doubt a traditional wheel would be as stiff as a wheel with straight pull bladed spokes. but do you get brake rub or rubbing on the stays with conventional wheels? an super stiff wheel isn't going to give you a nice ride.
maybe tying and soldering on a trad wheel will help.

^ Brake rub is not an issue i've experienced, but do feel flex even on a strong handbuilt wheel (CXP33/Track hub). I don't really notice too much loss of comfort either, between handbuilt and stiff racing wheels. The difference in performance is very clear though.

That probably answers my own question of what i should go for, but I think I would still take a handbuilt wheel purely for ease of repair if it could be built up very stiff.

tying and soldering doesnot help at all according to jobst brandt
Amazon.com: The Bicycle Wheel 3rd Edition (9780960723669): Jobst Brandt: Books

i have the book in pdf if anyone wants it i can mail it

Can you repair a wheel yourself, or would you use your LBS for that?

cxp33 not exactly the worlds most strong or non flexy rim ;)

i go up and down in tension with my own spokes, depends on lots of factors. would of thought a handbuilt 32 with brass nipples etc would be way stiffer than a factory 16 spoke with alloy nipples.

have you contacted someone like the wheelsmith? sure you could get a pair of gigantex rims laced stiff enough for your needs, perhaps not using traditional spoking though

Thanks for the advice all.

@DB, fair point on the CXP33 - i wasn't overly impressed by them either to be honest. Could you recommend me some components for a really stiff wheel?

have you contacted someone like the wheelsmith? sure you could get a pair of gigantex rims laced stiff enough for your needs, perhaps not using traditional spoking though

I have had a look at the lower profile gigantex rims, but lack of alu braking surface turned me off them.

I would recommend Parker International for nice cheap handbuilt road wheels.

depends on what you want it for?? the stiffest wheel i've built is a radial deep section 650 rim like a deep v or h+, onto a high flange hub. but thats not practical

i rate open pro's for all round use and lace them really tight as dicki suggested, till the nipples almost round off.

cxp33 not exactly the worlds most strong or non flexy rim ;)

i go up and down in tension with my own spokes, depends on lots of factors. would of thought a handbuilt 32 with brass nipples etc would be way stiffer than a factory 16 spoke with alloy nipples.

Damon Rinard article on wheel stiffness and types of construction

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/rinard/wheel/index.htm

I lol'd

Aerospoke 5 spoke 0% These wheels are the most flexible wheels I've ever tested. There is no difference at or between spokes primarily because they are so flexible everywhere

lateral stiffness vs vertical stiffness...whole big argument there!

i think, as ever, you won't get any objectiveparticularly useful advice on here, so you may have to speak to a wheelbuilder and explore your concerns. harry rowland apparently built a great pair of cxp33s for a storck..

Lateral stiffness is a result of spoke pattern/number and rim strength. Vertical stiffness/strength is affected by tension, but definitely dependent on what/who the bike's for. Getting just enough tension for rider weight/application is what I'd recommend. Sometimes there's only 1-complete spoke turn between 'a bit too much give' and 'fucking uncomfortably bone-jarring'.

i think, as ever, you won't get any objectiveparticularly useful advice on here, so you may have to speak to a wheelbuilder and explore your concerns. harry rowland apparently built a great pair of cxp33s for a storck..

Yes, but i'm a human :)

Personally, I think the advice has been very helpful.

Last point from me:

Factory-built wheel manufacturers tension their wheels for their heaviest/most bike-abusive imaginary customers. If they're not easy to adjust, you're stuck with this 'setting' even if you're using the wheels for general riding/training and you're not a 120kg rider.

One way to moderate this situation, is to pick a wheelset based on certain inherent characteristics of the parts involved in the build.

I own one factory set of wheels: Campag Neutrons. I'm ~65kg, and ride fairly light. Despite the high tension of the spokes, they do afford some comfort due to the shallower section rim. There's no way I'd pick a factory built wheelset with 30mm rim depth. It would rattle the shit out of me.

And of course these were the wheels that ~90kg Backstedt rode to Paris-Roubaix victory - I'm sure comfort was high on his list of priorities for that one.

yes you're probably right, dose of unreason this morning, possibly linked to sense of forboding over the 'festive' season

65kgs, sheesh, doubly grumpy now

Well, 63kg for race weight on the road, but I'm only 170cm tall*.

*vain attempt to be all modern and metric and shit.