Why no store-bought, boxed wheelsets?

In article ,
"Bob in CT" wrote:

I bought a LeMond that has a wheelset that's too light. The rear wheel
flexes so much that it'll rub the brake pads. So, I bought this rear
wheel:

http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?c...eid=&pagename=

Here's what Nashbar says about them:

Extra strong with 32 14ga spokes laced 3X to a Ritchey Comp Rear hub, this
wheel is great for big guys, centuries, and cyclocross. Comp hub features
alloy shell with steel axle, serviceable steel ball bearings and extra
thick external seals to keep the gunk out and the grease in. Ritchey Aero
OCR Rim features a special offset cross section that reduces wheel dish
and increases strength plus has a ‘just right’ depth: deep enough to add
strength, yet still able to use standard length presta valve stems.
Includes skewer and rim strip. Shimano 8/9 speed compatible freehub body.
One year warranty through Ritchey against defects in materials and
workmanship.

I also purchased the matching front wheel.

So, why not buy a boxed wheelset? Why should I have, instead, purchased a
wheelset from someone near me (assuming I could find someone who actually
built wheels)?

To summarize the responses so far:

This wheel set is good price for very good wheels.

Consider a boxed wheelset not as wheels to install on the
bicycle and ride away. Consider it as a wheel set kit with
spokes laced into the hub and rim. Some assembly required.

Repack the bearings and adjust the cones. Adjusting the
cones is complicated because the tension of the quick
release quill when the wheel is installed changes the
adjustment.

Oil the nipples inside the rim so that the threads are
lubricated and the nipple-rim interface is lubricated.

True the wheel.

Pluck the spokes and note large variations in pitch. These
variations indicate uneven spoke tension that needs to be
remedied.

Increase the spoke tension to the optimum tension.

Stress relieve the spokes.

Equalize spoke tension.

True the wheel.

Quite daunting, is it not? The instrucions for
accomplishing these tasks are in books and on the web. You
probably do not want to do this yourself at this point, so
take the wheels to a wheel builder with this list and have
him do it. If the mechanic seems unwilling to do the job
as outlined above, find one who will.

--
Michael Press

Michael Press wrote:
In article ,
"Bob in CT" wrote:


I bought a LeMond that has a wheelset that's too light. The rear wheel
flexes so much that it'll rub the brake pads. So, I bought this rear
wheel:

http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?c...eid=&pagename=

Here's what Nashbar says about them:

Extra strong with 32 14ga spokes laced 3X to a Ritchey Comp Rear hub, this
wheel is great for big guys, centuries, and cyclocross. Comp hub features
alloy shell with steel axle, serviceable steel ball bearings and extra
thick external seals to keep the gunk out and the grease in. Ritchey Aero
OCR Rim features a special offset cross section that reduces wheel dish
and increases strength plus has a ‘just right’ depth: deep enough to add
strength, yet still able to use standard length presta valve stems.
Includes skewer and rim strip. Shimano 8/9 speed compatible freehub body.
One year warranty through Ritchey against defects in materials and
workmanship.

I also purchased the matching front wheel.

So, why not buy a boxed wheelset? Why should I have, instead, purchased a
wheelset from someone near me (assuming I could find someone who actually
built wheels)?


To summarize the responses so far:

This wheel set is good price for very good wheels.

Consider a boxed wheelset not as wheels to install on the
bicycle and ride away. Consider it as a wheel set kit with
spokes laced into the hub and rim. Some assembly required.

unless they're the "boutique" branded wheels, in which case, they're
ready to ride, no further work required.


Repack the bearings and adjust the cones. Adjusting the
cones is complicated because the tension of the quick
release quill when the wheel is installed changes the
adjustment.

Oil the nipples inside the rim so that the threads are
lubricated and the nipple-rim interface is lubricated.

do not get excess oil on the rim. any that can contaminate the tube
will weaken it leading to increased blow-out probability.


True the wheel.

Pluck the spokes and note large variations in pitch. These
variations indicate uneven spoke tension that needs to be
remedied.

Increase the spoke tension to the optimum tension.

using a tensiometer - do NOT go with the oft-quoted "tension as high as
the rim can bear" misinformation. it does not increase the strength of
the wheel and increases the propensity of the rim to taco.


Stress relieve the spokes.

Equalize spoke tension.

True the wheel.

Quite daunting, is it not? The instrucions for
accomplishing these tasks are in books and on the web. You
probably do not want to do this yourself at this point, so
take the wheels to a wheel builder with this list and have
him do it. If the mechanic seems unwilling to do the job
as outlined above, find one who will.

"Tom Nakashima" wrote:
I figured they have been stressed relief as I gave the wheels a check
before I rode on them by flexing using the pushing down method on the
wheels with my weight and hands. I heard no popping or pinging sound, so
I assumed they were stressed relief.

No pinging indicates no spoke wind-up which doesn't necessarily mean they
were stress relieved. I would stress relieve them anyway; it can't hurt.

Sounds like you got a very good deal. I bought a NOS frame from Bensbikes a
few years ago on eBay.

Art Harris

Tom Nakashima wrote:



I recently purchased a brand new store-bought boxed wheelset from Bensbikes,
with the Wheelsmith label, Mavic Open Pro 700 silver rims using Wheelsmith
DB14 spokes 2.0/1.8mm with brass nipples on Shimano Ultegra 6500 9sp hubs
for $200.oo. They were smooth, trued and stress relieved right out of the
box. I installed the Ultegra 9sp cassette, made no derailleur adjustments
and had no problems or even a hint of out of true.
Here is the link:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=7158760 928I was going to build my own, but when I saw this I thought I try them out.It would damn near cost me that in materials alone.FWIW-tom

YMMV, I guess. We see a lot of Wheelsmith built wheels from kits from
Security, a distributor and probably the largest 'kit' supplier for new
bicycles. I always take the WS wheels and first stress relieve them,
take parallel spokes and squeeze them hard, and I have always seen the
WS wheels go way out of true. I have never seen a WS set of wheels be
'styressed' by me that haven't gone to hell. AND using my DT spoke
tensionometer, they all are low tension, particularly the fronts, who
may be built by the 'rookies'.

AND, why they can't seem to line up the label on the hub on the valve
hole amazes me. VERY small point but it's so easy to do....

Tom Nakashima wrote:


Carl,
I figured they have been stressed relief as I gave the wheels a check before
I rode on them by flexing using the pushing down method on the wheels with
my weight and hands. I heard no popping or pinging sound, so I assumed they
were stressed relief. If I did hear that pinging, I would have put them in
my truing stand and check for runout.


Taking windup out of spokes is not stress relieving. Your method
unloads spokes and takes the windup out, same as dropping them gently
on a padded surface, taking the windup out. But not 'stress relieving'.


I've been riding on them just about
everyday since receiving the wheels in early June. They are still true and
as smooth as silk, I had to do nothing to them so far. I was going to check
the grease in the hubs, but I can see grease still every so slightly oozing
out.

I guess there will always be doubters in this newsgroup who will try to find
flaws with the wheels I purchased from Benscycle, but I'll to say I'm very
pleased with the performance and what I paid for them, and that's what
counts.

Bencycles also sells the Dura Ace wheelset, with the Open Pro's in black,but
they're $100.oo more.

Benscycles didn't build these, did they? WS labels maean they were
built by WS in Oregon.


I'm more of a rider and like the Ultegra, not interested in paying anymore
than I have too. The only thing I have that is Dura Ace is the downtube
shifters and I'm using them with the Ultegra rear derailleur. Never missed
a shift in 7 years.
-tom

In article , says...

I recently purchased a brand new store-bought boxed wheelset from Bensbikes,
with the Wheelsmith label, Mavic Open Pro 700 silver rims using Wheelsmith
DB14 spokes 2.0/1.8mm with brass nipples on Shimano Ultegra 6500 9sp hubs
for $200.oo. They were smooth, trued and stress relieved right out of the
box. I installed the Ultegra 9sp cassette, made no derailleur adjustments
and had no problems or even a hint of out of true.
Here is the link:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=7158760 928I
was going to build my own, but when I saw this I thought I try them out.It
would damn near cost me that in materials alone.FWIW-tom


How can you tell they were properly stress relieved?
---------------
Alex

"Facte nova virtute, puer; sic itur ad astra." - Vergil
On Mon, 22 Aug 2005 10:33:57 -0400, Alex Rodriguez
wrote:

They were smooth, trued and stress relieved right out of the
box.

How can you tell they were properly stress relieved?

Spokes that've received the Grip Of Life exude an unmistakable, smug
air of superiority.

-------------------------------
John Dacey
Business Cycles, Miami, Florida
Since 1983
Comprehensive catalogue of track equipment: online since 1996.
http://www.businesscycles.com

"Alex Rodriguez" wrote in message
...
In article , says...

I recently purchased a brand new store-bought boxed wheelset from
Bensbikes,
with the Wheelsmith label, Mavic Open Pro 700 silver rims using Wheelsmith
DB14 spokes 2.0/1.8mm with brass nipples on Shimano Ultegra 6500 9sp hubs
for $200.oo. They were smooth, trued and stress relieved right out of the
box. I installed the Ultegra 9sp cassette, made no derailleur adjustments
and had no problems or even a hint of out of true.
Here is the link:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=7158760 928I
was going to build my own, but when I saw this I thought I try them out.It
would damn near cost me that in materials alone.FWIW-tom


How can you tell they were properly stress relieved?
---------------
Alex

I can't, but as I said, I've had no problems with them thus far.
-tom