[Closed] So how long is acceptable for a wheel build?

if they were booked in then a couple of days tops.

phone and ask for a date they'll be done not just 'are they ready?'. Sounds like you're being bumped down the list as other stuff comes in.

We do same or next day turnaround.
If they are really busy (Not that many places seem to be at the moment...) then it might take longer - did you book them in advance, or drop them off on spec?

If its the wheel i'm building, 3 months and counting

I'm still waiting for my old lbs to call and say the wheels I ordered are ready to collect.

They were ordered in 2003...

Yep, they were booked in, was originally told it'd be a week or so because they were a bit busy.

Think a call might be headed their way soon, if I can get away from this meeting...

That really winds me up - if it's booked in and all the parts are there it should really be next day turnaround.

2 days tops, should be same day for a pair of wheels if they know what they are doing

They should have been able to give you an exact date when they booked you in. Once you're in, you're in the queue. To me it sounds like there letting other stuff jump that queue.
If you're in West London or anywhere near Farnborough, Hants shoot me an email and I can do them for you.

Yes sounds like it been a bit to long in them sorting it for you.
FTR Workshop is full for the week since this morning and next week is is filling up nicely. Jobs are booked in as it comes in and first come first fixed so to speak and we aim for a quick turn around (next day or few days top) but depends on parts need ordering. (and that's the only time things get moved around if we waiting for parts.)

Anyway are the new rims the same as the old ones?
if not you might need new spokes and if they don't have them they have to order them in.
But then they should infom you of this anyway.

Cheers Peter but I'm in Cheshire I'm afraid.

When I phoned after the first week they said the front had been laced but nothing since so I'm getting a bit pee'd off with it now.

The ERD is 2mm narrower than the old rims but the reckoned that shouldn't be a problem. If it needed new spokes I'd hope they'd call me first.

TBH they've been pretty helpful in the past but I'm not at all impressed now.

Didn't get out of my meeting until after 6 so I'm going to be calling them asap tomorrow morning.

2mm change on the ERD will need new spokes if you're doing it properly..... Which a shop should be.

Why dont you ask them what the hold up is instead if getting irrate about it on a forum. Rebuiling a wheel take 1 to 2 hrs at the most. The delay maybe for a number of reasons. Ask them for one then you can decide if it is reasonable.

Not getting irate as such, was wondering what is thought of as a respectable time for the work.

I do almost all my own bike work but didn't have time (or a jig these days) to build the wheels I was in the dark a bit about timescales, especially as I wasn't in a hurry initially.

3-4 days IMO

1 day to check wheel, rim and order up spokes, day 2 for them to all arrive and then a day or so build it 🙂

As long as it takes to get to your job then a few hours on top of that.

I dropped my old Pro3 wheels into my LBS two weeks ago last Friday to get the rims swapped out

Yep, they were booked in, was originally told it'd be a week or so because they were a bit busy.

The last pair I got built took 7 weeks

I wasn't in a hurry, the rear hub needed pawls he had to get a lefty attachment for his jig etc. Ridiculously long time, but I wasn't bothered as it was slow moving project anyway.

Recently realised he used alu nipples (6 broke) instead of the brass we discussed and the rear spokes are the same length on both sides. It's currently being rebuilt at a new shop that's conveniently opened this week just round the corner from home by someone who really seems to know/give a shit about what he's doing.

Cheers Peter but I'm in [b]Cheshire[/b] I'm afraid.

not from "him" ?? 🙁

LOL I hope not!

😆 most definitely not. I might be daft, I'm not stupid 😉

I spoke to them about 10:00 (been calling since just after 9 but no answer) and was told that the guy who builds the wheels is in Derby at the moment but should be back by 1:00 so to try again at 2.

When asked what the delay was the guy I spoke to (the owner) couldn't say. I commented that if there was a problem I'd expect someone to call to which the response was that 'Andy always called if there were any problems'. And before anyone asks, yes I did check they'd got the right phone number.

I'm confused now. Will wait until this afternoon to see what the reason is....

[img] [/img]
I'm settling in for this one.

Does sound an odd one. My LBS is never quick as they are always busy but will always give me updates on how things are going via text or email and will always get in touch if parts are needed etc. Never had a surprise when using them

CRC custom wheels

Keyboard to bike in five days

They even aligned the hub logos with the valve holes

CRC custom wheels

Keyboard to bike in five days

They even aligned the hub logos with the valve holes

I don't f***king believe it.

Finally spoke to the resident 'wheel builder' who has now decided that he can't build wheels very well and he's not done a good enough job of the one and hasn't started the other because of it. apparently he can 'replace spokes and true them OK' but can't get them built properly because it's 'such an art'.

It is now apparent that their proper wheel builder actually died at Christmas and he's been trying to cover for him - none of this was made clear to me when I booked them in - and he's been trying to get them sorted but not very well.

He also couldn't find my phone number - a little odd as the owner confirmed it earlier and he'd got my name and address, and I'm listed in the local phone book.

When asked why they are advertising wheel building, including a price list on a wall in the shop he said they had now taken it down. This place is just round the corner from where I work but unfortunately I'm working off site for the next few days so can't go & check.

I've now got one not very well built wheel and a second hub with knackered rim and separate good rim sitting in this shop.

Looks like I'm going to be buying myself a new jig soon and getting back into the world of wheel building.......

http://sheldonbrown.com/wheelbuild.html

Just follow this
Best thing I ever did
Not been near a bike shop since - awful places 😈

Looks like I'm going to be buying myself a new jig soon and getting back into the world of wheel building.......

I did exactly that once & never looked back - ok so it wasn't actually a "jig" as such, it was an old frame & forks upside down but the wheels have been pretty much faultless (I used the Roger Musson ebook as a guide)

This thread also reminds me my "jig" has been at the powder coaters since November... 😕

Pick up and take elsewhere

They should have been up with you from the off as hard as it was to lose a member of staff.

Bike Shop can't build wheels. FAIL.

The amount of noddy people on here that can do a decent build on wheels is proof that it's not difficult to build a decent set.

no wonder they were being v v evasive. Not the fault of the stand-in either although some time out to learn the ability would be helpful. Anyway, consider it a blessing in some ways and a spur to learn to do your own, or at least repair broken spokes, true them up (start with old wheel that doesn't matter).

Pick up and take elsewhere

There's one other shop that's reasonably local other than the fancy BMX shop across the road from the office that I might put a call into though, see if they can fit me in.

No idea if the BMX place does that sort of thing but I might pop in and ask when I'm picking them up.

The amount of noddy people on here that can do a decent build on wheels is proof that it's not difficult to build a decent set.

If you are just swapping rims, cellotape the new rim to the wheel and transfer the spokes one by one. Loosen them first much quicker than starting from scratch.

That is really shody service they should have been up front from the start and for the owner to not no what's going on and his mechanic is taking on jobs he can't do is very bad
The bmx shop should be able to do a build on pretty much any wheel if they custom build a 20" they can build pretty much anything most jigs are adjustable

That is pretty poor. I hope that they sort you out with a goodwill gesture.

Back in 2011 we were expecting our second child and to commemorate I decided to treat myself to a nice pair of road wheels. My existing Mavic wheels were getting on a bit and were due to be changed. So on arrival of miss Esplin junior junior (girl no 2) in April, I asked my lbs to build me a pair of Chris King R45 ceramic hubs (in pink) onto Mavic Open Pros. Days turned into weeks. Weeks turned into months and I finally got them in early Dec. In the meantime I did a sportive in this country and one in Ireland. I very nearly bought a new set for the Irish trip as my faith in my existing wheels were pretty low and I was rather nervous. Don't get me wrong the wheels are lovely. A real joy to ride on. What really narks me off is that in the time between ordering and collection CK bought out a 11spd free hub (I now have to pay to upgrade) and they brought out R45 hubs that were disc compatible therefore future proofing. Oh and to top it off I took a member of staff on said Irish trip!

Picked up the wheels this afternoon and the one he'd laced was decidedly egg shaped.

They suggested I took them to Dave Hinde as the nearest place to get them sorted 😯 😯

Popped into [url= http://www.foundationbmx.com/ ]Foundation BMX[/url] on my way round and spoke to the boss who said "yeah, drop them in, no problem. If you can get them here today I should have them ready for you sometime on Monday"

As he's the guy who actually builds all their wheels and showed me a couple of examples I've got a lot more faith now.

I can't pick them up until the middle of next week anyway but I'm really looking forward to seeing them now, and a really big thanks to Foundation BMX for trying to sort me out.

Once I've got them back I'll update on the build.

Cheers for all your support folks, I can finally see the light at he end of the tunnel.

Well, this one, anyway...

Yes hope it works out after all this time!

I still dont see how you can work in a bike shop and manage to mangle a wheel build so much that you ovalise it. Ive not known anyone do that at home.

If it's just laced up with no tension it can appere out of round.
2 mm erd for customer jobs would probably mean new spokes
If I was building my own I'd try it and see but hard to waste that workshop time for paying jobs

Are your pro 3 strait pull ones

Original shop should have never taken on the job. 😡

I do feel for them if an employee recently died, but they could have just said that that they weren't able to do it. I'd much rather have the job turned down politely for lack of tools, experience, time, or whatever than being misled. 😐

Well, Foundation are coming up trumps - back wheel was done by 10 this morning when I dropped off my through axle so he could sort out the front properly.

Looks really good too.

Can't wait to pick them both up on Tuesday - they'll both be ready before then but I can't get back until then 😀

Just picked up both wheels and Foundation BMX have done a brilliant job on them.

The guv'nor there also told me about a new MTB shop that's opened in town that I was completely unaware of.

I think there may be some choccy biscuits heading his way 🙂

Happy ending, nice one.