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Slightly inspired by the retro bikes in your shed thread, I've got a Genesis Fortitude race frame in the loft. I've been thinking about building it back up for years. In fact, about 3 or 4 years ago I bought a super cheap groupset from one closing down sale or another. I've patiently amassed bargain Thomson finishing kit from eBay. Other bits and pieces have been deemed not worthy of the main bike and wait patiently for the Genesis to be resurrected...
But there are no wheels!
I've watched on eBay and here and waited for some old Hopes, Chris King ISOs or DT 350s to come along. But nothing. Nada. Where are all those QR wheelsets? I know 142 and then boost came along, but there were a good few years of 135 QR rear ends. So what happened?
I think I consumed a bunch of them tbh! Old wheels can be a great source of nice hubs, I got all my dt 240s that way.
If you want to take on a potential complete pain in teh ass I have a set of DT Tricon 1550s. They need a spoke, which are fancy and white and might be impossible to find. Also I think they are 15mm, should be adaptable if you cna find the right adaptor. Awesome wheels but, well, also ever so slightly a nightmare dealing with funky 15 year old DT wheels...
Those Tricons sound a little beyond my expertise, but thanks.
Maybe that's it though - they all got ragged to pieces! Thanks goodness for boost spacing and its extra strength!
Hope Pro5s are available in 135mm QR still.
Freewheel have somewhat less funky non-Boost 29" DT Swiss M 1900's on offer which are pretty easy to convert to Q/R.
DT and Hope amongst others offer QR adaptors for 100x15/110x20 and 142x12 hubs.
I've got a pair of EX471 on white 240s hubs - rear is QR, front is the OS option. Currently 15mm, but think I have the thread-in QR adaptors that version of the hub needs.
If of interest I'll have a rummage in the shed of doom.
I was looking for a new set for my MkIV Swift (currently using Pro 4s).
I quite liked the look of some DT Swiss ones until I discovered that they charged £35 per wheel for a couple of end caps. £70 on top just to convert to QR seemed to be taking the p a bit & my old Hopes haven't fallen apart yet.
I think all non boost wheels can be end caped to 9mm qr
Just get a 142x12 100x15 set with DT or hope hubs and buy the qr adapters. Plenty still on eBay.
Pretty sure I have a pair of Sun Ringle QR hubs in the shed. Never laced. I've probably had them 15 years "just in case".
They any use to you to get built up by someone?
I can't see me ever using them but I don't really want to bin them.
Feel like I post "I might have one of those in the shed" a lot. It seems I've been something of an accidental useful bits hoarder on a path to reformation. 😂
Those pesky cowboys!
They were fetching really good money when I sold a set of Hope/Stans QR wheels last year, more than some of the bolt through options.
I would have kept them for the bolt through gravel bike I'd bought, but it was going to be quite expensive just to buy the end caps. So that can be a false economy unless you get them s/h.
I am impossibly jealous. One of my all time favourite bikes - is it the Orange one? (all RACE models were Orange I think).
I'd build some wheels - you'll ifnd some really nice, high quality but unfashionable QR hubs on ebay etc.
alternatively as everyone else has said, pretty much everything that came as 142x12 was also convertable to 135 QR. I've got a set of hope end Caps from older hubs (Pro 2?) That you'd be welcome to - pretty sure they are from the wheelset in this picture, the old tech XC wheels.
I had 4 or 5 sets, all now converted to newer standards, except for one pair on my exes shopping bike.
Similarly, road 12mm though axle hubs can be adapted down to QR as required. I;ve a set of Mavic Aksiums with QR adaptors in them for an old disc-road bike. Rim width may be an issue, but may be an option worth considering? THere seems to be fail amount of mavic road wheels rattling about second hand. I tend to use Facebook Marketplace for a lot of second-hand stuff these days.
Thanks all. Might look into some modernish Hopes with adapters (though they don't seem cheap!).
Snotrag - yep, the orange. I think you're right - they were all orange. Haven't ridden it for years and years so be interesting to see how it feels.
Just get a 142x12 100x15 set with DT or hope hubs and buy the qr adapters. Plenty still on eBay.
This. I’ve got a set of Pro2Evo QR end caps I’m not likely to use again if I can find them.