Today, I built a wheel set for my most exacting customer, me. My bicycle is a 2004 Trek 2200 road bike, which I bought used and customized to make it mine (new pedals, saddle, handlebars, shifters). I got it with a pair of Mavic Ksyrium wheels.
I can’t complain about those wheels, they’re twenty years old and in fine condition. There’s two things about them I don’t like, though: aluminum spokes, and not enough of them. Now, I’m pretty careful with my bike, but aluminum isn’t as hard as steel, and a scratch or ding on one of those spokes can initiate a crack riser, and the spoke will break. With fewer of them on the wheel, a broken spoke on it would have a much more dramatic effect on the wheel than a broken spoke on a wheel with 32 spokes.
So, I built my new wheel set around my favorite components: DT Swiss 350 classic hubs (not straight pull spokes), 32 spoke DT Swiss RR411 rims, Sapim Race double butted (14-15-14 ga) silver spokes, and DT Swiss Pro Head brass spoke nipples, also silver color. The rear rim is a special, it’s asymmetric, to give the drive side spokes just a little more bracing angle to strengthen the wheel.
Why not go all the way and use the top of the line DT Swiss 240S hubs, use fewer straight pull bladed spokes, and aluminum spoke nipples? Mainly for two reasons: value, and weight. The DT Swiss 350 hubs are identical to the 240 hubs, except they aren’t machined to make them as light as possible. And, they cost quite a lot less because of it, making them an excellent value. The aerodynamic benefits of bladed spokes are real, but not much use to me, as I don’t race at the limits of performance where that tiny bit less drag matterIn fact, I don’t race at all. Which speaks to the weight penalty of using 350 hubs instead of 240S hubs, 32 spokes in a 3-cross lacing pattern, and using brass spoke nipples. If I were a serious racer, all of those small gains add up to measurable differences in finishing times. But, I’m just a guy. It isn’t the hundred extra grams of weight my hardware choices add, it’s the cheeseburgers. The twenty pounds or so of body fat I don’t really need to carry.
I ride for the enjoyment of it. Of course, I want nice equipment, and I have that. There are always faster riders than me, so I let them win their races. I want competent, durable hardware that doesn’t cost too much.
Here is what I started with this morning:
And, here is the wheel set built, but waiting for me to tension and tune the spokes, making them a round, centered, and true set of wheels. That’s my favorite part of making wheels. It’s when they become fine bicycle wheels that will stand for their lifetime.
