# Recommend me a wheel builder in North West.........



## smokeysmoo (5 May 2012)

I'm thinking of having a pair of wheels custom built but never having done it before I'm looking for recommendations for a good wheel builder in the North West/Lancashire areas.

I suspect I'll go for something along the lines of Open Pro rims with Ultegra hubs, but I'm very happy to bow to a superior being in the matter.

Recommendations please.........................


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## deptfordmarmoset (5 May 2012)

Having bought a tourer from Hewitt up in Leyland I tend to think of him as a touring specialist. But he's also made a name for himself building wheels for going from A to B very quickly. http://www.hewittbikefitting.co.uk/wheels/handbuilt-wheels/


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## smokeysmoo (5 May 2012)

I thank you. I shall add Mr Hewitt to my list and call them next week


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## oldfatfool (5 May 2012)

I have heard people rate Spa cycles in Harrogate very highly.

If you consider mail order Rose offer a 10 year warranty against spoke breakage and look very reasonably priced,they are in Germany though.


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## Judderz (5 May 2012)

smokeysmoo said:


> I'm thinking of having a pair of wheels custom built but never having done it before I'm looking for recommendations for a good wheel builder in the North West/Lancashire areas
> 
> Recommendations please.........................


 
Geoff Smith's in Bolton, (refer to your other thread on your Kysyriums)
229-231 St. Helen's Rd.
Bolton, Lancs.
BL3 3PY
*Tel:* 01204 653509


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## smokeysmoo (5 May 2012)

Judderz said:


> Geoff Smith's in Bolton, (refer to your other thread on your Kysyriums)
> 229-231 St. Helen's Rd.
> Bolton, Lancs.
> BL3 3PY
> *Tel:* 01204 653509


 
Yeah good call, I am going to speak to Geoff and see what he can offer


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## Garz (6 May 2012)

I have been to Geoff's shops however have not looked at his wheels. The bike I bought last year from Hewitt's I got a hand built pair off Paul which were PMP hubs and Mavic Rims - they have been awesome!


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## Hacienda71 (6 May 2012)

May be a bit far but Paul at Rick Greens in Handforth has a good rep as a wheel builder.


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## accountantpete (6 May 2012)

Dave Hinde ?!!!?


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## smokeysmoo (6 May 2012)

accountantpete said:


> Dave Hinde ?!!!?


Yeah I've checked the site a few times, but I've never used him and all the horror stories are a real turn off. I pass his shop pretty often so I could call in and get a feel for them I guess.


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## Ih007 (8 May 2012)

Paul Hewitt for me. I've visited the shop and always found them helpful, the wheels usually get good reviews in the ccyling press too.


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## Baggy (8 May 2012)

Have recently taken possession of a pair of Spa Cycles Ambrosio/Rigida Chrina wheels. They're very nice - tightly laced, very true, and run very smoothly.


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## ColinJ (8 May 2012)

Pete Matthews?


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## Baggy (8 May 2012)

ColinJ said:


> Pete Matthews?


My Audax bike sports a pair of Pete Matthews' Paris Roubaix wheels, they seem fairly indestructible and have bashed their way though two winters of Devon lanes and potholes. Also very tightly laced and stiff. The rear has gone _very_ slightly out of true but not enough to warrant packing it back up to send off to him for truing up.


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## Rohloff_Brompton_Rider (8 May 2012)

ride on at rawtenstall built my weird brommie wheel and it's been great since, cheap as chips as well and turn around was a few days.


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## Herzog (8 May 2012)

smokeysmoo said:


> Yeah I've checked the site a few times, but I've never used him and all the horror stories are a real turn off. I pass his shop pretty often so I could call in and get a feel for them I guess.


 
Avoid at all costs...then avoid a bit more...


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## Lee Matthews (8 May 2012)

Pete Matthews for all your wheel sets, but I would say that!!!


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## Andrew Br (8 May 2012)

Another vote for Paul Hewitt from me; I have 5 pairs of wheels from him in the house (3 pairs on my bikes, one pair on the GF's and the final pair in a box and for sale*).
Apart from an issue with my Rohloff (and therefore, not mainstream) wheel, they've all been bomb-proof. The highest mileage pair has probably done 5000 miles in all sorts of weather and over varying terrain.

*I'm not pimping the wheels 

.


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## ColinJ (8 May 2012)

Lee Matthews said:


> Pete Matthews for all your wheel sets, but I would say that!!!


I did it for you, to save you the effort!


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## smokeysmoo (8 May 2012)

Thanks for all the replies, I'm going to mull things over but the trouble is I might have to bite the bullet and just get some wheels as the lead times for a custom build may cause me problems, and TBH I can get the same build 'off the peg' as I was going to spec up anyway.

Thanks again, all duly noted 



Judderz said:


> Geoff Smith's in Bolton


Geoff Smith properly wound me up today. He simply wasn't interested at all. He said he'd do them but he wasn't bothered on way or t'other as he doesn't need the work and he isn't looking for anymore. 

Well, long may your good fortunes continue Mr Smith


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## fossyant (8 May 2012)

I'll add Wills Wheels in Stockport

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk 2


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## Judderz (8 May 2012)

Very strange...I've never experienced that from him whatsoever. Granted he's always busy, but never known him to be like that


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## smokeysmoo (8 May 2012)

Judderz said:


> Very strange...I've never experienced that from him whatsoever. Granted he's always busy, but never known him to be like that


Mmmm. He didn't want to know the other week when I asked if he'd fit a BB30 adapter sleeve for me.

Evans/Leisure Lakes/Wheelbase would have done it, but I was in Geoff's and asked him, he said he had fit a few, (he even sells the FSA one), and that it's a simple job, but he also said he couldn't do mine as he was too busy and had too many bikes in, [pointed to all the bikes around the back].

The trouble was most of them were out of his window as he was having new shutters installed!

In the end I did it myself and yes, it was easy and I saved myself about £20 by doing it. 

He knows I do most things myself anyway, but I'm meeting a real reluctance in him to do bits and bobs. I know he's knocking on and probably counting the days until he retires, but even so.


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## Judderz (8 May 2012)

smokeysmoo said:


> He also said he couldn't do mine as he was too busy and had too many bikes in, [pointed to all the bikes around the back].
> 
> 
> He knows I do most things myself anyway, but I'm meeting a real reluctance in him to do bits and bobs. I know he's knocking on and probably counting the days until he retires, but even so.


 
There's always a sign in the window that says he isn't doing repairs, but everytime I've been in and asked if he could do something, he always says ignore the sign and he'll be happy to do it.

I've no idea how old he is, but he's been there since I was a kid (I'm 40 now)....maybe he just doesn't like you :P


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## smokeysmoo (8 May 2012)

Judderz said:


> maybe he just doesn't like you :P


You may be onto something there. I actually tried getting my mate to go with me, (sad I know!), but he always seems to get damn good deals but he was too busy 

No matter, the world keeps spinning, and I won't cut my nose off to spite my face by falling out with GS, there's no point and I will no doubt need him at some point or another


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## Judderz (8 May 2012)

Maybe just stressed with the new shutters, not installed, let him down etc...Maybe got a puncture on the way in...or he's just a grumpy f****r today...who knows :P

But as I said, never had any probs with him, always helpful, always willing to give advice.
So whats your decision on new wheels?


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## smokeysmoo (8 May 2012)

Judderz said:


> So whats your decision on new wheels?


I'm leaning towards the same custom build but 'off the peg' through necessity. Open Pro rims with Hope Pro3 hubs. Should be strong enough for my big @rse


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## Judderz (8 May 2012)

Where you getting them?


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## smokeysmoo (8 May 2012)

Judderz said:


> Where you getting them?


Probably Wiggle. Price is right, they're in stock, delivery is great IME, and I've never had a bad wheel from them either and I've bought two other wheelsets and a rear wheel from them in the past 

If time was not an issue I'd have them built, but I can't wait 2-3 weeks. (not sure how long I thought they'd take when I started the thread tbh )


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## Hacienda71 (9 May 2012)

I asked one of my LBS's to source and fit a headset for a tapered fork for me. The guy who I know quite well in a professional capacity in my job phoned me back and suggested I took the bike to another shop as he was far to busy for the forseable future. I took it to another LBS I know well and they sourced and fitted the new headset no myther. I know who will get my business in the future. I get the feeling sometimes that if you haven't bought the entire bike from some local bike shops they don't give a monkeys. Their loss.....


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## smokeysmoo (9 May 2012)

Hacienda71 said:


> I get the feeling sometimes that if you haven't bought the entire bike from some local bike shops they don't give a monkeys. Their loss.....


Absolutely. There's another shop in Bolton who actually states they only take in bikes for repair that they have sold! Now that's all well and good when business is brisk, but nothing lasts forever.

There are ways of saying things, and if these shops said, "Look we're extremely busy at the moment, and the lead time is X, so while we'd love to do your job it will take a while for us to get to it" then that would be fine IME, they've been honest, you're in the know, then you can make an informed decision whether you wait or try somewhere else.

But to just turn around and say I'm not even bothered about your job because I'm too busy, well meh!


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## Beaker39 (9 May 2012)

Mmmm...maybe he doesn't like you!! He has always been very accomodating for me.

I was in there yesterday and he seemed more than happy to have a chat about wheels with me. In the end, after almost an hour of deliberating and weight checking I did actually buy a pair of wheels from him (not handbuilt ones though to be fair).


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## Judderz (9 May 2012)

smokeysmoo said:


> But to just turn around and say I'm not even bothered about your job because I'm too busy, well meh!


 
He really has pee'd you off hasn't he?


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## fossyant (9 May 2012)

Hmm, sounds like a business opportunity if folk can't get bikes serviced !


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## dan_bo (9 May 2012)

smokeysmoo said:


> I'm leaning towards the same custom build but 'off the peg' through necessity. Open Pro rims with Hope Pro3 hubs. Should be strong enough for my big @rse


 
I'd think twice about open pro's (at least the none-CD version) if you've got a big arse. I've got a big arse and i've caved the sidewall in on an open pro (in a bid to bring my big arse to a halt quickly) prematurely (5-6 months) on two occasions. Try an open sport or one of the CXP series, or something else entirely.


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## dan_bo (9 May 2012)

And, back to the top, try moston cycles 01616810945. Always looked after my big ass. Although don't try him today cos he doesn't bother wednesdays.


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## Hicky (9 May 2012)

Try Rich at "keep pedalling" in Manchester, nice bloke and known to stop in the pouring rain to help as long as it is on Oldham Rd.
I have open sports with sapim spokes tiagra hubs, built by him, I bounce mine up and down kerbs and along the cobbles of the Rochdale canal almost every day they're superb.


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