recommendations for modern box section wheels

[Discodan]

Hi All

I'm asking on behalf of a friend starting a Colnago Master build and is looking for the 'right' wheels. Are there any local wheel suppliers/builders who do a good retro wheel? Something similar to the below but local would be great. I remember in this forum from a couple of years ago a Brisbane company but can't recall the name or find it; XL8 or similar. Can someone with a better memory help there?

https://thecycleclinic.co.uk/collection ... 4-wheelset

thanks in advance
d

[P!N20]

^ So when you say local, do you mean Australia or Brisbane or another city?

XLR8 are in NSW.

Any wheel builder should be able to do a 'vintage' wheel. Mind you, it's more fun to do it yourself.

[RonK]

The Brisbane wheel builder is probably Craftworx.

[Discodan]

thanks guys, it was XLR8 I was thinking of but I got the state wrong. Local for me is in Australia, I'd rather keep the business in the country if possible and it just makes logistics easier

cheers

[P!N20]

^ In that case, Shifter Bikes in Melbourne come highly recommended, and Dan has done plenty of vintage builds.

[Dadoflam]

Dan is very good although timing can vary
He has built me a few wheelsets with TB14's - I also can strongly recommend Velomine - a US bikeshop that has access to a few other hub options at much the same price to your door and timing is pretty good - 2 to 3 weeks - although respect your desire to keep things local.
The TB14 is a great rim - the finish on polished one is fantastic, although it is a little heavy (500g) and also a little wider (23mm) than the old wheels which does make the wheels appear slightly chunkier than traditional wheels - even with 23mm tires. So far it is the closest I have found to a good retro rim with low profile box rim.
For a recent project where I needed an 8spd Campy wheelset for a bike I intended to ride a lot I ended up using Mavic Open Pro rims - 50g lighter and quite acceptable in a dark colour which hides the shape a bit. The narrower rim made the wheels look thinner and traditional. (Velomine did these for me as they happened to have some 8spd Campy hubs in stock)
If you are running a modern groupset I can really recommend the White Industries T11 hubs in polished finish - again beautifully finished and quite retro in shape. Also very reliable.
Dan should have access to these.

[silentbutdeadly]

Josh at XLR8 built me some very nice wheels using the HplusSon TB14 rim and the Suntour Sprint hubs I had for my Ricardo Pinnacle...
http://xlr8wheels.com.au/seans-retro-re ... son-tb14s/

[Dadoflam]

Those look good SBD
Might have to put in an enquiry to them for my next wheels project when it comes along.

[minhyy]

Josh (AT) XLR8 does great work



he will run you through the best options for your given budget and riding needs, and doesn't spare a single detail when it comes to the build

[Velo13]

Thanks for the recommendations guys.

The TB14 is the modern choice. At 500g, they are not that heavy compared to the G40 and MA40 (~475g) and Ambrosio Excellence (~465g) to which they are aesthetically nodding.

They are however, bombproof, and have a 19mm internal width. Works well with 23c and 25c tyres. They are much stiffer than the retro rims mentioned, so 28h builds are still way tougher than most people need. Or, super light weight spokes like a Sapim Laser can be used without the reduction in lateral stiffness becoming noticeable. Plus, with the stainless eyelets, alloy nipples are an easy way to save the weight differential.

If not completely wed to box section, the Hplusson Archetype is an visual approximation of a Campag Omega. They're 465g, but probably best suited to an early/mid 90s build.

Both come polished, grey ano and black. The finish is superb. Check my website and search Hplusson for the builds that I remembered to take a photo of!

[keith_h]

TB14, record hubs on my mid 80's bike. Fast and surefooted.



Built by Adam at Le Service Course in Brisbane.

https://www.facebook.com/leservicecourse/