I have an old bike with 36-spoke wheels, and am looking to have a set of handbuilt wheels made for this bike using the original hubs. 2 questions:
What are the best rims and spokes I can buy to save weight but retain durability? (Without breaking the bank.) I had thought about just going with Vuelta Corsa Lites, which are great on a newer bike I have, but too wide for the chainstays on the old bikes.
Who are the reputable wheelbuilders these days? (Colorado Cyclist used to be...back when I was riding lots.)
The Mavic Open Sport fits the bill. I've built many wheels with its predecessors, the MA2, MA3. and MA40 and they are reliable rims that aren't too heavy. $50 each.
I don't know if the mail order firms will take your existing hubs and build wheels around them. I build my own wheels, but I did have good luck with Excel Sports in Boulder, CO when they built a set for me.
Honestly, any good local bike shop can build them; just ask around.
Appreciate the info. Is Sun even in business anymore? I can't find their website.
Looking for something light. The Open 4 Pros are about 420 grams apiece from what I can tell. Would love to go lighter, especially since I'm limited to 36 spokes unless I buy newer hubs. The Open 4 Pros are nice looking rims, though, and I think Silver would go well with my vintage, aqua-color, Sirrus.
Is there a site that allows one to find/compare rims based on cross section shape (looking for V section rims only) and weight?
are you using google? this is the first result with the search, "sun rims": https://sun-ringle.com
searching "sun m13ii" results in a bunch of items listed around $25/ea. $70 shipped for a pair is a good deal. sometimes, you can find package deals on more than one on ebay or amazon. i've bought them from a number of online retailers. one i will never use again is outsideoutfitters.com, but not because of their customer service. they sent me a number of rims with small imperfections. when i order new rims, they must be perfect, or i'm returning them.
I wonder what I'm doing right that you or others aren't? I've used Mavic rims since 1974 on road and track and have yet to have one failure. Or maybe it's just ****-luck eh?
There are very few aluminum rims lighter than 420 grams and being that light makes them less durable. The open pros are probably the best option for what you are looking for.
I've been using the wider Kinlin rims on my Vintage build (X22, XR26 and Xr31 from BikeHubStore.com ). THey may not be period correct but they seem to have the look that matches up nicely. THese are the XR26 with a offset Rear
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