Wheelworks.co.nz, Handbuilt wheels by Tristan Thomas

Paul wanted a stiff rear wheel…I mean really stiff.  He’d had some bad luck with Reynolds and decided that the Enve 65 rim would be the best option.  I agreed.

We used an Alchemy ORC hub.  This hub has the best driveside bracing angle of anything out there meaning it builds into a stiff wheel.

I laced them together with 28 DT Swiss Aerolite bladed spokes.  Why 28?  Because its, you guessed it, stiff.

Custom black Enve decals look awesome.

Kevin called wanting a pair of tubular event / race wheels which would be aerodynamic and light.  He’s not very heavy so he also wanted a wheelset which would handle crosswinds well.

The Enve 3.4 tubulars are the perfect rim for these roles.

I used an Alchemy ELF front hub and a DT Swiss 240s rear hub, and had the hubs and two spokes at each valve coloured in arctic white to match Kevin’s bike.

All spokes are DT Swiss Aerolites with Enve internal spoke nipples.

1254 grams is a great weight for such an aerodynamic and versatile pair of wheels.

Peter wanted a pair of carbon clinchers which could be used for events and racing.

Pete is a powerful rider so we used a White Ind H3 rear hub.  The titanium freehub body won’t allow the cogs to dig-in like an aluminium freehub body will, and the wide flange spacing builds into a stiff wheel.  There won’t be any Zipp-style brakepad rub with this wheelset!

An Alchemy ELF hub keeps the front wheel light and stiff to match the rear.

All the spokes are bladed DT Swiss Aerolites.  Two white spokes at each valve add a bit of style.

The rims are a Wheelworks-branded 45mm deep full-carbon clincher.  Even with the ‘heavy’ rear hub this pair of wheels is only 1438 grams which is 90 grams lighter than a 303 clincher while being stiffer, costing less, and including a 3 year broken spoke guarantee.

Steve wanted a light weight carbon clincher wheelset with a PowerTap rear hub.

This PowerTap is the new G3 with improved flange spacing over the older G2 hubs.  With a weight increase of only 100 grams over a standard light-weight rear hub this hub is a very weight-concious way of measuring power.  Laced to a 45mm rim this wheel gives a great balance of aero and light weight.

A 35mm deep carbon clincher front rim is laced to an Alchemy ELF hub to keep the wheelset weight down.

These wheels are off to Sydney for their new owner.

Michael wanted a pair of light weight full-carbon clinchers for everyday use.

I used a Wheelworks 35mm front rim and 45mm rear rim to provide great lateral stiffness and light weight.

A front Alchemy ELF keeps the weight down and increases stiffness.  A rear DT Swiss 240s provides a top-quality freehub body mechanism and pairs well to the 45mm rim.

Spokes are bladed DT Swiss Aerolites.

Matt black decals on both the hubs and rims give a stealth look.  1362 grams is exceptionally light for a pair of everyday clinchers.

Mike wanted a new pair of carbon clinchers for the upcoming Tour of New Zealand.

We chose the Enve 45 clincher rims with a 24 front / 28 rear spoke count to provide great stiffness and durability for Mike.

Chris King Campagnolo-compatibile hubs in red add a nice touch of colour to the wheels and work well with larger and more powerful riders because of their wide flange spacing and exceptional quality.  Custom black Enve decals provide a stealth look at the rim.

These are a top-quality pair of carbon clinchers.

Derek’s Reynolds front wheel was having some issues breaking spokes, and the Reynolds-branded hub was getting a bit tired. I rebuilt the rim into a new DT Swiss 240s hub with DT Swiss Revolution spokes and new Reynolds internal nipples.

Scott wanted a pair of stealth Enve clinchers for everyday riding.

Scott is a big guy so we went with a 24 hole front wheel and a 28 hole rear to ensure stiffness and durability will be good.  The molded spoke hole in the Enve rims mean the fibers are not damaged by drilling and there is a carbon ‘pad’ for the nipple to sit on which almost eliminates the chance of cracking around the spoke hole.

Chris King R45 road hubs are not the lightest option out there but their high quality and great flange dimensions means they’re well suited for this use.  All King products are made in a ‘green’ factory in Portland, Oregon.

DT Swiss Aerolite spokes and internal nipples tie the wheels together.  The front wheel is laced radially, and the rear is two-cross on both sides.

The black decals are a custom upgrade which I offer at Wheelworks and can be done in any colour under the sun. Personally I think the black-on-black decals look great.

Enve’s awesome new 6.7 rims are starting to ship. This pair is laced to an Alchemy ELF front hub and a DT Swiss 240s rear hub with DT Swiss bladed Aerolite spokes.

Decals are custom bogan-black to match the stealth look of the rims.

If you haven’t read about Enve’s 6.7 rims then check out this Velonews and this BikeRadar article. Rims are in stock and I can build them to whatever hubs are going to be the best match for your weight and riding style.

Well apparently some people do actually read what I write and want tech info!

This pair of wheels uses the exact same combination of components as Serge’s but in a far more subtle manor.

The front hub is an Alchemy ELF which I’ve written about in many other wheelbuilds – it’s a great front hub which is light, uses full-sized bearings, and nice wide flanges.

The matching rear Alchemy ORC is also US-made and has very wide flange spacing, and is also a great hub. At 218 grams they’re essentially the same weight as a DT Swiss 240s, but the wider flange spacing means they build into a stiffer wheel which is great for larger, more powerful riders. So why don’t I use less 240s and more ORCs? The ratchet mechanism in the 240s is fantastic, the bearings last forever, and it’s a tried, tested and true performer. The Alchemy is more expensive – if the extra stiffness is required then these are dollars well spent but in most cases the 240s meets (and exceeds) needs.

Spokes are bladed DT Swiss Aerolites. I use the standard Enve nipples on the front and rear-driveside, and a custom counter-bored nylock internal nipple on the rear non-drive. The nylock adds a bit of insurance on the lower tension side of the wheel.

Keen readers with calculators will notice this wheelset is 27 gram lighter than Serges which uses the same components. Why? Well the powder coated white spokes add a few grams, and as with all rims the weights vary slightly due to production tolerances. Also, Gabriel’s rear hub is a slightly lighter Campagnolo freehub body.

As with all Wheelworks wheels these are true to less than one-tenth of a millimeter in both the lateral and vertical directions, as measured with a Mitutoyo gauge which reads to hundredths of a millimeter.  Spoke tension is as even as possible and is measured with my DT Tensio which is tested and checked for calibration every two weeks.

Supplied with rim tape, Enve brakepads, and some skewers and these wheels will be boxed and shipped.

Is that enough tech info???