Some rims and hubs I keep in stock but with such a variety out there, I often order specifically for a set. I carry a range of different types of spokes that these parts are then laced with although sometimes they have to be ordered as well. Please contact me if you want a quote on a particular wheelset. You can also send parts to be laced together.

Hubs:

Hub selection principally involves three key factors: function, price and aesthetic. Is weight a factor? Strength? Gear suitability? High flange/low flange? Selection of colour. Normally when it comes to balancing weight, strength and price you can pick two, so you can have a strong light hub, but it will be expensive or it can be strong and cheap but it will be heavy.

Rear hubs come with four types of gearing options. Single speed (fixed or freewheel), screw on freewheel with gears, freehub and cassette or internal gears. The most common is freehub and cassette, most common of that is a 8 speed freehub which also takes 9 and 10 speed cassettes. However, there is a growing popularity for internal gears. Traditionally these would be Sturmey Archer, and these are still available today in a range of models. However manufacturers like Sram and Shimano now make their own versions. Many of these still come with traditional drum or back pedal brakes. Arguably the best on the market is Rohloff, a particularly expensive hub boasting 13 internal gears and an almost infinite lifespan. However Shimano have also recently released an 11 speed alfine hub which is doing a good job of rivaling the Rohloff. Click here for more information on the Rohloff hub and the Alfine 11.

Shimano offer good value road and cross country hubs. Miche offer good value road and track hubs. I also use Novatec as a versatile economical road hub. The Novatec hubs are attractive (based on an old Campagnolo design), they come with sealed cartridge bearings and are available in a wide variety of hole counts. If you are looking to move up in price bracket normally it takes you to DMR or Hope. These are quality items but are geared towards the MTB market.

Royce is a popular choice for a quality road or touring hub. They do make a disc hub as well, but it is only available in quick release. Their hubs are available in different axle lengths, hole counts and freehub versions. There are also different shell sizes to match different functions. They are well priced for such a quality item that is Made in the UK. The axles come with a lifetime warranty.

Chris King offers some of the strongest and lightest hubs on the market, all coming with a 5 year warranty. There are variations in hole count, colour, freehub body and axle length. Road specific hubs are available.

DT offer a big range of high end hubs at high end prices. The 190s hub is exceptionally light, comes with ceramic bearings and the front hub can be laced radially (rim brake only). The 240s is the more economically priced version but is based on the design of the 190s hub.

For more information on high end hub please click here.

It is also possible to have dynamo hubs which generate electricity to power lighting systems and even charge a phone or ipod. These start with more basic models from Shimano and Novatec as well as others from Sturmey Archer. The best money can buy are made by Schmidt and Son. For more information on dynamo hubs, please click

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Spokes:

I normally use Sapim spokes. Some dished rear wheels benefit from beefier spokes on the drive side. For the highest quality wheel Sapim CX-Ray spokes are the best on the market, although their performance comes at a price. For more advice on choosing spokes you can read my article on spoke selection.

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Rims:

Rims come in different diameters and different widths. Other variables are:
- hole number (this needs to match your hub)
- profile of the rim
- material it is made from
- type of tyre: clincher or tubular

My most commonly used rim manufacturers are Alex, Ambrosio, DT, Exal, Kinlin, Mavic and Rigida. Rigida rims are economical solution, they are strong but normally quite heavy. Mavic offer some well priced, good quality rims although they are becoming more difficult to source in the UK. DT rims are good quality but quite expensive and with a more limited range than Mavic.

Ambrosio offer an excellent selection of elegant and good quality tubular and clincher rims for the performance road market. The Ambrosio Excellight is a light weight, double walled, double eyeleted rim, ideally suited to fast road use. The Excellence is a heavier version of the same rim with a slightly different profile, ideally suited to applications where endurance is more important. The FCS28 is an excellent aero rim. While it is heavier than the Excellight and Excellence, it is lighter than DT’s aero rim (RR585) and more aerodynamic. It tapers to a fine point because the nipple is supported internally within the rim. The Ambrosio Crono is an exceptionally light tubular rim.

When it comes to touring rims, the market is a little limited. Rims normally jump between 13mm internal for road racing applications, to 19mm internals for touring trekking or cyclocross applications. Touring rims are ideally 17mm internal. This means you can run down to a 25c tyre comfortably or up to 37c. It is possible to push these boundaries further, but it makes sense to select a rim that holds the range you require comfortably. If you are looking for a 17mm internal rim, there are three obvious options to choose from. The Exal LX17, an attractive box section, double walled, double eyeleted rim weighing 565g, this is the most popular selection. There is the Rigida Snyper which is a double walled, single eyeleted version weighing 500g. Then there is the Ambrosio ‘The Frog’.

Sometimes I use Ghisallo wooden rims, these are an interesting selection, they can compete well on weight and look brilliant; they are rarely used now. I have written an article on their application which can be read here.

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