36 Spoke narrow wheels that work out the box?

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Lost not Found
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36 Spoke narrow wheels that work out the box?

Post by Lost not Found »

A quick bit of background, having got my first 'road' bike over the summer and increasing my (modest) milage bit a fair amount, it's stranded me twice in its last four rides due to spoke breakages and resulting wheel going massively put of true.

Being 6ft 4 and just under 16 stone combined with lower end machine built but 32 spoke wheels is the likely cause. The hub / rim I'm sure could probably be built up by someone competent to do the job but as it's used for fairweather occasional commutes on our poor roadd (40km round trip) going for marginal over engineering seems no real price to pay. I'm currently running 23c, 25 should fit 28 would be an absolute squeeze.

This later part seems to rule out most 36 spoke wheels readily available online with wide rims, other than Rose bikes which seem to have mixed reviews on here. Or more specifically the threads dissappear down the route of black magic required before use to stay true. It could be that this is still the best option of course.

Are there any other options for this that aren't as pocket damaging / involved as finding a wheel builder?
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cycleruk
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Re: 36 Spoke narrow wheels that work out the box?

Post by cycleruk »

You should be O.K. with a 32 spoke front wheel and a well built 36 spoke rear.
If the current front rim is a good known make then it should be possible to source a matching 36 hole rear.
Failing that then the only alternative is to have hand built wheels from a competent wheel builder.
It may be more than you want to pay but they will give good service over the years.

P.S. What are you current wheels?
You'll never know if you don't try it.
iandriver
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Re: 36 Spoke narrow wheels that work out the box?

Post by iandriver »

I'm a similar size to you and tend to use deeper section rims. Too stiff for most but for guys our size it seems to work.

I use 32 hole DT Swiss RR585 rims, but for a more budget version, one of these should do the trick http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php ... 1s116p2961

I've had 36 hole hand built Rigida Chrina rims snap spokes like there is no tomorrow with 105 hubs rims and the classic double butted non drive side and plain gauge drive side set up.

With the deeper ones, no issue.
Supporter of the A10 corridor cycling campaign serving Royston to Cambridge http://a10corridorcycle.com. Never knew gardening secateurs were an essential part of the on bike tool kit until I took up campaigning.....
Valbrona
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Re: 36 Spoke narrow wheels that work out the box?

Post by Valbrona »

I don't think '36 hole wheels out of the box' exist. You have to have them built up.

Give me straight gauge spokes if preference to DB anyday if you want strength and durability ...
I should coco.
Andyw
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36 Spoke narrow wheels that work out the box?

Post by Andyw »

I too am about your size and have had previous rear wheel spoke/rim issues. So I took matters into my own hand and built a set if H plus son Archetype rims on Ultegra hubs using 36 rear 32 front DT Swiss Competition spokes. I must have ridden 2000+ miles with 100% reliability. I'd never built a wheel before so bought an online book on wheel building and off I went, a very rewarding process and have built a similar set since.
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Erudin
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Re: 36 Spoke narrow wheels that work out the box?

Post by Erudin »

Spa cycles build a good wheel, most wheels I've bought elsewhere have not had correct even spoke tension. A properly built wheel is much more reliable than one that's not, I've yet to break a spoke. The only spoke I've needed to replace was on a mtb where a stick got caught in a wheel and bent/stretched the spoke.

They've survived my not always successful pothole dodging skills and 17 stone weight on Cornish/Devon lanes for years without needing any attention apart from re-greasing the bearings.

I have a pair of 36h Chrina rimmed wheels I use with 24mm Grand Prix tyres and Sputnik rimmed wheels with 28mm Gatorskin tyres, Sapim spokes, and both have 135mm LX hubs.
iandriver
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Re: 36 Spoke narrow wheels that work out the box?

Post by iandriver »

It wad spa who built the Chrina rim that started snapping spokes on me from the word go. I put it down to the cheap flexy rim. In fairness to spa, if I'd told them my size, they're have told me to forget it, I don't believe the problem was anything they did. Maybe had some dodgy spokes, we'll never know.
Supporter of the A10 corridor cycling campaign serving Royston to Cambridge http://a10corridorcycle.com. Never knew gardening secateurs were an essential part of the on bike tool kit until I took up campaigning.....
mercalia
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Re: 36 Spoke narrow wheels that work out the box?

Post by mercalia »

You ve probably read my woes with my cracked rim in this section the spokes were ok but the rim started to crack in various places. I am just under 17 stone now and about 6'3" so similar to you. I think the only solution is a hand built wheel by some one who has pride in his/her work and wont send out any thing questionable. It seems that rims even within a brand vary from batch to batch -the guy who built mine last week at Spa rejected a few I was told. Thats the sort of thing u want to know & expect? I told the guy anumber of times what I weigh so he knew the score.
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Mick F
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Re: 36 Spoke narrow wheels that work out the box?

Post by Mick F »

I have Chrina rims with 36r and 32f and built them myself. I'm on my third set.
Not broken a spoke at all. I'm a powerful rider and only recently managed to get down to 12st having been over 13st.

Front wheel is DB Sapim Race ........ and rear is plain gauge Sapim Strong on the drive side, and DB Sapim Race on non-drive side.
Mick F. Cornwall
iandriver
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Re: 36 Spoke narrow wheels that work out the box?

Post by iandriver »

I'm half your weight again Mick. The rim I liked above says for people who want a stronger version and the DT Swiss is quoted as the strongest road rim they do. I'd still go for these rims for a big rider on a hand built every time. Just my 2ps worth :D
Supporter of the A10 corridor cycling campaign serving Royston to Cambridge http://a10corridorcycle.com. Never knew gardening secateurs were an essential part of the on bike tool kit until I took up campaigning.....
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SaintMatt
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Re: 36 Spoke narrow wheels that work out the box?

Post by SaintMatt »

Have you looked at Halo wheels? At 6ft 10 and 18/19 stone I have had my fair share of broken rear spokes. Since fitting Halo Aerorage wheel set to my road bike, so far no broken spokes!! Although that's probably the kiss of death on them now. They were recommended to me by a number of shops as being pretty solid and able to cope with the weight. Fingers crossed they continue to do so!!
stuartg
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Re: 36 Spoke narrow wheels that work out the box?

Post by stuartg »

Just had my front wheel from spa and it is very good. The rear a 36 was built by Hewitts. Again, the build quality is excellent. Both has the rims exal lx17 as I wanted a wider variety of tyres.
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531colin
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Re: 36 Spoke narrow wheels that work out the box?

Post by 531colin »

http://forum.ctc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=51737&hilit=pizza&start=15

Heavy riders and light, narrow wheels.....a match made in heaven.
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interestedcp
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Re: 36 Spoke narrow wheels that work out the box?

Post by interestedcp »

Rosebike wheels generally have a very good reputation. Few other shops in the EU sells so many 36H 3X wheels as they do, and they have a 10 year warranty on their spokes against breakage, so they must feel confident about the general build quality.

A traditional designed 36H 3X wheel is incredible strong by design, but build quality matters a lot. When I was looking for a strong set of wheels many years ago, I found examples of people getting badly build wheels, even from highly regarded and expensive wheel builders. Even factory wheel makers like Campagnolo who makes excellent factory wheels and have good QA, occasionally makes a badly build wheel.

There seems to always be an element of luck in buying bicycle wheels. So perhaps the important question is; how will a badly build wheel be handled by the dealer?
IMHO, 2 broken spokes on wheel under warranty should mean an instant exchange by the dealer or a rebuild with new spokes.

So how the dealer is going to handle the deal if the spokes start to break, is perhaps just as important as their reputation.
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Lost not Found
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Re: 36 Spoke narrow wheels that work out the box?

Post by Lost not Found »

Many thanks for all the responses. I should have stated it is only the rear wheel I've had issues with so going for a pair will only be for silly aesthetic reasons to match.

My questions definitely been answered, no there isn't something easily accessible that will definitely work but Rose Bikes are the best bet. My feeling is that at worst if I have the same issues I'll have the base parts for a decent 36 spoke set of wheels to have a go at rebuilding myself.

The wheels aren't currently in stock but I will update here after I've got a set and done a few miles.
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