Latest Custom Builds — Wheel Repairs

Adam needed an economy replacement hub for his Carbonal wheelset, following some bad luck with his old Tune hub. He was on a budget, and needed a hub that was inexpensive, light and reliable. The XLR8 MD series of road hubs is just that. They are made in Taiwan. We specify the hubs composition. So whilst they may look familiar to some, we determine the bearings, axle type (hint - a stronger alloy) and freehub construction to ensure the best value/quality compromise. We also assemble them in house. We used Sapim CX-Rays on this wheel, laced 2x on both sides....

Geoff has been running a Rockshox RS-1 on his Trek, but was unhappy with the reliability. He worked with our friends at Cyclinic and decided to migrate over to Fox. Unfortunately the DT Swiss hub that was implanted in the OEM front wheel was not strictly compatible with the Boost standard. Rockshox had specified a unique hub for the RS-1. As a result, Geoff needed a rebuild to use his wheel in his new fork. Into a DT Swiss carbon hoop, it was only natural to use a DT Swiss 240s hub. We used DT Swiss Competition spokes in black to...

We passed Dave at speed on the local trails. He called out and we caught up briefly - he needed a new rear wheel. He wanted a wider rim to hold the tyre sidewalls better, for more cush and grip. The Spank Oozy Trail 295 is the current alloy rim of choice - nicely finished, 25mm wide internal, 30mm external, and well priced. We rebuilt his Giant hub onto one of these using Sapim Race double butted spokes and brass nipples, for a high performance economy solution.

John has been riding these Mercury carbon wheels for a while. They have seen some use, and need a little love, so he decided to have XLR8 fix a few problems that had emerged. The front hub bearings were loose in the hubshell, and would not stay put. Plus, the rear wheel had started to break spokes. The general rule here is that if a wheel breaks a couple of spokes, it's worth investing in a full rebuild. John's on a budget, and saving up for an XLR8 custom build. To help him out, we used an inexpensive but perfectly functional Shimano...

Hernando rides a Trek All Mountain 29er. It's a fine bike, and he's decided that he'll keep it for a good few years yet. Being a 29er, he felt that the standard Bontrager Rhythm Comp alloy wheelset was a little too flexy for his liking. They are also a little narrow at 21mm wide internal. He felt this to be the only issue with the bike. So, after a couple of years abusing the alloy wheelset, he came to us looking for advice on a wide carbon wheelset to breathe a bit of new life (and lateral stiffness ) into...