Who are the...

[SoCalSteve]

top 5 wheel builders in the country and why?

Thanks in advance,

Steve

[Kurt]

Knowledgeable, sizes up customers needs, stands behind product and price. I have said it a million times and I will again, nothing I have purchased in cycling has surpassed my expectations as much as the $ 300 set I got from him. Completely changed the way my legend feels and handles and has increased my confidence descending like nothing else.

[alembical]

I am suppossed to receive my rear wheel from Mike Garcia today or tomorrow and am quite anxious. He has been great to work with, the price was great, and I can't wait to try out the wheel.

I have an older wheelset the was was built by Dave Thomas and I have been extremely happy with it as well.

Alembical

[Too Tall]

That's not a fair question. There are perhaps hundreds of very very good wheel builders some near you. Do a search for the Forum favs eg: Joe Young, Speed Dream, Peter White.

[Climb01742]

Jeremy Parfitt @ Alchemy Bicycle Works in Santa Fe

[SGP]

i like his cheese burgers, but, i mostly get the chicken
:p

[flydhest]

I'm not sure how anyone could say who the top five are, only whom they have used and if they like the wheels. I've had people go on and on about how much I know about wheels and wheelbuilding, but . . . I'm quite a novice. People tend to be impressed when people know more than themselves. Trust me, I'm nothing to write home about. Add the ability to list grams or other useful buzzwords for marketing and the people sound very impressive.

I don't think wheelsmithing is a great lost art. There are lots of shops that have perfectly capable wheel builders. If you have someone local, talk to them, make them explain to you some part of wheels that you already understand and then the stuff you don't understand, see if you think they're full of crap. If they start off by telling you how important the weight of the hub is . . . be afraid.

To compound things, recommendations from others should be viewed through the lens of how their riding compares to yours. Not just their size and weight (which clearly matter a lot) but also knowing if they can ride well. Someone who tells me the wheels didn't hold up, but I know that they are big and are forever running into potholes and such . . . well, it alters the value of their information.

All that said, if enough people here think someone is good and you know the posters put on big miles and are similar in size to you, it conveys some information.

Oh, and SoCalSteve asked who and why. The latter question is clearly important for him to be able to get useful information.

[vaxn8r]

I'll give a stab at it....Campagnolo, Mavic, Shimano, Bontrager, ADA

:D :D :D :D :D

[dirtdigger88]

i like his cheese burgers, but, i mostly get the chicken
:p


yeah but dont eat the chili- they season it with human flesh- yuck!!!!

Jason

[flydhest]

yeah but dont eat the chili- they season it with human flesh- yuck!!!!

Jason

just watch who you point fingers at . . .

[SGP]

yeah but dont eat the chili- they season it with human flesh- yuck!!!!

Jason

i once had a bad experience with their chili, cross state road trip- me & a drummer crammed in to a yugo with his full kit... :help: