Handmade wheels
Our completely hand-built wheelsets enjoy great popularity and a steadily growing fan base. Here we want to show you how your custom wheelset is created and how we combine the symbiosis of light, stiff and durable wheels.
Your individual combination of hubs and rims
We have a wide range of hubs and rims. For you, this means a large selection and individualization, and for us the opportunity to combine the best possible wheel parts from the variety according to your needs. Our aim is to build the perfect wheelset for your intended use.
Whether mountain bike, road bike, cyclocross bike, gravel bike, fat bike or e-bike, we will find a wheelset that is optimally tailored to your needs. As soon as we have determined all the parameters together, the manual work begins.
Determining the right spoke length
The first step is to determine the spoke length from the geometry data of the hubs and rims. This step is always necessary if we have not yet had a hub and rim combination in our hands. As new parts and brands often come onto the market, we are always busy calculating the spoke length. Once the spoke length has been determined, the assembly can begin.
Define the spoke pattern
In most cases we spoke wheelsets triple crossed. There are some exceptions on the part of the hub manufacturer or if it simply makes more technical sense. Then either a radial or double crossing is used.
We use Sapim Polyax nipples in 14 mm length. If the rim manufacturer specifies certain nipples, these are of course used. We are happy to implement playful ideas for you, such as different colored spokes next to the valve or several nipple colors. You can let off steam creatively - after all, that's what handmade wheels are for!
Aligning the hub and tightening the spokes
Now the hub is aligned. We always align it so that you can read the lettering when looking through the valve hole. Tighten the spokes until the thread is just covered by the nipple. The hub should now only wobble minimally. If you are using bent spokes, bend them slightly with the head on the inside and the wheel is ready to be laced.
Centering the wheelset
We take no less care when truing. As with spoking, only the best tools are used here. An analog truing stand and tensiometer from Centrimaster as well as high-quality nipple clamps are our standard equipment. The high quality of our wheelsets is of course also made possible by the skill and years of experience of our wheel builders.
Fine tuning during centering
Now comes the sometimes hypnotically tedious work of centering. We have made it our mission not only to center lateral and radial run-out as perfectly as possible, but also to maintain a consistently high tension. We increase the tension in small steps and keep the rim as impact-free as possible. The wheel is pressed on both sides at regular intervals to tighten the fit of the spokes and reduce local tension.
Care for the best quality and optimum stiffness
We then pull the wheel back into the center of the hub and everything starts all over again. This procedure results in a wheel with maximum stability and durability. This method also helps to quickly locate spokes with less tension. On each side of the wheel, we thus create an evenly high, but not too high, spoke tension. This prevents the nipples from coming loose later and the associated knocks. You can feel the perfect wheel through a crisp, immediate acceleration and high cornering stiffness.
The optimum of homogeneous tension
In ever finer steps, we are approaching a state in which the wheel only has a maximum of 0.3 mm of impact, a maximum center deviation of 0.2 mm and an average spoke tension of around 1000 N on the more heavily loaded side of the wheel. The exact spoke tension also depends on the possible maximum values of the hub and rim manufacturers. The spoke tension can therefore be well over 1000N if the hub and rim allow it. The spokes are loaded several times during the process and are given the perfect fit. The spoke tension reaches a perfect level in all respects, as our experienced wheel builders always work with optimum and proven values.
Why a wheelset from r2-bike?
You get a wheelset that has been built by skilled hands from the first to the last step. We do not rely on automatic spoking machines or stubbornly follow a fixed routine. Each wheel is given the work steps it needs to make it durable and as perfect as possible. In contrast to system wheels, you have all the options open to you when putting together your wheel. Our system is diversity, not uniformity!
Do you have any questions?
We are sure that together we will find the perfect wheelset for you. You can get detailed advice by phone on +49 (0)351 811 975 90 or by email at [email protected].
We have already put together a selection of hand-built wheels for you in our store. You can use the filters on the left-hand side to filter directly by your favorite brands or various parameters to find suitable wheelsets. Take a look and see if there is something suitable for you. Here you can find our range of wheels.
