Narhay

I'm looking at building a set of these 36H silver rims onto some high flange record hubs. I'm sure they're nice but at $90 CAD/ea is there something else I should be looking at? I've gone the sun M13II route previously and like them but I want to try something new.

branko_76 

Campagnolo Record High Flange hubs deserve the best....

conspiratemus1

36-hole rims have been hard to find this year so I’ve buying used. If in good shape from reputable sellers with good feedback they go for about 2/3 the price of new — that’s with shipping from the States and rims are awkward to ship for their weight. Best if you buy two, to save on shipping just one jumbo pizza box. We’re talking traditional aluminum clincher non-tubeless here.

Sun and Alex are cheaper than the “Lexus” brands and are more likely to be not perfectly round, which you won’t know till you build them up. If you are willing to wrestle some with spoke tension you should get a good wheel. I built a rear tandem wheel with one of my own used Alexes and it has required less attention (like zero) than other wheels with “better” rims. Do make sure that the rim out of the box will lie flat on a glass or granite table top without rattling. If it’s got a bad “set” in it, you’ll never get the tension even and so it should be returned for refund (assuming the seller didn’t disclose this defect and you bought it anyway.) I should mention that of all the bike stuff I’ve bought from eBay sellers over the years, I’ve not had to return a single thing as defective or not as advertised. So used rims are likely safe to buy. Use the money you save to buy good double-butted spokes. Don’t buy cheap spokes just because it’s a cheap rim.

3alarmer 

.
...ebay now has a set of filters you can apply when you search "bicycle rims" that include hole drillings and manufacturer.
There are some interesting Mavic rims on there now, in the less than astronomical price range, 700c and drilled 36.

Not sure they're any better than the H plus Sons, but they are different. I've had good luck with all the wheels I've built with Mavic rims.
Also look at Velo Orange...they don't sell the narrowest ones they used to market, but they are a reasonably solid product, and very highly polished (maybe too highly polished ?)

3alarmer 

.
...I just built these VO rims out onto high flange Campy hubs, and they look nice.
I have zero experience with their durability, but they roll pretty good...like a quality lightweight box section should.

branko_76 

Excellent advice.

I've built several wheel sets with used rims and found it difficult to get proper and uniform spoke tension. Prior to building my last set, I laid the rims on a flat surface as you suggest and then carefully bent the rims using the corner of my workbench until they laid flat. I then checked for roundness with a tape measure, found the longest portion and then pushed them back into round by setting the rim on the floor and pushing down on it like a bike pump. Those wheels were trued and tensioned without the difficulties I had with some of the others that did not receive this treatment.

conspiratemus1

Thanks for the expert tip! I will do that.

tkamd73 

My source for nos Italian box section rims dried up last year, so my wheel builder talked me into trying Velocity A23s, He refused to build up the h plus sons rims I brought in to him, don’t ask me why. Wasn’t sure I’d like the profile, but he assured me as long as I used polished or satin silver, they would look fine on a CV bike. Well I think I still like the look of a box section rim a bit better, but after putting some miles on them, I’m not going back. They will be on all my future builds, and definitely fits into the category of something new.
Tim


91 Paramount w Velocity A23s satin

speedevil 

I needed a set of 36h rims for my Pinarello. I have used H+Son TB14 rims for other builds and was very happy with them. But TB14 rims in 36h drilling are pretty much unobtanium, at least in any reasonable timeframe.

I looked at Pacenti Brevet rims and decided to go that way for the Pinarello. I picked up one 36h rim on paceline, and bought the other directly from Pacenti. They look very nice and are flat and round (at the same time). I haven't built the wheels yet, but I don't expect any issues. My measured ERD was exactly the same for both rims.

I'm planning to use DT Swiss 2.0-1.5-2.0 spokes on the front wheel and NDS rear. I'll use 2.0-1.8-2.0 on the DS rear. Campy NR hubs.

branko_76 

Thanks for the promotion...

RiddleOfSteel

Archetypes have that deep section look going on (well, shallower deep section...uhh...shoot..), so if that's what you're going for, there are very few rims playing in that. For box section, VO or H+Son TB14 or Pacenti Brevet work and the TB14s and Brevets are similarly-ish priced. Canada may vary.

RiddleOfSteel

Sir, when you are able to clone that frameset (same 66cm size, same gorgeous red), let me know and I will buy that clone!

3alarmer 

,,,,the H plus Sons Archetype have a deep enough profile that it slows you down ( well, it slowed me down when I did a set once), inserting the nipples.
You have to do the thing with a spoke in the top of the nipple, push it through down into the hole, then catch the spoke with the nipple using a wrench, rather than the Bicycle research nipple driver.

I guess maybe if you do a lot of them, there are other tools that make it easier and quicker, but I don't plan on doing another set anytime soon.

tkamd73 

Will do, Thanks!
Tim

conspiratemus1

Peter White writes on his website that he charges more for building wheels with rims like that, to compensate Mrs White who has to hear him curse every time a nipple slips and falls down inside the rim where it has to be shaken out the valve hole.
I’ve been using a kebab skewer to impale the nipple, gently. The nipple bites into the tapered wood and holds well enough to get the threads started. The skewer doesn’t have to be unwound out of the nipple and if the tip should break off, the advancing spoke will push it out. Round toothpicks will work but their short length makes them harder to handle. Once engaged, you can drive the nipple the rest of the way on with your favourite nipple driver. (I use a cordless drill! Slowly.)

bwilli88 

I have a few sets of wheels made up with Velocity Dyads. Wonderful rims.

JaccoW

That sounds very reasonable. I've built up wheels with TB-14s, Archetypes and Mavic A319 rims and the Archetypes were one of the more annoying ones to deal with because of that. They do hold up very well though. I don't think they have developed any wobbles yet, and I am hardly gentle on them.

noglider 

I have a TB14 and it was excellent when I built it up.

mstateglfr 

Im late to the party, but figured I would chime in. I have 2 wheelsets with Archetype rims and another with H+son Hydra rims and I cant find a single thing to complain about. In the US, the Archetype rim is $60 as of last week, so cost isnt a concern locally.
I have one 36h wheelset and they are so strong they are overbuilt. The modern rim profile is already inherently stronger/stiffer than old box rims, so it builds into a seriously strong wheel.

The rim gets compliments from wheel builder blogs for being round to begin with since that reduces build frustration.

Salamandrine 

Just my opinion but Archetypes are a rather odd rim choice for a campy high flange hub. Their modern deep aero section would be better suited to a more modern looking hub. I have some archetypes that I haven't built yet. They do seem to be very high quality.

A TB14 seems like a better choice for vintage campy high flanges. They look more or less vintage, though they are in fact a little deeper section than vintage rims.

Most campy high flange hubs would have been laced to sew ups BITD, to state the obvious. Maybe that's why the idea of lacing them to aero rims is jarring to me.

Narhay

as I've scoured more sources I am coming to the conclusion that the tb14 is the better option for me aesthetically.

Rocket-Sauce 

Archetypes are amazing rims. Round and true right out of the box.

They are expensive -until you compare them to Hed Belgiums. Very similar cross section and profile, and weight. In fact, they are so similar that I'd say maybe one is a copy of the other???