spokes

Why are hand-built wheels more costly than factory-built wheels?

admin February 27, 2023 0 Comments

I’m often asked this question, so let’s explore some reasons. In South Africa today, parts availability of rims and hubs…
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hubs, rims, spokes, wheels

custom wheels, wheel build, wheel building, wheels

3 things that experience has taught me…

admin June 20, 2020 0 Comments

Since I started building wheels professionally 5 and a half years ago, I’ve seen A LOT of wheels come through…
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spokes, tubeless, wheel build

Spoke length – how to get it right

admin May 21, 2020 2 Comments

A critical part of getting a wheel build right, is using spokes of the right length. Get the spoke length…
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spokes, tech, wheel build

spokes

Upgrading your wheels?

admin October 20, 2019 0 Comments

Are you considering upgrading the wheels on your road, gravel or mountain bike? You could buy a new set, or…
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hubs, rims, spokes, tubeless, tyres, wheel build

hubs

Big boys need strong wheels

admin January 11, 2019 0 Comments

Are you a big guy and concerned about the durability of your wheels? Do you suffer from broken spokes and…
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rims, spokes, tech, wheel build

durability, rims, wheels

Alloy nipples suck

admin November 2, 2018 0 Comments

Ever heard something that sounds like sand inside your rims? Chances are, if you’re using alloy nipples, they’re corroding and…
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spokes, tech, Wheel technology

alloy nipples

WOTD – Raceface ARC Offset rims on Hope Pro4 hubs

admin September 23, 2018 0 Comments

Why offset rims? The cool thing about offset rims, where the spoke holes are offset to one side of the…
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rims, spokes, tubeless, wheel build, wheel of the day

WOTD: If it’s not broken, it’s fixed

admin September 13, 2018 0 Comments

This week I had a pretty cool build – some wheels for a single speed road bike – essentially a…
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rims, spokes, tubeless, wheel build, wheel of the day

custom wheels, hand built wheels, novatec, single speed, singlespeed

New rims or new wheels?

admin August 24, 2018 0 Comments

Imagine you’ve damaged one or both of your rims and you need to get the wheels repaired. You’re also thinking…
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rims, spokes, tubeless, wheel build

hubs, rim replacement

Why you should choose a good wheel builder

admin July 26, 2018 0 Comments

Wheels should be built right Last week a customer brought in a wheel for repair because his alloy nipples were…
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rims, spokes, wheel build

brass nipples, carbon rims, wheel building

WheelBuilder

The Waves, 24 South Street, Wilderness

5.0 19 reviews

Jared Hinde ★★★★★ 3 months ago
Nich has built up two sets of wheels for me. Super reliable and incredibly professional. He was also able to assist with some after sales support for me with a cracked rim. Would highly recommend.
Mark Wild ★★★★★ 9 months ago
Beyond all expectations ! From initial exchanges about what to build, to receiving the finished wheels it was great dealing with Nicholas - he was happy to go into detail about choices and I was informed of progress all along the way. Given … More that I'd never had hand-built wheels or carbon rims before and I was dealing with someone who's not in the same city, I was a little nervous going in....but it was a great decision !! To say this gravel wheelset has transformed my bicycle would be an understatement....not only have they knocked off nearly 700 grams of rotating weight but the #nextie carbon hoops dampen road buzz and make the steel frame even more comfortable. TLDR : I'm a very satisfied customer, thanks Nicholas (two thumbs up)
Andy Robertson ★★★★★ 7 months ago
Second set of wheels I have had done with Nicholas - a set of BladeX Chinese Road wheels which are still perfect 5 years down the line, and now a set of Roval MTB wheels which are without doubt built better than when they came from the … More factory. I even chose to send them down to him from Gauteng because I knew that just replacing one spoke and a few nipples like was suggested by our LBS wasn't going to last. You want your wheels done properly and to have confidence to blast down the hills knowing they won't fail. Highly recommend you have your wheels done with Wheelbuilder.
Botmas Eldo ★★★★★ 4 months ago
Second wheel that Nicholas has built for me in a few years and I cant be more happy with his exceptional service once again. Money well spent!
Justin George Leslie ★★★★★ a year ago
Nicholas was friendly from the get go, with a no nonsense approach we quickly established what type of wheel I was looking for and what my options where according to my budget. He was open and honest with no hidden costs.
It took just … More over a week to build the wheels and send them to me & was also kind enough to source a set of tyres for me.
No hassles & no fuss. Great service with a solid product when stock is hard to come by!
Andre Uys ★★★★★ 4 months ago
Very happy with my new wheel and had the beste service ever
Willie Crous ★★★★★ 10 months ago
Dear Nicholas,
I wanted to take a moment to write this Google review and express my heartfelt gratitude for the outstanding service you provided as a wheelbuilder. I can confidently say that the upgrade you performed on my mountain bike … More has been nothing short of exceptional - it's truly the best upgrade I have ever experienced!
Despite the challenging weather conditions in the Western Cape, with rain making the riding trails quite difficult, I have still been able to notice a remarkable difference in my bike's performance. Your expertise and craftsmanship have made a significant impact, and I couldn't be happier with the results.
Once again, thank you for your exceptional service, attention to detail, and dedication to ensuring your customers receive the best experience possible. I am beyond satisfied with your work and would highly recommend your services to anyone seeking a top-notch wheelbuilder.
Wishing you continued success and all the best in your future endeavors.
Warm regards,
Willie Crous
Kim White ★★★★★ 5 months ago
The EMTB Wheelset Nick built felt amazing on their first day out hitting the downhill line at Fort Klapperkop.
Wouter van der berg ★★★★★ 6 months ago
Very happy how smooth everything went. Nicolas was very helpful and gave awesome service. Great product.
André Oosthuizen ★★★★★ a year ago
Nicholas helped me choose an indestructible wheel and hub for my eMTB. You can tell the workmanship is top notch. I highly recommend WheelBuilder if you are in the market for durable wheels.
Nick Pluck ★★★★★ a year ago
From the initial enquiry to final delivery, it has all be amazing. Nick gave me great advise and sound recommendations. I was updated with pictures and video of the build, from how out of shape the original wheels were, to how incredibly … More precise the new set turned out. I would recommend using Nick for any wheel build you have in mind. Top quality service from a top quality guy.
Olivier Chas ★★★★★ 2 years ago
I ordered a set of carbon road wheels from Nick - he advised me on options, ordered the components, assembled and delivered. The wheels are great for what I do with them, and significantly cheaper than comparable products from the big brands. … More Communication was excellent. I highly recommend working with him.
Corne Basson ★★★★★ 2 years ago
Another exceptional set of wheels built by Nicholas. Thanks for your honest, friendly, and knowledgeable advice. Set of Nextie Carbon Gravel Rims matched to a set of Hope Pro4 Hubs. Been working with Nic for a couple of years now and wouldn't … More go anywhere else.Great job! I couldn't be happier.
Mike Gouws ★★★★★ a year ago
Excellent service and advice. Really love the hand built wheels. Communication and feedback on my order was very professional. Can’t recommend Nicolas’s service enough.
Anton Smit ★★★★★ a year ago
Warranty claim was processed immediately with no objection. You cannot ask for anything better. Wheelbuilder is recommended. Best service ever.
M Nkhahle ★★★★★ 2 years ago
Built a set of carbon MTB wheels a while back and recently a set of carbon road wheels. Great workmanship and very knowledgeable about all things wheels. Highly recommended.
Gerrit Oosthuizen ★★★★★ 3 years ago
Great Guy, Very Professional.. Work Is Excellent.. Would Highly Recommend Him To Anyone Who Needs Their Wheels Rebuilt
Peter Guest ★★★★★ 3 years ago
Built a set of carbon MTB rims using my existing Hope Pro 4 hubs. Rims and workmanship was fantastic. Can definitely recommend and will use again in future :)

Wheel Builder

4.9

Based on 18 reviews

review us on

Liam Grimes

16:56 07 Dec 20

Very good service and advice given. Thank you Nicholas I will definitely return for more business!

Arno Vermeulen

11:30 05 Jul 20

Great service with the most amazing skill and the best product outcome👍🏻

Jan Bredenhann

06:19 28 Jun 19

Another perfect build...Thanks Nicholas

JP Marais

19:40 24 Jun 19

Thx for the build bud, they look insanely cool and can’t wait to take them for a spin

Jurjen Draaijer

17:48 06 Apr 18

excellent service and passion for building wheels!

Brad Duncan

10:06 17 Mar 18

Very friendly, great advice, great service, and well priced. Will definitely be going back for any more wheel building... requirements.read more

Armand du Randt

09:05 16 Mar 18

Natali Arn

10:51 15 Mar 18

Quick to reply emails and good service. Thank you.

Naude Engels

18:51 14 Mar 18

Awesome service! Will bend backwards to help with any kind of problem or idea.
Keep up the good work bud.

Charles Losper

17:20 14 Mar 18

Awesome service, great advice and kept me in the loop all the way through the process. Have done about 1500km... wheels... have made a massive differenceread more

Di Jarvis

16:57 14 Mar 18

Great to deal with. Good pricing. Wheel problems don't reoccur after they've been to Nick. Highly recommended.

Johan August Möller

12:31 14 Mar 18

Phillip Benade

12:11 14 Mar 18

Great friendly service. Very passionate and can built a set of wheels like nobody's business. My custom wheels are... still bom proof after 2 year. No problems what so ever.read more

11:51 14 Mar 18

11:48 14 Mar 18

06:55 31 Oct 17