Wheel Builds

Analog loves hand built wheels like Neil Young loves tube amplifiers.  We believe wheels should be reliable, easy to service, strong, stiff and outfitted to satisfy the customer’s current and future needs. So that’s the way we build ‘em. No gimmicks.  We think wheels should last at least 10 years. Outside of a unforeseen trauma, like a stick in the spokes, a wheel should hardly need any extra love. Good wheels are not magic.  They are a combination of well chosen and quality parts, methodical prep, high quality tools, and an unhurried build.

We build practical road, touring, mountain and gravel wheels.  That means using hubs you can get service parts for, spokes you can replace at any bike shop, rims that are tough, nipples and spokes that are prepped to inhibit corrosion, and employing proper tensioning and stress relieving procedures.

We specialize in dynamo hub set ups, tubeless gravel and mountain touring wheels, and weirdo wheels you’re not gunna find elsewhere.  

Need a boost 26+ dynamo mountain touring wheelset? We gotcha.  Or how about a classic looking road rim brake wheel that’s tubeless compatible and has rainbow nipples? We’ll make it.

We do disc or rim brake builds, tubeless or tubed.  We typically use rims from Velocity or H Plus Son; hubs from White Industries, Bitex or Shimano; and butted spokes and nipples from Sapim. We’re quick release snobs, and therefore only sell internal cams QRs from Shimano or Paul.  Internal cams are stronger, safer, and smarter.

What we don’t do:

Build wheels based on weight alone i.e.  race wheels.  Or build with anything carbon, or use aluminum spokes.  No tubulars. No apologies, either.

Here’s how we do it:

Talk to you.  Ask what you need, about your current wheels, likes and dislikes.  If you don’t have a current wheelset, we’ll help you figure out what you need from your wheels and where you’re gunna take them.  We know what wheels need to do, but if you have specifics in mind, we want to hear them.

We’ll put together two quotes.  A good one and better one.  The good stuff is pure function.  No flash, just solid stuff that we know works well (because we’ve tested it ourselves), and will hold up to years of being thrashed.  The better quote will NEVER be just about looks.  It will always be about better bearings, higher static load ratings, country of origin, longer service life, higher tensile strength, and increased stiffness.  The better and the good build options can usually be mixed and matched to get you the best wheel for the money.

Once we have your ideal wheel on paper, it’s gunna take some time to get all of the parts together. Rims have to be special ordered. Wheel delivery time varies, but generally, we’ll have the wheel built within two weeks of getting all the parts. We ship wheels using Bike Flights. That’s the cheapest, best way to ship wheels, and you can have them insured for their full value if you choose.