Locating correct wheelsets has to be THE driving force behind
learning to build a wheel.
9 x out of 10 the hub and freewheel/cassette body are fine, it's the
rim that's shot.
Finding a bike shop willing to take on the building of a wheelset
seems to get harder with each passing year.
I don't know about anyone else but I only use X number of cogs and X
number of chainrings (I've yet to be on the 32t inner chainring on
my converted GT and I've been riding the bike for 3 years now)on any
bike I have.
I'd much rather learn (which I did three decades ago via a master
wheelbuilder) to lace and true a wheel (gives me stuff to do over
the winters here in wny)than get into expensive replacing of
components (I'm figuring 7 speed shifters work rather poorly with 8-
9-10 speed derailleurs and oem derailleurs arn't set up to deal with
8-9-10 cog cassettes.)
After I showed up with the narrower Campy atek rims (got on e-
bay..last purchase)laced to the shimano acera hubs (the rear being
7speed)at last springs swap meet, and explained "yes, I built the
wheels" I must have had a half dozen people ask what I would charge
to lace new rims to their older 7 or 6 speed hubsets...apparently
there's a viable market for such skills were one to want to get into
it.
Rich Mc.