WHEELS
We import a variety of wheels from the UK and have a NZ supplier for our Japanese made Excel rims.
For our classic road bikes we recommend using a polished Stainless Steel rim, which has a finish close to chrome but requires very little maintenance and won’t peel or flake over time.
For the classic racer the flanged alloy rim is the way to go. Morad or Excel are our go-to rims for this application. Morad Rims are still made in Spain for the traditional look and are far better quality than others we have used. The Valanced Excels are of excellent quality and present with a very small “excel” stamp on the rim and have been fitted to many British and European bikes around the country.
We can supply Chrome rims, bare steel rims that can be painted or powder-coated and Non-Valanced alloy rims for vintage Motor-cross bikes.
SPOKES and NIPPLES
We stock polished Stainless Steel Spokes, again made in the UK, which we bend, cut and roll- thread to suit any sized rim or hub.
We are the only company in NZ with the ability to roll threads on stainless steel spokes giving the strongest possible spoke. Our nipples are produced in Brass and then Nickle coated for a durable and sparkling finish. We also have a selection of aluminum nipples for MX bikes and the weight conscious racers.
TRUING
Rims are always trued to the register, i.e the part of the rim where the tyre bead sits. Some manufacturers rims are often poorly produced so that whilst the register may be true the outer edges of the rim may not be. This can be noticed when spun. The tyre will be perfectly true, but the edge of the rim may “wander”.
PUNCHING
Most rims are usually not interchangeable from bike to bike. The hub diameter and width governs the position and angles of the holes in the rim. Incorrect hole angle not only looks awful, but puts a large amount of extra strain on the spoke risking potential failure. Our precision jigs and hydraulic punches enable us to perfectly align the correct angle and position to suit any hub. Many of our rims held in stock are blanks (un-drilled), enabling us to custom punch the holes for even the rarest of bikes.
WHEEL OFFSET
The Wheel Offset is the measurement of the hub in relation to the rim. For the wheel and hub to sit in the correct position when in the bike, this measurement must be correct. Obtaining this measurement is often overlooked and needs to be done before stripping the wheel.
To accurately measure you offset first remove the brake plate or disc rotor. Once removed, place a straightedge over the brake drum or disc flange on the hub and measure the gap between the ruler and the centre of the valve hole (see image, click to zoom).
This measurement is your offset.
Measuring to the outside of the rim is NOT good practice as your new rim may be slightly wider or have a different profile and will change the position of the hub.
