Blew a spoke on a group ride in Austin last Saturday and it changed my whole wheelbuilding approach

I was riding with a fast group in downtown Austin when my rear wheel let go at a stoplight. The rim was so out of true I had to call a ride home. Made me realize I've been relying too much on factory wheels and not building my own. Anyone else switch to hand-building after a roadside failure?

2 comments

2 Comments

jordan46417d ago

Wait, didn't Mark say he built his own wheels after that century ride, or was that someone else?

markl7517d ago

... yeah I had a buddy who went through almost the exact same thing last year. He was out on a century ride and his rear wheel just collapsed going down a hill. Had to get a ride back from some random stranger in a pickup truck. After that he swore off factory wheels and taught himself to build. He still rides those first wheels he built, says they've held better than any wheelset he ever bought. It's funny how one bad breakdown can just flip a switch in your head about doing things yourself.