Source for 26" V brake rims?

[HausFinch]

Hi All,
I'd like to build a matched set of 26" 32H alloy wheels for a rim brake MTB. I have the hubs but I can't find any rims from Australian internet sellers. I'd like them to be reasonably light as they will mostly be ridden on paths and city streets. Any ideas where to look? Tires are 1.75 or 2.1 wide.
Thanks!

[koshari]

problem with these is as you correctly point out there are bugger all sellers in Oz , and postage on rims from OS is about the same price as the rim itself. also not a lot with cnc machined brake tracks these days.

some on aliexpress about 50 bucks delivered.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/26-inch ... 7914fe7b32

[HausFinch]

Thanks for that Koshari. I'm kind of hoping someone might have a pair of NOS Mavics sitting in the shed that they are about to donate to the op shop. or something.

[koshari]

Thanks for that Koshari. I'm kind of hoping someone might have a pair of NOS Mavics sitting in the shed that they are about to donate to the op shop. or something.

good luck with that mate, think you may have to keep an eye out at the tip shops or nature strips. you also have to keep in mind spoke lengths will change with differing rim profiles.

a donar bike may even turn up somewhere, there are also the buy and sell groups on facebook.

[mikgit]

I just got a set of wheels from merlin cycles, only place I could find mavic 717's.
There are still a few nice rims on ebay, like sun eq21L (must remember the "L", or they dics), but the post is more than the rims, or sun rhyno lites that can still be had from c r c.
mavic's oz distro still have XC719's 32H in stock and maybe 318's (just no 717's).
you mich also find some DT swiss on ebay, i think they still do an ebiek specific rim that could work.

Dispite what peope tell you, getting decent 26 v-brake rims is starting to get slim pickings.

[Mulger bill]

Think there might be a pair of Arayas kicking about but I'd have to check condition...

[Trevtassie]

Use a mail forwarder and get out of the US, I got some Alex Adventurers for $25 each a while ago...
Or some XM117s from Germany, their postage is generally 20 Euros flat rate, so maybe grab some spokes and stuff too https://www.bike24.com/1.php?content=7& ... 8%5D=16659

[Mulger bill]

Think there might be a pair of Arayas kicking about but I'd have to check condition...

All 36h drillings. One Araya, one Alesa. Also a single Weinmann 519 and some similar looking unbranded

[Thoglette]

You could also ask some of the wheel builders like Melody Wheels (in WA) or similar in The East.

[HausFinch]

Thanks everyone.

I've been looking at Bike24 out of Germany I think, and found some DT Swiss rim brake "E-Bike" 535 model rims. I think the E Bike rating simply means they are designed for a heavier standard load. Two rims for under 50 AUD. DT Swiss spokes are also reasonable there. So it looks like a decent solution though it seems silly to order from Germany!

I'm thinking about updating the whole drivetrain from the 7 speed freewheel non-index, so my wife can have an easier time shifting gears. For a couple hundred we'll be most of the way to a new bike with decent though not stellar components.

Her current wheels are ones I built with Ritchey Comp 28H rims, beautiful 90's era Mavic sealed bearing hubs (but freewheel) in black that still look like new. The only downside for her is fiddling with the Suntour XC Pro thumb-shifters. So I'm hoping to repackage the old ride with an easier to manage drivetrain. I hate to transform the specially selected old-school MTB into a middle of the road Shimano clicker bike, but easy shifting counts for a lot for many people.

[HausFinch]

Hey Thoglette,
I just noticed your signature has a reference to Dave Moulton. I've got one of his Fuso frames, which is my favorite bike to ride. Hand built lugged Columbus steel. I love that he's retired but keeps going with a cycling blog. Do you have any further connection to Moulton?

[Duck!]

Do something unusual and talk to your LBS - you might be surprised what they can get for you.

[Thoglette]

Do you have any further connection to Moulton?

'fraid not - possibly the odd email over the years. Just keep reading what he has to say.

Glad to hear there's another person looking after "a real bicycle". I'm more than a little bit jealous.

[koshari]

Do something unusual and talk to your LBS - you might be surprised what they can get for you.

So whats the acronym for a bike shop in another town? Because the "LBS" here now is really only interested in high end stuff. last time i went there i was charged $8 for a crank bolt. i never complained because i was in a state of shock until i left the shop and i needed the bolt there and then.
Pity that the other shop closed however towards the end it really wasn't to interested in piecewise stuff. they never stocked rims or bearings or many other consumables. they figured of you taco a rim you buy a new wheelset as a replacement.

[Bird]

I've been into several LBS that can supply me rims/wheels for old skewl MTB overnight... Was quoted close to $400 for a pair on the old Apollo I'm doing up, where the bloke could sell me a new bike for less.
For my budget it was cheaper to buy a donor bike off the nasty auction site than it is to buy wheels.. Which is what I did. Complete bike for $75

[koshari]

I've been into several LBS that can supply me rims/wheels for old skewl MTB overnight... Was quoted close to $400 for a pair on the old Apollo I'm doing up, where the bloke could sell me a new bike for less.
For my budget it was cheaper to buy a donor bike off the nasty auction site than it is to buy wheels.. Which is what I did. Complete bike for $75

I looked into buying some rims for a few project bikes i had going direct from china, they turned out to be 5 bucks ea for a double wall 32h rims, problem was that minimum order was 50 rims and shipping was about $20ea per rim air freight. sea shipping is not competitive unless you get towards a 20 foot container.

i still have the quotes for if i manage to find a cheaper freight method from china.

after finding out how much they cost to source sort of makes you feel a bit over charged paying 50 ea a rim.

https://boruida.en.alibaba.com/product/ ... _Rims.html

[Bird]

after finding out how much they cost to source sort of makes you feel a bit over charged paying 50 ea a rim.

Yup, I've stopped looking out of China too depressing looking at the prices and min orders.

[Thoglette]

sort of makes you feel a bit over charged paying 50 ea a rim.

Importing/wholesaling is a funny business: where I've been playing the universal MOQ seems to be from $1000 to $10,000 of product. Otherwise it's a waste of their time. As you've pointed out, you then have to pay shipping/expediting through customs & quarantine (try importing wooden goods ), stick the stuff in a warehouse and then advertise; repackage; ship product. And deal with customers.

Say I buy $2000 of stock, pay $500 shipping (or vice versa), wait 10 weeks for the boat, front up another $500 for assorted importation costs, blow a day on the phone & on the road sorting said importation costs (say 10 hrs at $50 per hr) and I'm paying $100 per month for storage. Given everyone wants their cash up front and the bank's charging my 10% on the overdraft how many $50 rims do I need to sell a month to stay in front? Oh, if you're selling wholesale, you only get to charge $25 per rim AND you get to pay marketing costs (bought all the magazine reviewers a beer to tell all about your new line of rims yet?) .

How many to break even in 12 months? How many to turn a half decent profit?

It's a funny business.

[Warin]

Dispite what peope tell you, getting decent 26 v-brake rims is starting to get slim pickings.

I got some 717s from c r c a while ago (umm a year?) ... you might just have to pick your time. The Xmas specials might have got them sold out.

[mikgit]

Dispite what peope tell you, getting decent 26 v-brake rims is starting to get slim pickings.

I got some 717s from c r c a while ago (umm a year?) ... you might just have to pick your time. The Xmas specials might have got them sold out.

yeah c r c ran out of 717 a good while ago, 6 months maybe. They don't do mavic stuff at all any more (not to OZ anyway) and Mavic don't make the 717 (rim or disc) any more only 26 rim brake they make is the 117

[koshari]

, if you're selling wholesale, you only get to charge $25 per rim AND you get to pay marketing costs (bought all the magazine reviewers a beer to tell all about your new line of rims yet?) .

How many to break even in 12 months? How many to turn a half decent profit?

Very True. And even then its hard to compete with a pair delivered for 60Bucks.



https://www.aliexpress.com/item/26-Inch ... 0d73&tpp=1

[koshari]

Thanks everyone.

I've been looking at Bike24 out of Germany I think, and found some DT Swiss rim brake "E-Bike" 535 model rims. I think the E Bike rating simply means they are designed for a heavier standard load. Two rims for under 50 AUD. DT Swiss spokes are also reasonable there. So it looks like a decent solution though it seems silly to order from Germany!

sounds good, link?

I'm thinking about updating the whole drivetrain from the 7 speed freewheel non-index, so my wife can have an easier time shifting gears. For a couple hundred we'll be most of the way to a new bike with decent though not stellar components.

i have some altus 7 speed brifters i took of an apollo if your interested,
similar to these,


except black and the some of the anodising has worn of the brake levers. the shifter mechs work well but they are canti pull brake specific.

[mikgit]

Thanks everyone.

I've been looking at Bike24 out of Germany I think, and found some DT Swiss rim brake "E-Bike" 535 model rims. I think the E Bike rating simply means they are designed for a heavier standard load. Two rims for under 50 AUD. DT Swiss spokes are also reasonable there. So it looks like a decent solution though it seems silly to order from Germany!

sounds good, link?

https://www.bike24.com/1.php?content=7& ... 8%5D=16659

[koshari]

https://www.bike24.com/1.php?content=7& ... 8%5D=16659

cheers mate, i did find them in the end but none of the pages i found gave any indication of shipping costs.

[Warin]

Dispite what peope tell you, getting decent 26 v-brake rims is starting to get slim pickings.

I got some 717s from c r c a while ago (umm a year?) ... you might just have to pick your time. The Xmas specials might have got them sold out.

yeah c r c ran out of 717 a good while ago, 6 months maybe. They don't do mavic stuff at all any more (not to OZ anyway) and Mavic don't make the 717 (rim or disc) any more only 26 rim brake they make is the 117

Mavic not making 717s any more is bad news, I'll have to keep one set for 'best'.