Craftworx is a wheel building business.
Building bicycle wheels is what we do. Since 2012, Craftworx has hand built tens of thousands of custom wheels for riders all over Australia. Craftworx has a reputation for being the best. I believe this comes from the knowledge I have acquired and skills I have developed in the last 35 years, the long term reliability and quality of our builds and the amazing ride quality of my Craftworx range of wheels.
Wheel Building Price Guide
At Craftworx, we do things right the first time. My wheel building processes have been perfected over the last 30+ years and I guarantee my workmanship for the life of the wheel.
There are many different factors that must be considered when building a wheel, some wheel builds and re-builds are more involved and take more time and this is factored into the fee that I charge. The pricing below will give you a firm indication of what you can expect to pay for my work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Call Craftworx 0411 310 132
Do I offer custom wheel building advice?
Yes, of course. I started desiging custom built wheels in the early 1990's when I opened my first bike shop. Back then, we were doing a lot of very high end complete bike builds and most of the wheels spec'd for these bikes were custom builds. This is when my passion for building custom wheels began and it never stopped.
Designing your custom built wheels is a process best not rushed. It doesn't matter whether you are at the beginning of the thought process or you have all the parts and are ready to hit the go button, I am happy to share my thoughts and knowledge with you at any stage. If you are committed to the idea of me building your wheels from the outset, it is always better if we talk about your project before you cement any ideas or start buying parts.
How long will it take to build my wheels?
My workshop runs on a queue system. Once we have discussed your build and the parts have arrived at my workshop your project will be added to the queue. From this point your wheels will be ready in 4-5 working days. When they are built, I will text you photos and then box up your wheels ready for collection or shipping.
I live interstate, how does that work?
Most clients are not local to me. All custom wheel builds and re-builds begin with a phone conversation. During this conversation we will go through everything you need and want to know about the build and the process. This takes as long as it takes and I will give you all the information and advice you need to make an informed decision. If you are suppling some or all of the parts, you can have these shipped directly to me. I ship my hand built wheels all over Australia on a daily basis. When your wheels are ready they will be shipped to you using Australia Post, the safest, most reliable and cost effective method. If you have your own shipping service, you are welcome to arrange this.
What types of wheels do I hand build?
I hand build all types of bicycle wheels for all types of riding. Wheels for electric bikes, gravel, road, track, mountain, touring, fixie, recumbant, tandem, hybrid, city, commuter, cruiser, bmx street, bmx racing, fat bikes and kids bikes. Worth noting I also build wheels for wheelchairs. I recent times I have done a lot of work for NDIS suppliers building and converting electric wheelchair wheels.
Can I supply my own parts?
The short answer is yes, of course. You are more than welcome to supply your own parts. If you are planning a custom wheel build and ordering parts online, it will save you time and money if you have them shipped directly to my workshop, just be sure to let me know they are coming so I know who and what they are for.
Do you re-build other brands of wheels?
Yes, I do. As long as the parts are available, I can re-build your wheel for you, no problem. Below is a guide to some the wheel brands I see come through my workshop for re-building. Hunt, Caden, Giant, Bontrager, Roval, Reynolds, Prime, Zipp, Enve, Cannondale ai, Hollowgram, DT Swiss, HED, Mavic, Vision, Fast Forward, 3T, Rolf Prima, Industry Nine, Stans, Syncros.
Ready to start your wheel build project, or still deciding?
If there is something else you would like to know or are not sure where to start, the best place to begin is with a phone call. If you call and I do not answer, I am most likely building wheels, so please leave a message and I will call you back as soon as I can.
How do you build a wheel?
For those of you who are more curious, this is an outline of my wheel building processes.
Step 1
Calculate Spoke Lengths
Rim ERD's and hubs are measured to ensure precise spoke lengths are calculated for every wheel build. This process is essential to ensuring the structural integrity of the final build.
Step 2
Cut Spokes to Size
Every spoke is measured then cut and threaded to the exact length required for the build using the highest quality Japanese made Morizumi spoke cutting and threading machine. Spoke lengths are cut to an accuracy of 0.2 of a millimeter.
Step 3
Preparation Stage
Once parts are ready, the spokes and rim are prepared, greased and closely inspected to ensure they are ready to build. At this stage I also calibrate the P&K Lie digital spoke tension meter to ensure the readings are accurate for the type and lenght of spoke I am building the wheel with. The digital guage is highly sensitive to variations in spoke length.
Step 4
Lacing
Each wheel is laced by hand. The lacing pattern chosen depends on the type of rim and hub I am working with, the type and number of spokes used, rider strength, weight, body height and other dynamic requirements. The devil is in the details.
Step 5
Pre-tension
After the wheel has been laced, I apply a thread lock compound. The compound takes 24 hours to fully cure allowing me all the time I need to complete the build process. The nipples are initially wound up by drill using a special drill bit. This saves time and most importantly, establishes a uniform base tension so I can begin the final stage. It is starting to look like a wheel now!
Step 6
Tensioning and Truing
The remainder of the build is done with a spoke key and some very experienced hands. The tension is systematically increased turn by turn, side to side. During this process, I am carefully monitoring the wheels progress, checking for straightness, roundness, tension and most importanlty, feel. The P&K Lie truing stand I use has upgraded 250 Special guages that meaure down to 25/1000 of a millimeter.
Step 7
De-stressing
My custom made de-stressing machine is unique to Craftworx, the only machine of it's design in the world and the most expensive and most important piece of equipment in my workshop. This machine ‘beds’ the spokes into the hub and rim, relieving and tensioning so the spokes settle into their natural position.I perform this process throughout the build as the tension increases. This ensures the wheel build maintains even tension and remains straight for the life of the wheel.
Step 8
Tensioning
Most wheels are built to between 100kgf and 120kgf. The exact tension is decided before the build begins, taking into account the chosen components and rider dynamics. Occasionally, I will vary slightly from Dishing is also checked to make sure the wheel will sit perfectly centred in your frame.
Step 9
Final Tension Check
The wheel is checked one final time, ensuring it is built to my (Craftworx) exacting standards. Every spoke is checked for the final time with the P&K Lie digital spoke tension gauge, then back in the wheel stand for recheck roundness and lateral deviation. The wheel build is now complete.
Step 10
Cleaning & Final Inspection
Wheel building is not as clean a process as you might think. The wheel is wiped down and I cast my eyes over it one last time.
Step 11
Boxing and shipping
Once built, cleaned and inspected, rim tape is fitted and accessories are packaged. Each wheel is then carefully wrapped and packaged for shipping to ensure it arrives safely.
Get In Touch
If you would like more information, or to discuss custom wheel building, give us a call on 0411 310 132.
For out of hours enquiries, fill out the form below and we will get in touch the next business day.
