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Writer's pictureDan Shell

The Trenches

The work we do is simple. We improve bikes, one at a time.

Pictured, is a prime example. A situation we helped one of our customers through, after discovering a mess inside the rear hub. The freehub mechanism was not spinning freely in the hub, so the chain was dropping into the frame while coasting.


This Stans rear hub had seen better days. You can see pieces floating around, and scour marks all over the freehub (Red). Parts were available to return the hub to good shape. However, we've seen this before in other hubs of the same model. In an effort to prevent future hub trouble, a rebuild on a different hub was recommended. The rim of this wheel was in decent shape, so it would have been a pity to buy a whole new wheel. Using time-proven methods and technology, we swapped fresh DT Swiss spokes and brass nipples, as well as the beautiful and value-packed Hope Technologies Pro4 rear hub.


The Hope hubs are a great value for the price. Long-lasting, easy to service, and attractive are the best few words to describe them.


The DT Swiss Spokes-calc is tried and true. No internet access is required to run it and has consistently good results.

On-site wheel building and maintenance means less downtime due to wheel-related mechanicals. With so many options to wade through, it's hard to know which is best. This is why we spend crucial time and energy looking at the options with our customers and determining the best fit.



The options are pretty much limitless with wheel building these days. We like to stick with time-proven methods and components. Sometimes, a new component is released that really changes things for the better. The DT Swiss Sqoarx nipples have changed wheel building for the better, and I will always use them over other options given the choice.

Why are they better than traditional nipples?

  1. They have two tool interfaces, allowing the wheel to be built with fewer visible marks on the nipples, and making trueing and rounding easier.

  2. They are longer, so they get more thread engagement.

  3. They are pre-prepped with Loctite, lessening the chance of the spokes coming loose.

  4. They are used with washers, which help distribute the load into the rim, leading to fewer cracks at the spoke holes.


Thanks to @dtswiss and @hopetech for making great, reliable products!


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