A customer brought in a set of front and rear wheels built with Ambrosio X-CARBON rims.
The rim is the OEM version of Colima's "Aero".
This stayed the same for a long time,
but at some point it switched over to ZIPP MID-V285,
and while the stickers stayed the same, it's actually a different rim—but it's easy to tell right away.
Both front and rear hubs are 7700,
the front wheel is 28H all-competition outpoke radial laced,
and the rear wheel is 28H all-competition four-cross laced.
Since the original condition was pretty rough, it's actually great because the customer will easily feel the difference when we rebuild it.
Not that it matters, but both front and rear hubs had aero slot holes.
It's definitely a Colima Aero, but unlike the aeros from back then,
this one has normal hole offset rather than reverse offset.
This rim's hole offset is intense, so you can't just ignore it and build.
The rear wheel is done.
The hub is a PMP 28H hub,
with Campagnolo freebody and aero slot holes.
CX/CX-RAY 28H four-cross laced with nipple ties.
Since both wheels had the same spoke count,
I built the rear wheel using spokes from the original front wheel.
When you put the sprocket and tire on and take both wheels for a test ride,
I don't think anyone would choose the pre-rebuild version.
Even if the original all-competition four-cross build had some slack
and we could tighten it up a bit,
it would never match the stiffness of the rebuilt one.
I don't think hand-built wheels can "completely beat" mass-produced wheels,
but if you build wheels this sloppy,
then yeah, mass-produced wheels are gonna look better in comparison.
Let's do what's only possible with hand-building.
The rim is the OEM version of Colima's "Aero".
This stayed the same for a long time,
but at some point it switched over to ZIPP MID-V285,
and while the stickers stayed the same, it's actually a different rim—but it's easy to tell right away.
Both front and rear hubs are 7700,
the front wheel is 28H all-competition outpoke radial laced,
and the rear wheel is 28H all-competition four-cross laced.
Since the original condition was pretty rough, it's actually great because the customer will easily feel the difference when we rebuild it.
Not that it matters, but both front and rear hubs had aero slot holes.
It's definitely a Colima Aero, but unlike the aeros from back then,
this one has normal hole offset rather than reverse offset.
This rim's hole offset is intense, so you can't just ignore it and build.
The rear wheel is done.
The hub is a PMP 28H hub,
with Campagnolo freebody and aero slot holes.
CX/CX-RAY 28H four-cross laced with nipple ties.
Since both wheels had the same spoke count,
I built the rear wheel using spokes from the original front wheel.
When you put the sprocket and tire on and take both wheels for a test ride,
I don't think anyone would choose the pre-rebuild version.
Even if the original all-competition four-cross build had some slack
and we could tighten it up a bit,
it would never match the stiffness of the rebuilt one.
I don't think hand-built wheels can "completely beat" mass-produced wheels,
but if you build wheels this sloppy,
then yeah, mass-produced wheels are gonna look better in comparison.
Let's do what's only possible with hand-building.