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About Stoke Wheels

Build Quality

Stoke was born out of a passion for custom and precision. With a handbuilt wheel, we take the time and care to ensure there are no flaws in the wheel. That means:

  • Properly prepped spokes, with locking agent on the threads so that the nipples don’t loosen over time
  • Proper spoke length using quality DT Swiss or Sapim spokes to the correct millimeter when possible
  • Use of spoke washers on SON Dynamo hubs. SON uses slightly bigger than conventional spoke holes – the washers ensure a tight fit between the flange and spoke head
  • Equalized spoke tension – this is the most important factor in a strong wheel build. Uneven spoke tension can develop a weak spot in the wheel leading to spoke failure. All of our wheelbuilds come with a measurement using Park Tool’s Wheel Tension App
  • Pre-stressed wheels. Stressing a wheel helps to settle the spokes into place and prevent it from going out of true after the first few rides
  • No rounded out nipples

Why Custom?

Riding long days over rough terrain? A more compliant rim will help. Need to shave some weight for high elevation climbs? Running single speed and want the most efficient pedal stroke possible? A hub with high engagement will feel right at home. Reach out and let us help you plan the perfect wheelset, or use our custom wheel builder to mix and match components.

Custom building wheels also gives us the opportunity to tune the ride quality of the wheel to the rider. A rider’s style, weight, and terrain all play significant roles in choosing the right components for a wheelbuild. Sometimes the stock wheels that came on your bike don’t match you as a rider.

Meet the Builder

“As a wheelbuilder, I started out of necessity. At the bike shop I worked, wheelbuilding was the one ticket nobody wanted to grab. Being the newest mechanic, I saw the void and quickly learned the trade. I studied Jobst Brandt’s “The Bicycle Wheel” and started building wheels for myself and my friends.

FAQ

Our wheels are built to last. If they don’t we’ll make it right. We offer complimentary truing for up to two years and free spoke replacement for broken spokes up to one year. Just send us the wheel and we’ll take care of it. All custom wheel builds will ship with extra spokes and nipples.

As for the individual components, those warranties are covered by the component manufacturer. If a component fails prematurely, we’re happy to help facilitate the warranty process with the manufacturer.

Crashes happen. If your wheel breaks during a crash, we can offer a replacement at a discounted rate. Let us know the details and we can get you a crash replacement at a reasonable cost.

For spokes, we prefer DT Swiss, but we can also build any wheel with Sapim spokes. We use prohead DT Swiss brass nipples by default but can build with alloy nipples. We highly recommend brass for tubeless, as tubeless sealant is corrosive to alloy. For hubs and rims, we can build with most major brands, and are open to sourcing more niche brands. Just contact us to see what’s possible.

Wheelsets are one of the most important as well as customizable parts of the bike. Each rider is different – their weight, riding style, terrain, ease of access to parts, all make for important decisions when building a wheelset. Sometimes the wheelset that comes with your bike is too stiff, or you need a stronger wheel to carry extra gear. There are many ways to tune the wheel by selecting the right spokes, rims, hubs and nipples.

Wheelbuilding is a precise skill. Often, factory built wheels are built to a certain standard to appear round and true. A wheel can appear true with certain faults such as uneven spoke tension, twisted spokes, rounded out nipples, etc. There are many pieces of the wheelbuilding process that can improve the strength and longevity of a wheel beyond factory standards.

For sure! We’re located inside Chumba HQ. Please contact us to make an appointment.

We can ship wheels within the US, as well as international to almost any country. For international orders, please contact us as custom taxes and fees need to be collected.