Chantal manages the organization of events for the Washington Area Bicyclist Organization (WABA): http://www.waba.org. She is also a good friend of Spokes, Etc. Here she is pictured with her prized Campy-equipped bike that she rides all over the DC area. I made the wheels for Chantal's bike from Campagnolo Record hubs, extremely cool white Velocity Aerohead rims, Sapim CX-ray ultra lightweight stainless steel aerodynamic bladed spokes, and Sapim Polyax SILS nipples. She loves the whole combination. By the way, if you live in the DC area, you should definitely join WABA and support it. WABA is a tireless and effective advocate for many issues that are importing to cycling in the entire DC metropolitan area.

"I wanted to thank you again for building me a fantastic wheel set. They are exceptionally strong, fast, handle well, and are customized for my size and riding. I can tell a lot of hard work, craftsmanship, and detail went into building them and for that I'm sincerely appreciative. Nothing beats riding on a set of wheels that you know have been assembled for YOU! Being a petite female rider, it's been hard finding the right fit and ride and now that I have I can never go back! Thank you so much Bill for your work on the wheels and your support of WABA.
- Chantal Buscher

Check out the photo of Balt's cool bike. A red Seven with a set of custom-built wheels made from Chris King hubs, Mavic Open Pro rims (36 holes in the rear and 32 in the front), DT Swiss stainless steel double butted spokes, and Sapim Polyax SILS nipples. Balt is an avid rider along with his wife, Joyce, who also rides a Seven.

"I think Bill created outstanding wheels that are strong and customized to my personal riding style. Great detail and workmanship went into these wheels."
- Balt Baca

Bruce and all members of his family are avid cyclists. His son, Chris, works for Spokes when he's home from college on vacations. His wife, Deborah, commutes on her bike. Bruce had been quite unhappy with his previous wheels but loves the new ones on his Serotta.

"Switched from a set of 6-year old Rolf wheels - and what a difference! The new wheelset Bill built made me feel like I had purchased a brand new bike. They roll so much smoother and what a difference in climbing. I like to climb out of the saddle, and the stiffer wheels are great. I'd recommend Bill to anyone."
- Bruce Dell

Rick rides a beautiful Colnago. His wheel components are Campagnolo 36-hole hubs, Ambrosio rims, Sapim CX-ray black spokes, and Sapim Polyax SILS nipples.

"Bill, I took your wheel class last winter. It took me a while to get the rear wheel correct, and only with your assistance. I was riding the Colnago with the Sapim wheels full time by June and have had no problems with them. I didn't think the ride would improve dramatically...but it did. I'm 6'3"/215 lbs and I noticed a distinct change in the feel of the ride. I believe Sapim spokes do a superb job of damping the road. Downhill handling at speed is superb, particularly on turns. The spokes were a bit pricey, but the resulting performance far outweighs the cost.  Thanks for recommending Sapim to me." - Rick Hartman

Vickie rides on American Classic wheels rebuilt with Sapim CX-ray black bladed spokes and Sapim Polyax SILS nipples. I had previously rebuilt these wheels with DT Swiss double butted spokes on which she raced many times and won a number of these races. The switch from the DT Swiss spokes to Sapim spokes saved 68 grams of weight in the wheel set while actually making the wheels stronger and more aerodynamic at the same time.

"I'm a big, heavy girl (and fast, too) so I need my wheels strong, I need them well built to take the miles and punishment I put them through, and I need them serviced from time to time. When it comes to spokes, there is nobody I trust more than Bill at Spokes, Etc. He's been working on my bike even when I was racing for a team sponsored by a competing bike shop." - Vickie Kostic

Byung rides a road bike with Rolf Vector wheels. He's a fit rider at 5'4" and 140 pounds, but his wheels were in miserable shape. The spokes were way too long (not Rolf's fault), and the wheel could not be properly tensioned. We rebuilt them with DT Swiss stainless steel 14G/15G double-butted spokes and Sapim Polyax SILS nipples.

"Before taking the wheels to Bill, I had had them rebuilt by another bike shop to no avail. Then, I took them to Bill. I was thankful that Bill noticed that my original spokes were 4mm too long and did a superb job with a set of stubborn wheels that had many abusive miles on them. Bill is a true pro." - Byung Rim

Stephen races for NCVC. We made him some cool racing wheels built from Mavic Open Pro black rims (32 holes in the back and 28 in the front) Chris King black hubs, Sapim black CX-ray ultralight aerodynamic bladed spokes, and Sapim Polyax SILS nipples. 

"I can't say enough about my choice to have Bill build a set of wheels for me. After talking to him, I learned that the combination of hubs, spokes, and rims would be comparable in both price and weight to the famed Mavic Ksyrium wheelset. In addition to the price and weight benefits, Bill's wheels have a better strength to weight ratio and greater serviceability than factory built wheels. The service I received from Bill Mould has been second to none. We were in contact throughout the process, with Bill providing me any information he had about the status of the wheels. Once I began to ride the wheels, he has stayed in touch, checking them to ensure that they wear in well. I have been exceedingly happy with my choice of wheel components as well as the decision to have Bill build them for me." - Stephen Weatherly

Ken is riding on wheels he built in the Spokes Wheel Building School at Spokes, Etc., Belle View. He built some really cosmic wheels from Shimano Dura Ace 32-hole hubs, Mavic Open Pro rims, Sapim CX-ray ultra-light, stainless steel, silver bladed spokes with Sapim Polyax SILS nipples.

"Wheels by Bill, sweet wheels. Bill teaches you how to build.  Priceless!" - Ken Widmaier

"Thank you for the recent re-build of my wheels. Not only did you provide an extremely fast tournaround time, but my new Mavic Open Pro's are exeptionally well built and beautiful, in addition you've always been one of my favorite mechanics, friendly and very helpful. 

As a year-round bicycle commuter it's extremely important to me to have a reliable ride, I depend on it every day. I also use this bike for loaded touring, centuries, and multi-day road rides. In addition I'm a big guy at 260 pounds and ride in all kinds of weather on multi-user trails, sidewalks, and potholed city streets which puts a lot of stress on wheels. When you consider that I average over 5000 miles a year on this bike, I feel that I more than get my money's worth from your wheels by the time they need to be replaced.  In fact, brake surface wear is the only cause for replacement, both wheels stay nice and true and spokes well tensioned and intact. I also know that you stand behind your work and warranty your wheels should they need tensioning or minor tuning.

You've been my wheel builder of choice for the last 6 years and will continue to be so as long as I'm fortunate enough to continue to ride to and from work every day. Thanks for everything." - Matt W.

Paul is a big guy, and muscular, too. He goes 6'6" and 250-255 pounds. He rides a Marinoni road bike. We made him some hand built, super strong wheels that are also pretty light. We built them around his Campy Record hubs with Velocity Deep-V 36-hole rims, DT Swiss double-butted, 14G/15G stainless steel black spokes, and Sapim Polyax SILS nipples. Tension was set very high and balanced carefully.

"I've bought three high-end bikes from Spokes, Etc. and have been more than impressed. Prices, quality, and service are all first rate. My first bike that I purchased in 1987 still runs like new, even better now that Bill Mould built a new bullet-proof set of wheels. Thanks, Bill, and all the staff for the excellent service you provide." - Paul Cook

George made himself nice wheels in the Spokes Wheel Building School. He proved to be a very meticulous and detail-oriented student.

"I ride my commuter bike to work most days over 4% grades and some rough roads. I wanted to build strong city-bike wheels (with a road flavor) that would roll easily and stay true. I also wanted to understand how wheels work so that I could keep all my wheels in good shape.  Bill's class at Spokes, Etc., Belle View provided: (a) help in selecting the best-suited components for my riding needs and budget; (b) detailed and individual attention on how to build the wheels; (c) access to equipment to complete my wheels; and (d) personalized advice on specific detailed questions. My finished wheels make my commute easier daily. I used the skills to true and correctly tension the wheels on my Trek road bike, too. I really enjoy the idea that I built wheels out of wire (mostly) and that they actually hold me up. It's magic!" - George Moore

Ray is riding on a paired spoke wheel we rebuilt for him. Forte hub, Gemini rim, DT Swiss double butted 14G15G stainless steel spokes, and Sapim Polyax SILS nipples.

"Great job on the back wheel. I kept breaking spokes, four of them!  They fixed that by rebuilding my wheel. No more broken spokes." - Ray Romoth

Jeff rides a Cannondale road bike with Shimano bladed-spoke wheels. He had been experiencing difficulty with spokes that were constantly coming loose and the wheels going out of true. We fixed 'em.

"I brought my wheels in to Spokes in December, 2007, because the spokes in the rear wheel were too loose. Bill tightened the spokes to high tension and did the same to the front wheel. Wheels have been great ever since." - Jeff Ryscavage

Dennis commutes daily on a road bike and races on mountain bikes. We have made several wheels for him to satisfy both needs. The road rims are disc wheels made from Mavic Open Pro rims, DT Swiss hubs, DT Swiss double butted spokes, and Sapim Polyax SILS nipples. His mountain bike wheels are Mavic 717 rims, Shimano Deore XT hubs, DT Swiss double butted spokes, and Sapim Polyax SILS nipples. Pictured is Dennis racing in Greenland.

"I race cycle-cross and commute on the same bike. I needed a set of wheels that could take serious punishment and Bill built them for me. Building strong wheels requires a serious understanding of the art of wheel building. You won't find this knowledge in a catalogue or an online store. My mountain bike wheels carried me through 15 adventure races last year, including the national championships and a race across southern Greenland. When you race in extreme conditions you absolutely must have equipment that will not fail. Greenland has some of the worst conditions imaginable. Everything from freezing conditions to scree fields miles long. A bike loaded for an expedition race over this type of terrain must have some serious wheels, and these do! If you are not sure what kind of wheel you need just tell them what conditions you ride in and they will figure it out. You won't be disappointed." - Dennis W.

Spokes made John a complete, custom bike built from the ground up.  It's a 26er with disk brakes and lots of cool components. We made his wheels from high-end Salsa rims, Chris King hubs, Sapim CX-ray ultra-light stainless steel aerodynamic bladed spokes, and Sapim Polyax SILS nipples. His wife Christine, gave them to him as a Christmas present. Their two-year old son is already on a bike.

"This was my winter project this year, a new cross country full suspension bike. It was purchased as a frame only so we had the opportunity to build the bike with hand-picked components. In my opinion, one of the best parts of the bike are the custom wheels built by Bill Mould. The bike was out for its maiden voyage on March 13th, and it handled just as well as I had hoped. I am looking forward to many more rides this year. Thanks to all the people at Spokes, Etc. for their assistance with my build up." - John Kromis

Michael, as a 210 pound six-footer, needed strong wheels because of the high-wattage power he can generate. I reused the existing hubs that were in good condition but used new Velocity Aeroheat 32-hole rims with black DT Swiss double-butted 14/15 gauge spokes with Sapim Polyax SILS nipples.

"I am so impressed with not only my new custom wheels and how well they have been constructed but by the genuine care that Bill Mould had taken to assist me in the time of need to repair my wheels and get my bike on the dirt again. From beginning to end Bill had expressed the options available while taking in consideration my needs to get the right rims for the right job. At Spokes Etc. I found the staff overall very professional and courteous and able to answer any questions. With the master of custom rim making at the helm of spokes etc. he is indeed a true find. Great job team - looking forward to many more visits to satisfy all my biking needs." - Michael Harr

Jay is a tall, strong, expert mountain bike rider. He recently built up a 29er, and I made him two wheels. Jay wanted tubeless wheels so he could ride at very low tire pressure. The components were: DT Swiss 240 disc hubs in the front and back; Stan's tubeless ZTR Arch 29er rims, DT Swiss stainless steel 14G/15G double-butted spokes; and, Sapim Polyax SILS nipples. The spokes were very highly tensioned and carefully balanced.

"These wheels are light, stiff, and strong - exactly what I look for. It would not be possible to build a 22" steel mountain bike with 29" wheels at only about 24 psi without a light set of wheels."
- Jay Cato

Geoff is a big, strong rider. Just look at him! He rides a gigantic downhill bike that weights about 50 pounds. I made him a new rear wheel using his Hadley hub and a double-wide Sun rim, DT Swiss 14/15 gauge spokes and Sapim Polyax SILS nipples. After many months of riding, the wheel is still strong and true.

"Bill has fixed and built several wheels for me over the past couple of years, and each have been dead on and reliable. He maintains several different styles of wheels for me from road to cross-country, to dirt-jumping and Downhill. Not one has failed me yet, which is always a good thing while racing downhill. The wheels that bill built for my bike have two race seasons on them and they are still strong. Keep the rubber side down"
- Geoffrey Allen

We built up some beefy wheels for Chris's new dual slalom bike. Hubs were Ringle 20mm thru-axle in the front and a Hugi rear with Mavic 521 rims. They were laced together with DT Swiss 14/15 double butted spokes and Sapim Polyax SILS nipples.

"Bill put these wheels together for my new Suburban hardtail Dual
Slalom bike. They should prove to be a solid set of wheels that will
take the abuse of the on and off track riding they will be subjected
to. They will have to stand up to street, park, dirt jumps, and bar
banging racing."
- Chris McGibbon

Shaughn made a fixie out of an older frame he had. He needed new wheels, so we made him two with all new components. The components were Velocity Deep V rims (purple!), Surly track hubs, DT Swiss double butted 14G/15G spokes, and Sapim Polyax SILS nipples.

"Bill built up a superb set of wheels for me about eight months ago. Since then I've put plenty of miles on them, and they've been great. They have stayed true and put up with the daily abuse I give them. Could not have asked for a better set of wheels or a more knowledgeable and skilled wheel builder than Bill Mould."
- Shaughn Dugan

Tom and Ruth are planning a trip to Alaska on their Burley tandem. They upgraded the drivetrain and had me make them two new wheels. Both hubs, including a new Shimano HF08 were drilled for 48 spokes. I used Velocity Dyad 48 hole rims and 96 284mm DT Swiss 14/15 gauge stainless steel spokes with Sapim Polyax SILS nipples. Tension is set high, and the geometry of the rear hub resulted in similar tension on the drive and non-drive sides, adding to the overall strength of the wheel.

I built this bike and its goofy wheels for myself. Please don't ask me what the practical value is. There probably isn't any. I did it for the challenge of building the wheels. If you look closely, you will see that while the wheels are perfectly round, the hubs are not at the center of the wheels. That is, they are eccentric wheels. There are about 15 different spoke lengths in each wheel. As the bike rolls along, the eccentric wheels cause the bike to move significantly up and down, kind of like a horse on a merry-go-round. It was a great technical challenge to build, tension, and true them. The resulting bike is really pretty cool and fun to ride.

Wheels made from Surly hubs and Velocity Aerohead yellow 700c rims, DT Swiss double butted spokes and Sapim Polyax SILS nipples.