Repair DTSwiss HX1501 rim - rebuild or replace?

[megabobra]

I've got some a significant ding my rear rim (HX1501, alloy with 240 hub). It's deformed enough that the paint is gone and the rim wont hold air. I managed to fix it a few times with some glue/putty to recreate the rim's sidewall profile and get the tyre to seal up OK, but over time the putty is forced out and I go flat. And while it seals OK at first, pushing my thumb into the sidewall of the tyre on the side with the damage lets air escape around the bead at any point around the tyre - not even just at the damage! Though, sealant usually takes of this.

There's also some spokes which have some bends in them from rocks and sticks along the way. And naturally some nipples are a bit rounded from my attempts to true the wheel.

So the question is, having never built a wheel before, can I realistically buy a new rim, and spokes where needed, and lace them to my existing 240 hub, ending up with a good wheel? Or is more likely that I'll create something that wobbles with a whole heap of rounded nipples?
I do have a spoke tension tool, but no truing stand.

Or am I better to replace the whole wheel and cut my losses with the hub?

 

[Astro66]

Buy a rim, new spokes and nipples. Lace it up yourself. True it yourself. I did it first go without any issues. Just follow the video below.

Nipples and spokes are pretty cheap on Aliexpress.

 

[Bogdan_CH]

Without a truing stand I really doubt you could do it fine as a first wheel and also the straight pull spokes with square nipples from this wheel are not that beginner friendly. But I totally recommend to get a spare rim or a EX541 freeride ( strongest one from DT Swiss) and ask a shop rebuild it for you. DT are very popular worldwide and easy to source parts so for sure you'll find someone to fix it for you.

 

[Astro66]

Without a truing stand I really doubt you could do it fine as a first wheel

I've built 5 wheels. Never used a truing stand. All are still working perfectly. Never broken a spoke. Just tied cable ties to the rear frame both sides and used the frame to true to true the wheel.

I do it exactly as per the video. Lateral truing using the cable ties. Then cup by measuring distance from the frame to the rim and make it even both sides. Then radial, by moving one of the cable ties forward and touching the front of the rim. Then tension it all up, with a lateral check when done. Get all these dimensions within 1mm and you are good.

The first wheel I did, I didn't tension it enough, and after the first ride, I checked tension and fixed. But my wheels are normally better than the ones I've bought on new bikes from the shop. I had one bike where the spokes were so over tensioned. I broke 3 spokes in the first month. So I re-tensioned them all after replacing the broken spokes, and have never broken another one.

 

[steve_sordy]

According to ChatGPT, in the UK it would take an experienced bike mechanic 30 mins to build a wheel. One who know how to do it but doesn't do them all the time might take an hour, especially for the more complex spoke patterns. This translates into between £30 and £40 per wheel in a variety of bike shops across the UK. Add in the cost of the rim and the spoke which you would have to buy anyway and that is a reasonable guide to the cost. But there is little doubt that the satisfaction of learning to do it yourself and having that skill of the rest of your life is beyond just the monetary value.

I have never done it, never had to do it; but I suspect that I would pay the £30-£40. My LBS is brilliant and I would bet on the lower price/wheel.

 

[Astro66]

But there is little doubt that the satisfaction of learning to do it yourself and having that skill of the rest of your life is beyond just the monetary value.

This. ^^^^ I love building the wheels for my bikes. Riding on something you built is very satisfying.

I have a draw full of hubs and transmissions. Being able to swap hubs to change transmissions gives me a lot of flexibility. It also means I can buy various hubs just to try them out.

I keep a few spare rims as well, so I can leave the original wheel and hub alone, and build and test various hubs and transmissions. I enjoy it almost as much as the riding.

 

[Bear-uk]

DIY and enjoy the experience.
You have the perfect truing stand already. It's called a bike frame, and upside down the rear triangle let's you see exactly what's happening and gives you the perfect dish needed for your bike's rear wheel.

 

[Mister cube]

I've got some a significant ding my rear rim (HX1501, alloy with 240 hub). It's deformed enough that the paint is gone and the rim wont hold air. I managed to fix it a few times with some glue/putty to recreate the rim's sidewall profile and get the tyre to seal up OK, but over time the putty is forced out and I go flat. And while it seals OK at first, pushing my thumb into the sidewall of the tyre on the side with the damage lets air escape around the bead at any point around the tyre - not even just at the damage! Though, sealant usually takes of this.

There's also some spokes which have some bends in them from rocks and sticks along the way. And naturally some nipples are a bit rounded from my attempts to true the wheel.

So the question is, having never built a wheel before, can I realistically buy a new rim, and spokes where needed, and lace them to my existing 240 hub, ending up with a good wheel? Or is more likely that I'll create something that wobbles with a whole heap of rounded nipples?
I do have a spoke tension tool, but no truing stand.

Or am I better to replace the whole wheel and cut my losses with the hub?

Send your wheel to a wheelbuilder,they will swap it all over and just charge you labour,or,treat yourself to some nice new wheels,go on,you know you want to!