Michael Press said:No reason not to have a second set of wheels. In addition
to shopping for a boxed set consider building your own
wheels. The goal for a home built set of wheels is
reliability, not super race wheels. Building wheels is
fun, too.
Second set = more ride time, with proper management.
Not like this happens every day, but I did discover a flat upon getting
home the other day-- yes, using the car to get out of town with time
limited. I've recently added a wheel or two to the "good" pile, so
getting mobile (if I hadn't found the flat until next ride time) would
mean only a quick switch and perhaps an air fill-up, and I even have
tire choice <g>. A good end-of-year trend, esp. with limited daylight.
This quick swapout, by trial, is much better for my cycling mood. It's
also much better for my service/repair mood.
Once a pair of new wheels, well-built and correctly set up inre
bearings/grease, is in service, you have an excellent opportunity to
get after the "old" set, for truing, stress relief, bearing service,
done outside of ride time, no hurry. "No rush" works at the bike shop,
too.
One point not verbalized: once you build a set or two, then minor
truing or replacing a broken spoke, or even a crunched rim, is
something you can do at home. And as a FLBS owner/mech told me back in
the last century: "if it's a bust, just bring me the parts, I'll build
them for you".
--D-y
