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Reserve Rims Custom Hand Built Wheels

Custom hand built wheels with Reserve rims

Reserve rims are developed by Santa Cruz and carry a lifetime warranty, which makes them an easy rim to justify in a wheel you intend to keep.

We lace Reserve rims to the hub of your choice and build the wheel by hand in our Georgia shop - tensioned evenly, trued flat and round, and stress-relieved before it ships. You pick the hub, spoke gauge and color, nipple material and lacing pattern; we make sure the combination is one that can actually be built.

The Reserve rims we build with

  • Reserve rims we build with25
  • Wheel sizes700c / 29", 650b / 27.5"
  • Internal width22.8-30.0mm
  • Rim depth20-49mm
  • Materialaluminum and carbon
  • Brake typedisc brake
  • Tire fitmenttubeless-compatible clincher, tubular

We stock both carbon and aluminum Reserve rims, which is the first real fork in the decision: carbon buys stiffness and a lower rotating weight, aluminum buys a rim you can dent, straighten and keep riding, at roughly a third of the replacement cost.

Internal width is the number that decides your tire. The Reserve rims we carry sit mostly in the 22.8-30.0mm band, and that band is what determines the tire sizes that will take a sensible shape on the rim - too narrow and a big tire rolls on the sidewall, too wide and a small tire is left square and harsh. Tell the configurator what tires you run and it will steer you inside the right band.

Recent Reserve wheel builds

Wheels we have built around Reserve rims. Every one was laced, tensioned and trued by hand to the spec the customer chose.

Front wheel, Reserve rim
Rear wheel, Reserve rim
Lacing detail, Reserve build

What to pair with a Reserve rim

A wheel is a system: the rim decides the tire and the braking, the hub decides the drivetrain and the axle fit, and the spokes have to suit both. Start from whichever end matters most to you and the configurator will keep the other end compatible.

Popular hubs brands for these builds:

Want to check spoke lengths for a Reserve rim before you order? Our free spoke length calculator has the measured dimensions for it.

Reserve custom wheel questions

Can you build a wheel with a Reserve rim I already own?

Yes. Choose the supply-your-own rim option in the configurator, ship it to us, and we will lace it into a new wheel with new spokes cut to the right length for that exact rim. You pay for the parts you need and the build labor.

What tire width suits a Reserve rim?

The Reserve rims we carry are mostly 22.8-30.0mm internal, which covers most modern tire choices for their intended use. Tell the configurator what you ride and it will keep you in a sensible tire-to-rim ratio rather than leaving you to work it out.

How many spokes should a Reserve wheel have?

It depends on your weight, the terrain and the rim, not on the brand. The configurator recommends a count from your bike type and rider weight, and will not offer a count that cannot be laced to the parts you picked.

How long will my Reserve wheel take?

Build time comes down to parts availability rather than bench time. Your estimated ship date is shown in the configurator before you check out, so you know the date before you pay.

Not sure what to pick? Text or leave a voicemail on 470-253-0929 or email info@prowheelbuilder.com — you will be talking to the people who build the wheels.

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