Fast forward 18 months and I took the handbuilt rear with broken spoke into Bikeplus who have built me a front dynamo wheel before which is excellent. I then get into a discussion with the Paul they chap who runs it, about wheels and he tells me that if the spoke breaks again then I will have to look at a new wheel. I enquire about the cost of getting it rebuilt and am told £90 for labour, spokes and re-using the old rim. Obviously the cost will be more if I need a new rim. He hen again precedes to give a very informative talk about how the cost and technolody of factory built wheels has improved and quite ably demonstrates that I could get a new back (factory) wheel for about the same price as rebuilding the old one.
A quick surf on the next shows me I could get a pair of factory built wheels, Campag at that, for cheaper than Bikeplus. They would obviously be at the bottom end of the range but that is good enough for going to work on.
But what do I do with my old front wheels. If I end up getting another new pair I will have a spare front Vento and a handbuilt. When the hypothetical new rear wears out I will then have another front wheel. I know I could just throw them away but it just doesn't feel right. Oh and that of course doesn't include the dynamo front I have that sits in the shed for 6 months of the year.
or a precision made Japanese one (Shimano) 
? I have the tools for the Shimano one, but for the tractor component 
) then a couple of weeks later a session on truing and tensioning with a quick bit on replacing broken spokes.
, so would be there with cake in hand 
