The Sweetest Wheels, Built By Hand at Sugar Wheel Works

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Tuesday, November 04, 2014

Üma Kleppinger, GoLocalPDX Contributor

When Jude Gerace opened her shop, she set a humble goal for her first year in business: to build 12 wheels for people she didn't know. Instead she built a hundred. And in the four years since then, Sugar Wheel Works has built hundreds more—all by hand—for everyone from pro racers to everyday commuters.

Faced with a career crossroads in 2009, and after years of working in the bike industry, Gerace knew she wanted to be a crasftsperson. As an experienced wheelbuilder, she took it upon herself to perfect her craft. She found support from old-school big-time wheelbuilding mentors, and launched Epic Wheel Works in 2009 in a studio so cramped customers had to wait in the hallway.

It wasn't long before she moved the shop into its present home on N Williams Ave. And in 2011, the company doubled in size as Gerace teamed up with Jason Nolin as another wheel builder and partner.

You might expect the demand for hand built custom wheels to be something only an elite racer or wealthy recreational rider would want or afford. But Gerace reports that many of her customers are cyclists of pretty average ability and modest means. They choose hand built wheels for their value, longevity, and performance, as hand built wheels tend to last longer and ride better than off-the-rack machine-built wheels.

Sugar Wheel Works has earned a reputation in the industry that brings in experienced, tech-savvy clients who know exactly what they want their wheels to be, and want them built by pros.

“We don't just assemble wheels for our customers.” said Gerace. “We build relationships…between Sugar and the customer, of course. But we also help to deepen the rider's relationship with their bike. A great wheelset can transform the cycling experience.”

Gerace or Nolin consult with customers on every new order to determine riding style and performance demands. How and where a cyclist rides, help define the parts list, and even a rider's weight can affect design choices.

A hand-built custom wheel involves choosing hubs, rims, and spoke length and lacing design according to rider needs. The wheel is then assembled, tensioned, trued, and tuned by hand by either Gerace or Nolin, using precision instruments to finesse the wheel to perfection.

All this customization and hand-crafting may sound fancy and expensive, but isn't necessarily so. A handbuilt wheel set might cost more than off-the-rack wheels at the outset, but often outlive their machine-built counterparts. Hand built wheels can also be easier to repair and can often be rebuilt, saving money over the life of the wheels.

“We build wheels for everyone from elite level triathletes, cyclocross and mountain bike racers to everyday riders who just want a more durable wheelset for commuting or touring” Gerace said. “Many of our clients are heavier riders, big guys who are hard on their gear and break spokes on the machined wheels that come with many new bike purchases. We make our hand built wheels to outperform and outlast off-the-shelf wheels.

Sugar Wheel Works has earned quite the reputation in the bike industry as well, as they supply parts to small bike shops and do-it-yourself wheel builders who are unable to afford expensive spoke cutting machines which can cost thousands of dollars.

“When we needed spokes for wheel repairs, we called Sugar Wheel Works and ordered a variety of different spoke styles and lengths," said Jonathan Scarboro, owner of the newly-opened Cat Six Bicycles in NE Cully neighborhood. "When I went to pick up the order, Jason had packaged them, marking each bundle with detailed specs, sparing us from having to sort and organize the spokes ourselves.”

Scarboro was shocked when he saw the cost for the order, expecting a much larger bill. “I couldn't believe my eyes. I would have expected to pay much more for that kind of customer service and quality product."

In addition to building wheels from scratch, Nolin and Gerace also perform wheel maintenance for customers: truing wheels, cleaning rims, replacing damaged spokes, and overhauling free hubs. They also run quarterly workshops which teach others how to build and maintain their own wheels.

To keep up with the demand for their services, Gerace also hired Dan Waugh as a shop assistant. Waugh came to Sugar Wheel Works via a United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) outreach effort aimed at improving employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

Reluctant at first, Gerace balked, as she hadn't the time to train an assistant. When UCP offered to supply a job coach to help provide training and supervision, Gerace agreed to a trial. That was over three years ago and today Waugh is a valuable member of the Sugar Wheel Works team, keeping the shop clean and maintained and performing essential repetitive tasks that free up Nolin and Gerace to focus on wheel building.

Originally dubbed Epic Wheel Works, Gerace was forced to change the name early on when cycling industry behemoth Specialized threatened her with a lawsuit, insisting they owned the trademark rights to the term “Epic”. She sat down one night to consider a new identity for her business; after a time she noticed a bowl of sugar on the table.

“It just made sense to me.” said Gerace, laughing. “I wanted something that was associated with feeling good, being happy.”

Between the great value, outstanding product, superb customer service, and pro-Portland community dedication, Sugar Wheel Works is undoubtedly one of sweetest makers in the local bike scene.

Visit the website at sugarwheelworks.com.

 

Sugar Wheel Works from stillmotion on Vimeo.

 

Üma Kleppinger is a Portland-based copy writer, author and advocate for full-contact anti-bummer living, by bike. She is a recovering sesquipedalian who writes about life in the saddle and outdoor adventure. She is also the author of BikeYoga, a yoga program designed specifically for cyclists. When not writing, she can be found riding and racing her mountain bike throughout the Pacific Northwest.
 

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