TECH BLOG [3] High-quality wheel building: How we build our wheels at Tout Terrain
Anyone with a keen interest in touring bikes, expeditions and robust everyday machines will find it hard to overlook Tout Terrain. For years, we have stood for uncompromising functionality, durability and a passion for technical detail. We not only manufacture the frames ourselves, but also our wheels. For us, this is no afterthought: wheel construction plays a decisive role in determining how reliably a bike performs over many thousands of kilometres.
Why we build wheels ourselves
If you don’t deal with the technical details of cycling on a daily basis, the subject of wheel building can quickly seem complicated. That’s why it’s worth taking a quick look behind the scenes of our production process: we don’t just make sure everything is ‘strong enough’, we examine every detail closely – from the correct spoke tension to the quality and stability of the rims. The result is a wheel you can rely on just as much in everyday use as on longer tours.
The wheel is one of the most heavily loaded components on a bicycle. It must absorb radial and lateral forces, transmit torsion from the drive and braking torque, absorb shocks and vibrations, and withstand continuous loads over many years. Particularly for touring bikes, bikepacking setups or expedition machines with total weights exceeding 140 kg, standard wheels are often not optimally designed.
That is why we build our own wheels, tailoring them precisely to the frame, intended use and the wishes of our customers. In this way, we ensure that every wheel reliably fulfils its purpose for many years to come.
Component selection: precision from hub to spoke
When selecting our components, we insist on the highest quality:
Hubs
Depending on the intended use, we choose between robust industrial bearing hubs for trekking and everyday bikes or high-end gear hubs such as the Rohloff SPEEDHUB 500/14. Particularly with Rohloff hubs, we take into account the high torsional forces, the even distribution of spokes on both sides, the appropriate lacing patterns and precisely adjusted spoke tension. For our Xplore models with Pinion drivetrains, we have had hubs developed that feature a wider hub body for flatter spoke angles. Combined with even spoke tension, this results in particularly stable wheelsets that can withstand the high demands of a touring bike.
Rims
We select the width to suit the tyres, ensuring reinforced hollow-chamber profiles, clean eyelets and consistent drilling quality. On heavily loaded bikes, lateral stiffness is crucial for tracking and ride comfort, which is why we select rims based on real-world loads, not weight optimisation.
Spokes
To us, a spoke is much more than just a piece of wire. We take into account material quality, diameter profile, head and thread design, as well as manufacturing tolerances. Butted spokes ensure better load distribution thanks to their elastic mid-section and reduce stress peaks. For heavy setups or Rohloff wheelsets, we use stronger variants where necessary. Similarly, the shape of the spoke (round vs. aero) has a major influence on elasticity and is largely responsible for how comfortable the wheels – and therefore the bike – ultimately are.
Our construction process: precision rather than assembly line production
Our wheels are handcrafted by trained staff, not by automated machines.
Pre-sorting and inspection: We check the rims for truing and bore quality and inspect the hubs. We calculate the spoke length precisely based on the flange diameter, bolt circle, lacing pattern and rim diameter.
Systematic lacing: We select the appropriate lacing pattern depending on the drivetrain and brake type. For disc brakes or Rohloff wheels, we pay particular attention to the correct orientation of tension and compression spokes.
Truing, pre-tensioning and stress-relieving: We increase the spoke tension gradually, true the wheel radially and laterally, align it correctly (dishing) and carry out targeted stress-relieving to reduce settling and stress peaks.
Final inspection: We measure spoke tension using a tensiometer – both in absolute terms and to ensure it is even across the entire rim and on both sides. We take particular care to ensure the balance is correct, especially with asymmetrical wheelsets.
Customisation to suit the customer's requirements
A key advantage of our in-house wheel-building process is its adaptability. We view every wheel as an integral part of the bicycle system:
Expeditions with heavy loads: 32-hole rims, reinforced rims, round, tapered spokes, robust hubs – all designed for maximum durability.
Everyday and commuter bikes: Optimised lighting performance, low-maintenance hub dynamos, durable rims, focus on reliability.
Sporty trekking or bikepacking: Weight-optimised yet stable, butted spokes or aero spokes depending on whether the focus is on comfort or performance, tubeless-ready rims – for efficiency without compromising stability.
Every decision is made in consultation with the customer. Riding style, weight, terrain and luggage are all factored into our specifications.
Quality that pays off in the long run
For us, quality isn’t demonstrated in the showroom, but in practice – on long gravel tracks, alpine descents, or even after 20,000 km of everyday or touring use
A cleanly built wheel stays true, retains its spoke tension and significantly reduces maintenance intervals. This precision reflects our philosophy: control over core components rather than dependence on standard wheel sets from a mass-production manufacturer.
Conclusion: Wheel building as a core competence
We do not regard the wheel as an accessory, but as a load-bearing component of the bicycle. Our in-house manufacturing process ensures that components are systematically selected to suit the intended use, that work is carried out with precision, that quality control is rigorously enforced, and that each bike is tailored to the customer’s specific requirements and intended use.
Anyone who builds a bike with us does not just get a bike that works – they get a bike that will perform reliably for many years to come.
