Road Wheels

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Hey guys and girls,

I am a keen road racer but I need some new wheels. I keep up to date with tech stuff but I am not quite sure which wheels to go for.

I am looking for a pair, preferably with carbon rims, although they just need to be light and aerodynamic. I am looking to spend between œ250 and œ500 depending on quality and value.

I am a small, light cyclist and I am a junior, so they don't need to be particularly strong although I do have a good accelleration so the rear needs to be strong enough.

I was wondering if anybody has bought a nice pair of wheels (or rims, spokes or hubs) and would recommend them to me and also the place where you got them.

Equally I would like to know if anybody has bought a pair of wheels that they have been disappointed in, so that I do not make the same mistake as you.

Thanks alot.

Will Hare

SDP

junior racing...what category are you ...

unles you ar ean aspiring elite of 1st cat there is for most RRs in GB no need for carbon wheels..

sensible would be to get something like mid range FULCRUMS or a pair of Ksyriums altho Ks do not flot my boat..

or handbuilt route DT rims or open pros ?? or deep sections like NIOBIUMS ???

carbon rims are fine until they have an accident...



www.mjsracing.net

maddog_2cp

Xero XCRs

�200, light at ~1500 grams, so similar to Ksyriums

see http://preview.tinyurl.com/33octj [TinyURLed by admin to keep page looking nice!]

Normally I say handbuilts but for �200 you'd struggle to get under 1500 grams (unless you went s/hand with the hubs perhaps) although overall weight isn't everything - rim weight is more important than hub weight.

If you did go handbuilt then OP rims, prolock nipples, DT Revolution spokes (DT DB rear driveside) on the best/lightest hubs you can afford would be an alternative.

If you really can stretch to 500 then there are a load of wheels you could pick from (Ksyrium ES, Fulcrum, Campag, Planet X.............)

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Sorry I forgot to mention I will also be using them for my Time Trial bike, so I would like light wheels. Thanks

andyBcp

PlanetX 50's, D/S carbon tubular rim, bladed spokes.
Light, responsive and fast.
Can be used for RR's, and TT's.
Excellent VFM.
Approx œ450

http://www.teamvelosportif.co.uk

monty_dogcp

About the only decent wheels with carbon rims available in your price range are the Planet-Xs - unless you look to buy used. There are some carbon-faired rims, but they're pretty heavy. For the type of racing you're doing, durability is a big factor because of the inevitable crashes, which means that carbon isn't particularly a good idea. Similarly, aero wheels don't make much difference when riding in a bunch. It's pretty difficult to get below 1500g for a pair of conventional wheels too. For factory-built wheels I would stick to Mavic, Campag/Fulcrum or Easton - there's very little else that compares in terms of built quality / performance and reliability. Perhaps something like the Easton Ascents - they're built well and are pretty light too.

Unknown

As usual, Open Pro come up!! You can get away with lighter rims than this, so you should. Try Velocity Aerohead or American Classic CR350 instead and go for a lower spoke-count.

(Bloody Open Pro as an answer for everything...mumble, mumble [:(!])

monty_dogcp

I did think of the Velocity and AM Classic rims - trouble is getting holding of them in the UK, although apparently 53x12 in Essex are now selling Velocity. I built a pair of Aeroheads onto AM Classic hubs - 24 hole - radial bladed front with radial bladed, 2x on the rear - pretty light and feel a lot, lot quicker than Ksyriums, for example. I agree about the Open Pro brigade - in the same vein as Brooks saddles and steel frames. If there's a good wheelbuilder nearby who can get the parts, then great - but your LBS may have problems and so it does limit your choice somewhat.

SDP

pair of second hand cosmic carbons...

ideal for TT & ok for RR...should be plenty going soon as riders uprgade to the new versions ..

www.mjsracing.net

il_principe

For œ500 have a look at the Fulcrum Racing 1's - far less hassle than the Planet X tubulars. I have a pair and they're fantastic, fast, light and bombproof.

My Best Bike

acorn_user

Uh oh..
"I agree about the Open Pro brigade - in the same vein as Brooks saddles and steel frames."

I race my 853 steel, B17 equipped bike. I don't even have Open Pros, just Rigida Chrina rims at 530g each :oops:

FYI, factory spec wheels are hideously expensive, and often heavy.
Open Pro 430g*2 = 860g
Record 07 hubs = 347g
32 * Sapim Laser = ca. 280g
total = 1487g

Should be cheaper than most/all comparable factory sets.

gralegav

I commute on Open Pro's and I'm no lightweight at 74kgs!

oh, and it is an alloy bike with a selle italia (though it is leather!).

other bikes are carbon and scandium, am I doing something wrong?!!

farrell

DT Swiss 1450 Mon Chasserale are a nice set of wheels for around £450

GentleGiant

gralegav wrote:

I commute on Open Pro's and I'm no lightweight at 74kgs!

oh, and it is an alloy bike with a selle italia (though it is leather!).

other bikes are carbon and scandium, am I doing something wrong?!!

I think you are a lightweight! 74kg isn't even 12st is it. I'm 125kg! I ride CXP33's but they've stopped making them, I think. they're heavy but bombpoof.

gralegav

cheers Big T!

perhaps I'm just hankering after my youth when I weighed 9st....

BTW, do people reckon the OP ceramic rims are worth the extra cash?

Massimo

Easton Ascent II come in at around 1450 grammes and about #450. Lightweight and bullet proof - I used a pair 5 days a week for 18 months solid...

gavintc

Normally I would advise against Xero XCR, but you are light and they may work for you. IMO, they were flexy and poor for me. They lasted 13 months before 6 spokes pulled from the rear rim. I am 12 st. I have Kysrium SLs and my wife has Campag Eurus, we both love our wheels, no flex, light and true. But they cost about £430, my old Xeros cost me £180, so quite a difference.