Wheels - Mavic, Fulcrum, Easton, FSA or Spinergy?

rohloff-rich

Been looking at road wheels to upgrade my Askium Race (which will be relegated to turbo trainer / roller use). Planning to spend £300-£500 and have seen the following around this price range:

Mavic Ksyrium ES
Fulcrum Racing 1 or 3
Easton EA90 SLX or EA70 SL
FSA RD600

OR, I have seen these Spinergy X Aeros half price (£200) at Chain Reaction:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=12615

Ignoring the deal on the Spinergys, which are considered the best of this bunch? They'll be used for training rides 3 or 4 times a week and sportives.

craigenty

rohloff-rich wrote:

Been looking at road wheels to upgrade my Askium Race (which will be relegated to turbo trainer / roller use). Planning to spend £300-£500 and have seen the following around this price range:

Mavic Ksyrium ES
Fulcrum Racing 1 or 3
Easton EA90 SLX or EA70 SL
FSA RD600

OR, I have seen these Spinergy X Aeros half price (£200) at Chain Reaction:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=12615

Ignoring the deal on the Spinergys, which are considered the best of this bunch? They'll be used for training rides 3 or 4 times a week and sportives.

I'm looking at the racing 3's as a training wheel. (I can't justify the extra cost of the Racing 1 over the 3 for a saving of less than 100grams)
The reason is that I can pick them up in France at 30% less than in the Uk whereas Mavics in France seem to cost about 30% more. (wierd I know)

woody-som

I have a pair of Easton EA90 SLX wheels. Very nice, light, and seem to roll well. Don't think they would be strong enough for a sportive though, way too light, more for racing on hilly routes or hill climbs.

For training rides and sportives, you need something cheaper and or stronger. I use Shimano R550's and can't find any fault with them.

rohloff-rich

craigenty wrote:

I'm looking at the racing 3's as a training wheel. (I can't justify the extra cost of the Racing 1 over the 3 for a saving of less than 100grams)
The reason is that I can pick them up in France at 30% less than in the Uk

Ooh, whereabouts in France? :shock:

craigenty

rohloff-rich wrote:

craigenty wrote:

I'm looking at the racing 3's as a training wheel. (I can't justify the extra cost of the Racing 1 over the 3 for a saving of less than 100grams)
The reason is that I can pick them up in France at 30% less than in the Uk

Ooh, whereabouts in France? :shock:

There's a new mail order company near Sault has racing 3's for 360€ . Cheapest I found in the Uk is £320 at Wiggle.
Howevr as it is a French company they dont have a website, just a brochure and you order by phone :?

rohloff-rich

Proper south-west France then! A little too far to 'pop over' and make a purchase! Even if I am combining it with other visits. :roll:

OK, jury's still out then folks - what would you have?

fenlandplodder

About a month ago, I had to buy some new wheels to use in the Marmotte. Given my ability to destroy wheels (I am not that heavy less than 67kg ), I eschewed lightness for robustness and stiffness.

So I bought some Fulcrum Racing 1s and I am glad I did. Whilst in France I had accident with some rail tracks which ran down the middle of a cycle lane. Despite the front wheel getting stuck in the track and me falling off to the left as a result, the wheel is still perfectly true. They are also beautifully reassuring to ride - no flex at all when climbing out of the saddle.

The only glitch is the underpowered spoke magnet they come with. I bought a Mavic wheel magnet and that works a treat.

fluff.

Not sure you noticed but those Spinergys you linked at the top are 650c!

rohloff-rich

fluff. wrote:

Not sure you noticed but those Spinergys you linked at the top are 650c!

Erm... yes... just, err, testing... :oops: :roll:

henderson_mk

fyi folks... if this helps anyone any... this crowd are doing fulcrum3's for a knock down price too... (not quite as good as that mail order one though..)

http://www.cyclesuperstore.ie/shop/pc/v ... oduct=4508

superlightweight

Have a look at jedi-sports.de - they have some deals on Fulcrum wheels. They advertise in the back of cycling+so are used to dealing with orders from the UK

timoid.

Can get Fulcrum 3s for €400 here:

http://www.cyclesuperstore.ie/shop/pc/s ... =0&order=3


That's £270 odd in real money

rohloff-rich

Are deeper rim wheels a no-go at this price range? Seen the Planet-X Pro Carbon 50s at around £500, but not sure how they'd comapare to something like a Fulcrum 1 (which is current favourite)??

McBain_v1

I'm riding Fulcrum R3 at the moment and they are very nice

henderson_mk

i'd say the f3's are a great all round wheel... and will work well it pretty much any conditions... whereas with something like the px50's you could get blown about a bit in crosswinds.... although fantastic wheels by all account.

have you thought about something like the american classic cr420's? They're deeper than the fulcrums but still not quite deep enough to get blown all over road.

rohloff-rich

henderson_mk wrote:

have you thought about something like the american classic cr420's? They're deeper than the fulcrums but still not quite deep enough to get blown all over road.

Sound good, I'll have a look - aren't they seriously difficult to get hold of though?

henderson_mk

its not too hard... I managed to get two sets! :-)
try this crowd:

http://www.supercycles.co.uk/site_detai ... ductID=399 they *might* have some left if you give them a ring and will probably do them for less than the 310.

or these folks in italy (i got a set from here and it was spot on)
http://www.bikeonline.it/catalog/index.php?cPath=83

or s-tec sports in germany s-tecsports@t-online.de
they're doing them for 350 euro + 35 euro postage.... so about 260 in proper money

i think s-tec is doing the bladed version... the italian folks are doing a rounded spoke version.

hope this helps.

rohloff-rich

henderson_mk wrote:

its not too hard... I managed to get two sets! :-)
try this crowd:

http://www.supercycles.co.uk/site_detai ... ductID=399 they *might* have some left if you give them a ring and will probably do them for less than the 310.

or these folks in italy (i got a set from here and it was spot on)
http://www.bikeonline.it/catalog/index.php?cPath=83

or s-tec sports in germany s-tecsports@t-online.de
they're doing them for 350 euro + 35 euro postage.... so about 260 in proper money

i think s-tec is doing the bladed version... the italian folks are doing a rounded spoke version.

hope this helps.

It does indeed help, thanks very much. They look like exactly what I'm after - so currently the AC 420s Vs the FR1/3s (probably the 3s if I'm being sensible, even though I really want the 1s!).

If only the SuperCycles ACs had the newer graphics on them! But I guess that's possibly why they're discounted... :roll:

henderson_mk

i dunno actually I prefer the older graphics actually! i think the new ones are a bit too bling!

i find the AC's a good allround light wheel that spins up quickly... they're a good job and I don't think you'd be dissapointed... but I also don't think you'd be dissapointed by the F3's either...so I'm about as much use as a fart in a spacesuit....

rohloff-rich

henderson_mk wrote:

i dunno actually I prefer the older graphics actually! i think the new ones are a bit too bling!

i find the AC's a good allround light wheel that spins up quickly... they're a good job and I don't think you'd be dissapointed... but I also don't think you'd be dissapointed by the F3's either...so I'm about as much use as a fart in a spacesuit....

Hmmm, I find the old graphics dated now I've seen the new ones... I'm a graphic designer (albeit one that never made it and ended up in management!) so these kinds of things are difficult for me to overcome and in a situation like this I'd probably even pay more to have the new graphics!! Sad I know... :oops: :roll:

Not a completely 'fart in a spacesuit' comment - just means I've got a decision to make and there's not much to choose between them as they're both good quality wheelsets at similar prices!

henderson_mk

well here's what the old ones look like on my giant:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/voodoo2/

i have a cunning plan... get both!! winter wheels and summer wheels!!