Traditional wheels for a big powerful rider

Glenn S
Glenn S Posts: 17
edited September 2007 in Workshop
I ride an Enigma Esprit with Fulcrum race 1 wheels which is fine but plan to use the bike for continental supported tours.
Can anybody recommend a strong but servieable wheelset of traditional construction, that any european bike shop could deal with?
The spanner in the works is i weigh 100kg and eat back wheels for breakfast (only had the Race 1's a short while but already knocked the rear out of true already).
And finally a decent wheelsmith to put them together.

Any advice mucho appreciated

Comments

  • vernonlevy
    vernonlevy Posts: 969
    Glenn S wrote:
    I ride an Enigma Esprit with Fulcrum race 1 wheels which is fine but plan to use the bike for continental supported tours.
    Can anybody recommend a strong but servieable wheelset of traditional construction, that any european bike shop could deal with?
    The spanner in the works is i weigh 100kg and eat back wheels for breakfast (only had the Race 1's a short while but already knocked the rear out of true already).
    And finally a decent wheelsmith to put them together.

    Any advice mucho appreciated

    You're a lightweight mate. :lol:

    I've not been on the scales recently but 125 kg is the ballpark figure for my porkiness

    I've cycle camped successfully with Mavic 319 rims on Deore hubs though the rear 319 gave up the ghost this month in France when a spoke pulled through the rim. Bearing in mind that I use a Dawes Galaxy cold set for 135mm OLN hubs you might look at road based Shimano/Campag hubs with 130mm OLN dimensions. 36 spoke rather then 32 spoke might be helpful. Only one retruing in 5,000 miles.

    My current build used 13/14g single butted spokes on the drive side and 14g plain guage spokes on the non-drive side.

    As for wheelsmiths. You could look at the offerings of spacycles at www.spacycles.co.uk
  • DouglasW
    DouglasW Posts: 3
    Try Wheelcraft in Clachan of Campsie - you will not get better advice or wheels. But could I ask you what you think of the Enigma Esprit? Smashing looking bike but there are no dealers in Scotland so all I can do is liook at pretty pictures!
  • nick348
    nick348 Posts: 120
    I would recommend Mavic Open Pro 36 hole, laced 3 cross on a higher end hub along the lines of Ultegra or Dura ace.

    I built up a pair of wheels for exactly the same reasons, strength and lightness and easily maintained. I used Sapim Laser spokes and the finished rear wheel weighs in only 60 grammes heavier than a Reynolds Alta Race, so its fairly light but almost bombproof. :)
    nick348
  • timbooth
    timbooth Posts: 160
    I would go for a stronger rim than an Open Pro - these are light and you want as many ways to strengthen the wheel as possible. 36 spokes, REALLY good wheelbuilder (this bit is the most important) and perhaps Mavic CXP33. These rims are slightly heavier, but should handle more spoke tension and keep their true better.

    I used CXP22 on Ultegra and they kept better shape over 5,000 miles than my Ultegra/OP by the same builder. He tells me that is the difference.
  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    I reckon the choice of builder is as important as the components themselves - talk to the likes of Paul Hewitt, Harry Rowland or Pete Matthews - all who have excellent reputations as far as wheel build quality is concerned.
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • acorn_user
    acorn_user Posts: 1,137
    The builder is key. How much clearance do you have in that frame? If you can run 28c tyres, there might be some worth in wider rims like the afore mentioned Mavic A319 or something from the DRC range
    http://withingtoncycles.co.uk/browse.php?node_id=1937
    If you cannot fit a wider tire, you should not go for those wider rims. Something like a Rigida Chrina or CXP-33 would probably work well. Our Spa wheels have been great btw...

    If you are running campag, you might try and find some 06 centaur hubs for the build....
  • Glenn S
    Glenn S Posts: 17
    DouglasW
    its a lovely bike, though why they called my one an esprit is beyond me.

    the off the shelf version has a non integrated headset, level top tube, a 27.2 seatpost size, slim chainstays and curving seatstays.

    my one, integrated headset. slopeing toptube, 31.6 seatpost, oversize chainstsys and
    straight seat stays. i wanted s shaped seatstays but they said they couldn't do it although annoyingly their mtb now comes with the s shaped stays.

    all said and done though the bike looks and rides a peach.

    iff i new what i was doing with this computer i'd post a piccie.

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