wheels upgrade....

simmo3801

I'm looking for some advice on whether or not to upgrade the wheels on my 0& Spec Allez Elite. It came with Mavic CXP22 rims on Specs own forged alloy hubs (which I'm sure mean cheap), 24 hole front, 28 rear with straight pull aero spokes which look quite nice. I'm 11.5 stone and 6 ft and use the bike mainly for training rides of 40 miles on both flat and hilly roads and the occassional commute. Would I benefit from an upgrade and if so any suggestions? I've read previous recommendations but am not sure how good/bad my initial set up is. I have a budget of 300 max for wheels and cassette but I'm sure there must be a point where I won't notice a difference.

Thanks in advance

Monty Dog

For £300 you could get a really nice pair of wheels built by someone like Paul Hewitt or Harry Rowland - something like a classic Open Pro, 32 hole rim on DuraAce hubs - these will not only be lighter, but the consistently higher spoke tension will mean they feel stiffer and more responsive. You'd have to pay more than £500 for anything considerably lighter and stronger for a factory built wheel. Also budget for some decent tyres to give a smoother ride and better handling.

gkerr4

sorry - monty dog - I don't agree with your last statement.

I think a noticable difference can be had by spending a bit over £100 - the std wheels will have a value of about £30 - they'll be heavy and weak - whereas even a set of mavic aksiums will be much better and they are only around £100. some of the shimano wheels also - the R561s and R600 (Ultegra) - great wheels for the money that combined with some decent tyres will change the feel of the bike for the better by being lighter and sharper.

Brian B

How about Campag Zonda wheelset. Around £250 pounds the're stiff and lightweight as well. Campag wheels have got a good reputation for being very reliable.

simmo3801

Thanks guys. I have Michelin Pro Race 2s on at the moment after a review in cycling plus and having just ridden 250 miles in France on them I'm very pleased with their rolling. I have to say that 300 was the max upper budget so if there would be a noticeable difference with the Aksiums or a good set of shimano then I would happily go down that route. More performance than bling!!!!

allaction

I am in a similar position and have called Paul Hewitt who quoted £185 for Mavic Open pro rims with Ultegra hubs. Plenty of cash left over for some decent rubber out of your budget.