Wheel choice advice

pipsqueak
pipsqueak Posts: 72
edited February 2008 in Workshop
Looking at buying a pair of " good" road wheels, and am more or less down to 2 options.

Mavic's ES - or whatever they are called this year,
or Fulcrum R1's.

Cant afford any more than £550. Absolute tops.

They will be used for occasional racing and riding on best bike ( aways in hills) and i am 77kgs pi££ wet thru.

Any advice please on these wheels gratefully received.

Thanks.

Comments

  • Garybee
    Garybee Posts: 815
    Depends...what's your dry weight? And how did you get soaked in pi££ anyway?

    Hypocrisy is only a bad thing in other people.
  • For the amount of money you have available, why not have a set built. I recently had a pair made using Mavic 'Open Pro' rims, Campag 'Record' hubs with sealed bearings and DT Swiss spokes, all for just over £300. Most of the big bike stores, will build to order.


    "Mmmm-hmmm! This is a tasty burger!"
  • Gary - I went zorbing after 15pints.
    Oakley - tis just under half a kilo heavier which makes a big difference., Im not convinced that paying £100 quid labour for someone to lace together some hoops is worth it., or is it?
  • Fair point, they were for the winter bike, so weight was not really an option.

    "Show me the money!"
  • Fulcrums or shamal ultras (actually i'd get (have) Rolf Elan Aeros - try mike vaughn cycles)
    pm
  • aracer
    aracer Posts: 1,649
    I completely went off the idea of anything made by Rolf when I read http://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum ... hp?t=35795 and http://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum ... hp?t=35946

    pipsqueak - you're well wide of the mark suggesting those custom wheels are 0.5kg heavier. A quick calculation suggests Open Pros on Record should be about 1650g built with normal butted spokes (or as little as 1520g if built with CX-Rays, which puts them pretty much the same weight as the Mavics at least).
  • Garybee
    Garybee Posts: 815
    pipsqueak wrote:
    Gary - I went zorbing after 15pints.

    :lol: Top answer :lol:

    Hypocrisy is only a bad thing in other people.
  • Evans are selling Fulcrum racing 1's for £450.00 they did have 4 pairs left..............
  • 450 gets my vote, just placed an order.

    Thanks "one hip"
  • Kléber
    Kléber Posts: 6,842
    pipsqueak wrote:
    Im not convinced that paying £100 quid labour for someone to lace together some hoops is worth it., or is it?

    Would you prefer a Saville Row suit made to measure, or something from M&S? Would you prefer a chef to cook your food or a readymeal?

    If you value quality, £100 labour is a bargain but most good wheelbuilders tend to charge £50-70 for a pair of wheels.

    Take Ksyriums, they cost £500 and weigh 1525g. They have average hubs and a freehub body that's prone to problems/needs regular maintenance. The spokes are thick and unaerodynamic. The rims are the best bit, being strong and light with a good braking surface.

    So get a Mavic Open Pro rim, this is the sister of the Kysrium rim: strong, light and a good brake surface. Build it with some aero spokes like Sapim CX-Rays, which are cheese-wire thin and bladed, not the fat chopsticks you find on Kysriums. Put them on some good hubs like Record/Dura-Ace or DT240s and you have a 1450g wheelset that's more aero and just as strong. Total cost is roughly £350.

    Where's the catch? There isn't one, you just not paying Mavic and others a premium for their heavy advertising and high margins for their factory-made wheels.
  • Steve928
    Steve928 Posts: 314
    I have 2 sets of Open Pro + Record 07 + Lasers (same weight as CX-Rays). With tapes and QRs they come in at 1775g. (CD rims) and 1793gr. (Black rims)

    Lovely wheelsets, but that's a fair chunk more weight than the 1450g you mention, and the 1520g mentioned higher up. Perhaps my digi scales are duff..

    Actually I've got Race spokes rear drive side, but that only adds 20g.
  • simbil1
    simbil1 Posts: 620
    Steve,
    What do they weigh without the skewers and without the cassette?
    My QR are 52g each and the cassette weighs a fair bit.
    My handbults (Ambrosio hub on Excellight rims 32h) are 995+765 = 1755g no cassette, tape or QR which is not bad at the £220 price point.
  • SDP
    SDP Posts: 665
    open pro ( ceramic ) /CX RAY/ TUNE HUBS/ - <1525gms 32h & bombproof

    added in KCNC**cassette / Mavic Ti skewers/conti supersonic tubes/attack & force tyres
    ** i use dura ace most of the time

    i had no budget restraint when i built these wheels ...

    if i was racing i would go for aero rims ..but for all round riding i reckon this is ultimate wheelset ..

    i use green swiss stop pads & teh performance wet & dry is awesome

    its about build quality & teh builder knowing factors such as weight/intended use/style etc...
  • Steve928
    Steve928 Posts: 314
    simbil1 wrote:
    Steve,
    What do they weigh without the skewers and without the cassette?

    You can take off 148g. for the skewers and tapes - but I wouldn't ride them like that though :D
    No cassette was included.
    32H by the way.
  • Kléber
    Kléber Posts: 6,842
    2 Open Pro Rims: 420g x 2 = 840g
    60 CX Ray spokes = 260g (28 spoke front wheel, 32 back)
    60 DT Nipples = 40g
    DT240 front hub = 100g
    DT240 rear hub = 220g
    Total = 1460g for a rock-solid pair of wheels.
  • SDP
    SDP Posts: 665
    exactly ..& any good bike shop can
    1. replace the spokes ( buy a cpl of speres when you buy your wheels )
    2. replace rim if need be
    3. service the hubs.
  • Brian B
    Brian B Posts: 2,071
    For the amount of money you have available, why not have a set built. I recently had a pair made using Mavic 'Open Pro' rims, Campag 'Record' hubs with sealed bearings and DT Swiss spokes, all for just over £300. Most of the big bike stores, will build to order.


    "Mmmm-hmmm! This is a tasty burger!"

    It does not take long before the 'handbuilt' crew arrives. Handbuilds depends on who is building them - its an art that few perfect. Fulcrum 1s, Mavic Es or Campag Euros or Shamals would be ideal for you. You cannot REALLY go wrong with any of the above wheels just based on what I have read online and mag reviews.

    I have two bikes fitted with ES wheels and they have been bombproof so far and I am 89kgs.
    Brian B.
  • Kléber
    Kléber Posts: 6,842
    I'm not saying factory wheels are bad. But their high prices seem odd, why pay more for less? Some wheels, like the Fulcrums and Ksyriums, have large spokes. They work fine though.

    Indeed Campagnolo Neutron wheels are perhaps some of the finest wheels you can buy, with CX-ray spokes, hidden nipples and hubs lighther than Record, they're brilliant and arguably better than the more expensive Shamals.

    So no dogma here, just trying to offer some friendly advice :)
  • Brian B
    Brian B Posts: 2,071
    I know but every thread about factory wheels always mentions handbuilts. I am only pointing out about the pitfalls of handbuilts - who would trust a 'major' store to build a wheel set that cost £300 pounds or so - not me. At least with machine builds you can get some degree of uniformity in the build.
    Brian B.
  • SDP
    SDP Posts: 665
    yes most are built by average machines for average men of average build for average riding

    most of the mid price machine built wheels are jack of all trade wheels..

    i have several pairs of factory wheels ...i have also several pairs of handbuilts...

    its the skill of the builder tailoring them to your needs which makes them standout...
  • or buying factory wheels suited better to your style and size. I don't think all factory wheels are the same position on the distibution curve.
  • aracer
    aracer Posts: 1,649
    The weight of factory wheels doesn't include tape or skewers either, so you can knock that weight straight off. Still seem kind of heavy at 1625g - my calcs:
    Rim: 430 x 2
    Hubs: 231 + 116
    Spokes 170 x 2 (32)
    Nipples: 10 x 2 (for alloy)
    Total: 1567g (I'd miscalculated spoke length before).

    I guess if you add 20g for the race spokes, and 50g for brass nipples (CX-Rays come with alu), then it does come out about the weight you have.
  • dombo6
    dombo6 Posts: 582
    Easton EA90 SLX get my vote - 1470 the pair, spin up nicely and stay true