HandBuilt Wheels - Which Hubs

alesupper

Hi

I fancy getting some hand built wheels for my winter bike and I can't make my mind up which hubs to go for. I want a good compromise of lightweight but durable.

I do like the look of the Tune hubs (Mig 70 & Mag 190) which are extremely light but I do have some concerns about their ability to handle British winter weather conditions. Another consideration was DT Swiss 240. I would require a Shimano freehub so I guess that rules out a lot of the Campag hubs.

Ideally I'd like to keep the wheels below 1500g total weight but be durable enough to last a few years on a winter bike. Am I asking too much?

Cheers, Alesupper

brownbosh

Weight is surely secondary? I would not go for anything flash as a training wheel. A 36 hole open pro or cxp build on 105's would last a good few years and pretty cheap too.

TommyEss

My LBS recommended Ultegra hubs as a good combo of lightweight and longevity.

They've got two different seal types IIRC?

Tunes seem a bit too nice for winter, if you know what I mean?

If you want ultimate luxury why not look at Royce?

Also look at Hope - their Hope 3 is the road version. Works for MTB, so should be pretty well sealed for winter time.

maddog 2

Hope Pro3, PMP, Dura Ace, DT240, Tune

Tune are the lightest but I'd maybe think twice about running them through winter. I've got two wheelsets with them and they've lasted well. The alu freehubs are delicate, and you need to be very careful preloading the bearings but other than that they are fine.

The DTs have a good rep but last time I looked they weren't cheap.

The Hopes are solid. Not as light as the Tunes but fairly close to the DTs. Very clicky but fully rebuildable so would be a sound bet for long term use. I've got a set on Ambrosio rims and they're fine.

PMP also have a very good rep and are very smooth. Weights are similar to the Hopes.

DA are tidy. Not used them myself but you get a reasonable weight, ti freehub and cup+cone bearings so smooth and serviceable.


Personally, for winter I run Ultegra hubs and 28mm tyres. Heavy but who cares in winter. You just want something solid and cheap, which you can service come Spring...?

gelbvieh

I have Tune Mig 70 and Mag 190 hubs and although NZ winters conditions are not as harsh as UK conditions, no salt for a start, the hubs have seen 4000km and still running as smooth as the day they were built, no servicing required. Wheels built with DT Swiss RR 1.1 rims and aerolite spokes, light and fast.

appletrees

Planet X? Only 38 grammes heavier than hopes, cheap as chips (40 quid the pair!), very reliable thus far - on a pair of open pros with sapim lasers and brass nipples, just a gnats over 1600 grams, go for alloy nipples and you're nearer 1550.

ride_whenever

for reliablilty the hopes are very very good, the customer support is beyond excellent.

alesupper

Thank you all for your replies so far, I do appreciate it. The Hope Pro 3's do look like a good combination of price/weight/durability.

To throw another spanner in the works I am also now considering some Campag Zondas 2009 model. Has anyone got a pair of these? What do think about them? Would they be suitable for a winter trainer? I weigh 75kg, would Zondas be ok my weight climbing Lakeland Fells and Yorkshire Dales?

Cheers, Alesupper

TommyEss

Zondas don't fit Shimano freehubs.

If you want "Campag wheels" with a Shimano freehub look at Fulcrums (they use the same hubs, and are to all intents and purposes, Campag wheels that speak Japanese)

Beardy10

My wheels have Dura Ace hubs with Dt 1.1 rims...I chose these on advice of my LBS who built the wheels. I've not tried any of the others mentioned but I took my bike into Cyclefit and the guy there couldn't stop gushing about how great he thought Dura Ace hubs were....he said he had just bought a set of wheels with Ultegra hubs which he thought weren't in the same league. He reckoned 105's or Dura Ace in Shimano.

alesupper

I beg to differ, they do sell Zondas, Eurus, Shamals etc with Shimano Freehubs.

TommyEss wrote:

Zondas don't fit Shimano freehubs.

If you want "Campag wheels" with a Shimano freehub look at Fulcrums (they use the same hubs, and are to all intents and purposes, Campag wheels that speak Japanese)

Monty Dog

If planning to use the wheels in winter I would not recommend alloy nipples - I've had too many fail due to corrosion / fatigue cracking

TommyEss

alesupper wrote:

I beg to differ, they do sell Zondas, Eurus, Shamals etc with Shimano Freehubs.

TommyEss wrote:

Zondas don't fit Shimano freehubs.

If you want "Campag wheels" with a Shimano freehub look at Fulcrums (they use the same hubs, and are to all intents and purposes, Campag wheels that speak Japanese)

I stand corrected - my bad! :oops:

I'd always been led to believe that Fulcrum was a way for Campag to get into the Shimano users' bikes...

In that case, I guess it depends on whether or not you like the G3 spoke pattern!!?!

Chip \'oyler

I have Ambrosio hubs on Mavic Open Pro Ceramics - bomb proof for winter