Are new Dura-Ace wheels overkill on my '07 Cayo?

fylo

I really want a new bike, but my wife is soon to have our first baby , so a £2k machine is out of the question.

Instead of buying a new steed is it overkill to spend £500 on a set of Dura Ace clinchers to run on my 07 Cayo? Will I notice the difference? More importantly will it quench my desire for a new bike? It runs on Mavic Aksium Race right now.

Any other wheel recommendations?

Thanks

FransJacques

Congrats on the new teammate - make sure you get them a small bike with junior reduced gearing of 48x16.
Good wheels are the second most important part of a bike (a frame which *fits* is #1 basis) so there's no such thing as overkill. The wheels will be good for 5-7 years by which time you'll have a better frame anyway.
As long as you don't put steel belted radials on the wheel of course you'll notice a difference. Get some Pro3s (23mm or 25mm rear depending on your weight and roads).
Hed Ardenees are a bit lighter but have a rider limit of 80kgs so the DAs are a great choice if you'll be hard on them.
The RS80s with the same rim and spokes are only £330 at Ribble which leaves headroom for nice tyres - again PR3s or Vit CXs but get the 320 tpi ones.

Let us know what you get in the end.

maddog 2

your life is over for the next 3 years

come back in 2013 and I'll give you my response

acidstrato

not at all overkill on that frame

but if the misses lets you buy them I'd be well surprised

fylo

Missus is persuadable. I'll have to use them lots to justify the cost, thereby keeping my burgeoning paunch at bay.

Not Another Hill

The Cayo frame is a fantastic frame worthy of upgrading. I've an 07 frame and am just about to upgrade from the Aksiums. I've replaced the crankset with the new Ultregra compact and will be replacing the bars, stem and seatpost with Oval 900 stuff over the next 12 months. I use mine for club runs, training, sportives, TTs and racing and it's great at all. I doubt you'd notice a significant improvement on the frame over a new bike at £2000 + unless it was really top end.

marin_maniac

maddog 2 wrote:

your life is over for the next 3 years

come back in 2013 and I'll give you my response

True.

I wish someone gave me that advice before I started belly boxing with the Mrs.

fylo

Thanks, all. Got a set of 7850 C24 CL Carbon Clinchers on order from Planet X and a cot on order from mothercare. Hope I get to use the new wheels as much as I want to!