Alexrims AT450 or Shimano R500 Wheelset

ressac

Can anyone tell which one is better wheelset: Alexrims AT450, or Shimano R500?

The Alexrims wheelset, has an 8-speed cassette installed. Can i put a 10-speed one?

sirdjango

i have an alexrims race 24 with 8 speed cassete... yes i also want to know can put 10 speed or not?

andy_wrx

If it'll take 8, it'll take 10

Some wheels are sold as 'Shimano 10sp only' and will only take the 10sp cassette, others are sold as 8/9/10sp and will take them all.

A Shimano 10sp cassette is actually slightly *narrower* than 8 or 9sp

When you buy a new 10sp cassette, it should come with a thin spacer (basically big washer, about 1mm thick) and you need to fit that onto your wheelhub before you fit the cassette.

SRAM 10sp casettes fit without the spacer.

ressac

Thanks for the info, Andy!

What do you think about the comparison between AT450 and R500? Which one is better wheelset?

desweller

I have a pair of R500s that have done very well, although I bought mine before the exchange rate went loopy so they were much better value.

My road bike was supplied with wheels with Alex DA288 rims. The Joytech hubs were the weak point on that wheel set, but I got the feeling that the rims felt a bit heavier than the Shimanos.

Unless the hubs on the Alex wheelset are particularly good, I'd go for the R500s myself. I also have a pair of the much-admired PlanetX Model B wheels, and I'd put the R500s on a par with these.

Zachariah

I can certainly attest to the sturdiness of the Alex rims.

andy_wrx

Alexrims are, unsurprisingly, the rims and these are generally built-up as OEM wheels with cheaper Joytech or Formula hubs and cheap plain-gauge spokes.
Some of these hubs are carp, some of these spokes are like macaroni.
On the other hand, some are quite decent - just depends what hubs and what spokes.

The Shimano WHR500's are Tiagra-level wheels, machine-made in Malaysia, but are pretty decent. Spares like spokes and freehub bodies are available. The bearings are simple cup&cone so servicing is easy (and probably needed, as they're not that well sealed).

I've never ridden either, but my old 2004 Allez came with Alex DT18 rims on Specialized-badged Formula hubs, straight gauge spokes : they lasted OK for about 18months and then started snapping spokes. I've fixed spokes, but then another one goes. The bearings are poorly sealed and I've regreased them quite a few times.

I also have some WHR550 wheels (model up from R500's) and had one broken nipple (not the spoke, that's OK) and had to replace the freehub. I've repacked the bearings a couple of times and mildly retrued them a bit, but they work fine on my Winter bike.