Which Wheels for upgrade on commuting and touring bike?

willharris10

My Condor Bivio has a pair of Mavic Aksium wheels and they're getting a bit worn out and starting to go out of shape. They have a wear groove and I'd say it's 2/3 worn through. So do I spend £30-40 getting both wheels trued or replace them with a new, stronger pair of wheels? I'm looking for something good looking, fast and most importantly strong, so that I can load the bike with a bit of luggage and not buckle my wheels on every little pothole. I weigh about 90kgs and commute 10 miles a day in total and do the odd 50 miler at the weekends on them plus LEJOG one and a half times.

The Aksiums have been good. Should I buy another pair, or get a different wheel like Shimano Ultegras for sale here:
http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/sp/road-t ... HIMWHFR617

Would appreciate some advice. Cheers.

ride_whenever

handbuilts...

Personally I'd go for a slightly wider rim on a pair of hope hubs (because they're bombproof) for the rim it depends a lot on what you want.

gilesjuk

Go for some decent 32 spoked wheels if you want strong.

mroli

Will - generally the advice would be to go for 32 hole (or 36 hole) hubs for touring with rims that take a slightly wider tyre than 23/25.

I have "light toured" on Aksiums, and they were fine, but I am 20kg lighter than you and that isn't really what they are aimed at!

Again - the Ultegras you have linked to are 16/20 spoked wheels and not as likely to be as tough as a pair of "tourers"

If as you say, the primary consideration is strength, look at increasing your spoke count. This will have weight implicatons too though - and this will also affect speed.

SJS Cycles are good for touring stuff and getting an idea of what is out there: http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/wheelsets-dept698_pg1/

Always been helpful on the phone too.

willharris10

Guys thanks for the hints. Most of my riding is commuting and day trips. I usually have a bit of clothing on the rear rack but otherwise (yup I'm a bit stocky!) It's not a vast array of luggage ;-)

The SJS site is very interesting. If I were after a proper touring wheel this looks like the place I'd go.

I ride on 23 front and 25 rears at the moment. Seems ok and worked well on LEJOG (actually used 25s front and back for that). No obvious difference and always run them at 120psi.

Anyway, anyone have any (not quite so bomb proof) suggestions?

asprilla

Hope hubs were mentioned as bullet proof and 32 spokes is good advice, so if you don't want to go down the hand build route then Hope do their own wheels:

http://www.tredz.co.uk/.Hope-Hoops-Pro- ... =Froogle01

The Mavic Open Pro rim is well regarded as well. I've got a pair that I use for commuting from Walton on Thames to London and back every day. 3,500 miles on them so far this year and still in mint condition.

rolf_f

willharris10 wrote:

The SJS site is very interesting. If I were after a proper touring wheel this looks like the place I'd go.

Though of course the place you should go is Spa Cycles......

night_porter

Get yourself a new pair of Aksiums, they have served you well to date and for the type of riding you are doing they fit the bill.

The 2011 ones look very nice too with wide bladed spokes and although I haven't seen the "2012" specced ones I am sure they will look good too.

Incidently I used to weigh in at 120kgs and carry my commuting clothing on a rear rack and the only wheels I kept breaking spokes on were 32h handbuilts. I (re)fitted the 20/24 spoke Shimano R500's that came with my bike and they have never gone out of true nor broken any spokes (9,500 miles and still going strong).

I now weigh around 90kgs and use Aksiums or RS10's or R500's on different bikes and they are all plenty strong enough.

willharris10

Great advice thanks Night Porter and thanks Asprilla and others.

willharris10

Thanks for all the advice. Checked through the reviews and gone for a pair of Shimano RS30 from Ribble at £130 for the pair. Seems a good price and they sound more reliable than the Mavic's based on the reviews. Cheaper too.

Thanks all. Let you know how they go.

estampida

could go for hope maybe

willharris10

Shimano wheels have arrived. Had to slip mechanic a fiver to swap the cassette from old wheel to new wheel and after much cleaning of bike and swapping of tyres (new brake pads too) the new wheels got their first commute today. Heaven.

They're super smooth, make no noise whatsoever. My God, I now realise how much of the rubbish ride was down to running worn out wheels.

So there we are. No idea how well they'll stand up to use, but they're not being jumped off pavements, just lugging me to work an back on the daily commute for which they are greeeeeeeeat.

http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/sp/road-t ... HIMWHFR382