Climbing Wheels - Which?

gwillis

Monty Dog wrote:

gwillis wrote:

ive been discussing some climging wheels with y LBS who has offered to build them up for me in Jan. I couldnt decide on rims but the Planet X seem a bargins. My LBS suggested hope hubs dhow do the Chin Haur hibs compare?

Chin Haur make OEM hubs for others including American Classic - their design is basically an AC clone - not the strongest but pretty light and reasonably cheap. The Hope's will obviously be stronger, but easily twice the price.

cheers Monty, im going to place an order in the new year can you confirm for a 75kilo rider they would be ok?

Monty Dog

The hubs have a fairly narrow flange distance so don't expect rigidity like Ksyriums

Eyorerox

Not so sure R SYS wheels are that good, used to have some prefer my Fulcrum Zeros, spokes are very costly.

http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com/2009/06 ... ps-on.html

I would go with Velocity A23 or HED C2 32 3X rear 28 front and perhaps DT swiss hubs

EKIMIKE

Frankly i wouldn't go for anything below 1500g-ish for a wheelset at 95kg's. I'd wager that wheels under that weight will give you issues i.e. i'd doubt they will stay true for very long and you might find yourself pinging spokes if you use lightweight ones and alloy nipples.

The standard 1500g-ish wheelsets are Fulcrum 3/1, Mavic Ksyrium Elite, Campag Zonda/Neutron. Mostly under £500 but proven, time tested performance and technology (been around for the last 10 years and refined over that time). The sorts of wheels you find on the pro's training bikes - they're the reliable choice when you can't get your bike in the service course every week. Not that we're pro's!

Invariably the rims on these models are very very light, it's just the hubs keeping the weight up. So you still get the rotational mass benefits. It makes sense - go flash and super-light when you're actually fit enough to go fast up-hill. They might save you seconds but what's the point if everyone else is beating you my minutes.

napoleond

I've had allsorts of wheels and have settled on Ksyrium Elites. I really like them! Tbh its all anyone needs but if money not an issue it'd be nice to have some R-Sys.

EKIMIKE

I mean to make a direct comparison with R-SyS and Ksyrium Elite - they both use exactly the same rim. You have to go up to R-Sys SL to get a lighter rim. Even then it seems to be the same rim just machined further (no doubt less stiff).

Ksyrium Elite's have good solid steel spokes. More durable than the Zircal aluminium spokes on (fractionally) lighter Ksyrium models and cost alot less to replace than the carbon ones used on R-SyS models.

Very light rim and solid steel spokes. You can't realistically get any better than that for someone who is 95kg's. Any lighter rims and lighter spokes will lead you to problems - it's the harsh reality. If you look at the Planet-X rims for example they recommend a rider weight limit of 80kg's. For good reason. They will fail or not perform very well.

TMR

Thanks for the advice guys - very grateful to you. Have taken everything on board, may get the Elites until I've lost more weight.

napoleond

Good choice! You won't be disappointed. Nor do I think you'll ever bother 'upgrading'...

siamon

If you are looking at Elites, please look at the DURA ACE C24's before making a decision. The C24 the only wheel I will ever need. Super stiff, yet gives a supple ride & excellent longevity and a bargain for what you get. Most of the weight is in the centre so climbing becomes a piss take. They are a fantastic general purpose wheel. When I swapped back to Elites, they felt a little harsh and (surprisingly) less stiff. On the negative side, the C24's can look a bit home made, whereas the Elites are more bling.

I am a fair bit lighter, but would still urge you to try the Dura Ace. Read the Bikeradar review, and the 2011 ones are better than the 7850's tested

napoleond

I've had c24s and thought they were fantastic but for someone heavy they are a lot flexier than Elites. I used to get a fair bit of brake rub with mine.

Evil Laugh

Personally I much prefer the c24 dura ace wheels to ksyriums. I've swapped them around owning both wheels simultaneously for a period. The ksyriums just don't ride anywhere near as nice. The hubs don't feel as nice. They just feel lower quality all round. The Shimanos also descend better that any other clinchers I've used. I don't know if it's the wider rims or what but thy just seem to caress the road, especially through corners, like nothing else. I weigh 85kg. Personally no flex issues with the c24s. They have a little give to them, not brake rub inducing or affecting descent/sprints, but this is maybe part of the lovely springy ride they give. The ksyriums feel dead and wooden in comparison. Same bike/tyres/pressures.

The c24tu is in another league again. Insanely exciting wheelset. Excited for the 7900 to come out, I'm struggling to imagine a nicer wheel than the c24tubs. The 7900 hubs supposedly build a stiffer wheel than 7850. Interested to find out (I had the 7850), I'll buy some new c24s next year in both tu and clincher. Love them.



I like the rsys but don't have extended ride time on them, no fast descents for eg. They are super stiff.

I built some velocity a23s, they are plenty stiff. I thought the 23mm wide rims may feel better than the dura ace but they don't. Still great wheels worth considering. Built mine as 32h 3x with sapim race.

My 2p, lose a few kg and buy some Shimanos. If you're set at 95kg, I'd look at a velocity a23 build with cx rays and nice hubs over ksyriums but it's all opinions at end of day. Hed Ardennes supposed to be nice in the same wide rim vein.

My experience FWIW is based on riding with Vittoria pave tyres/tubs on all wheels. I think the wider rims like shimano and velocity suit these tyres really well. Can't say I've tried any other tubs though.

Evil Laugh

siamon wrote:

If you are looking at Elites, please look at the DURA ACE C24's before making a decision. The C24 the only wheel I will ever need. Super stiff, yet gives a supple ride & excellent longevity and a bargain for what you get. Most of the weight is in the centre so climbing becomes a wee-wee take. They are a fantastic general purpose wheel. When I swapped back to Elites, they felt a little harsh and (surprisingly) less stiff. On the negative side, the C24's can look a bit home made, whereas the Elites are more bling.

I am a fair bit lighter, but would still urge you to try the Dura Ace. Read the Bikeradar review, and the 2011 ones are better than the 7850's tested

Mate, try the tu version. Die happy!

siamon

I can see where Napoleon is coming from. I did make the point that I am 25kgs lighter and I been on a set of Reynolds that didn't deal with my weight. But if Evil weighs 85 and hasn't got a bad word against the Dura ACE, it must be worth the OP giving them a shot. I find the Elites are far less responsive, slower, and provide a far harsher ride quality.

Evil, cheers for the tip on the tubs. My clinchers have the 7900 hubs and they are awesome in every way. No appreciable flex, supple & incredibly responsive. But the best thing of all is the ride quality they provide in every situation (even on GP4000s which can feel a bit dead on stiff wheels).

tim_wand

Bump (Youve geussed it) get rid of Trellstemmer (Anyone selling any UGG boots?)

kfinlay

Can anyone comment how the DAs, Ksyriums and R-Sys compare to a pair of Fulcrum 1s or Zeros? - needing a set for my Campag equipped Colnago so DA's not an option. I'm 78Kg and ride a good mixture of hills/flats and thought Fulcrum Zeros or Shamals would be ideal or maybe even IRD Aeros on some decent hubs (Wheelsmith is only 20 miles away from me).
Not trying to high-jack the thread just surprised that no-one suggested Fulcrum wheels to the OP.

Zoomer37

kfinlay wrote:

Can anyone comment how the DAs, Ksyriums and R-Sys compare to a pair of Fulcrum 1s or Zeros? - needing a set for my Campag equipped Colnago so DA's not an option. I'm 78Kg and ride a good mixture of hills/flats and thought Fulcrum Zeros or Shamals would be ideal or maybe even IRD Aeros on some decent hubs (Wheelsmith is only 20 miles away from me).
Not trying to high-jack the thread just surprised that no-one suggested Fulcrum wheels to the OP.

Fulcrum Zeros are the business. Around the same weight as those R-Sys, but cheaper and look the dogs nuts if you get the Dark Label version.

Perfect racing/climbing wheels for us mortals.

Cornish-J

Why has no one mentioned 202s or 303s?!

whojanicanackerov

Cornish-J wrote:

Why has no one mentioned 202s or 303s?!

maybe the price?

Eyorerox

I have Fulcrum Zeros on my Colnago MXL used to have R-SYS and Zonda
great wheels until you brake a spoke (very costly) or you have a crash
same could be said for all three wheels! Having had the crash I now have Fulcrum Zero on the back
and Zonda on the front.
I would go with V-A23 or HED C2 rims with spokes and hubs that can be repaired easily.

wildmoustache

I will chime in as I've owned or ridden most of these (thought not the K-Elites or SYS).

DAs have great ride quality, hubs and low rim weight. First class. They aren't super stiff though, I would not describe them as stiff, though they aren't noodles. A touch fragile compared to tougher Campag/Fulcrum and Mavic IMHE.

Generally wheels with Alu spokes will ride a bit harsher but IMHE be a bit more durable than steel spoked wheels with similar hubs and rims. I'd personally take the ride quality for a small durability sacrifice, though my bog standard wheels are Shamals which have been great.

bikergirl17

to the poster on the chin har hubs -- if they are anything like what is on the american classic 350s be forewarned that they are definitely 'lightweight' ... could be the entire wheel build here, but these things flex big time (and I am sub 50 kg). awesome for climbing if all you are doing is climbing, but if the ride involves descending or flats def make sure sturdy wheel build.

northpole

I have the previous version DA; 2010 R-Sys Premium; 2009 Fulcrum Zeros. I weigh approx 13.5 stone.

The DA have lasted superbly and been used daily as commuters since 2007. The rim on the front wheel is certainly now concave with braking over all that time in town traffic however, both wheels still run as true as the day they were new. Incredible really.

The R-Sys with Open Pave tyres are superbly comfortable, lightweight and great climbing wheels (even if I admit that I am not!!). Unfortunately, I am still not 100% confident in their integrity - not through anything which has happened with my wheels, but from various scare stories I have come across on the internet.

The Zeros have been a real surprise to me - I hadn't thought about them before they came with a bike I bought. They are really stiff (as is the bike); so not the most comfortable however, they roll forever and given the choice between these three, they are probably the ones I would go for at this price level.

Peter