£300 wheelset suggestions pls

parryman

Hello,
i am looking at upgrading the stock wheels on my Spesh Allez Elite.

Got a budget of £300 (less would be nice, slightly more is not entirely out of the question)

I am a large guy so need sturdy over featherweight.

I have no clue on building my own, so please dont suggest that.

Thanks

thespanishadam

Hope Hoops are a strong build. 32 spoke. Not sure if this is the cheapest about, gives you an idea though.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=38867

Oh and yes, I do have a pair. I do like how they can be easily serviced, ie spokes/rims replaces need be. Even come supplied with some spare spokes. Great hubs, all be it loud!

unixnerd

Shimano RS80s can be found for about that price if you shop around.

pscyclist

+1. I like mine. Here from PlanetX:
http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/WPS ... lset_(pair)

1@ATIME

Pro-Lite Bracciano's a little over 1500g for the pair v.good http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=29086&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=Shopping&utm_name=UnitedKingdom previously run RS30's, Aksium's and Easton EA50's. Current weight 13stone, 1 stone to go

gabriel959

How heavy are you?

mabbo

I have just put my new set on my Giant Defy 1, 2010 model.Original wheels MavicCXP22's, giant stock hubs and spokes, laced with 28 spokes. Similar bike to yours I guess. I got my new wheels handbuilt. Saved 470gms on my original mavics. (Based on comparing all up weight, tryes, tubes, air, cassette).They roll brilliant, look great. Spin uphill quicker. I will report on reliability in a year.
I got them handbuilt for UNDER £300. Try WWW.thecycleclinic.co.uk. Then give Malcolm a ring. Tell him what you want, why, your weight. He sent me several price point options and he knows what he's talking about.
He will post if you cannot get near him. My wheels are built up with DT swiss rims, DT Swiss spokes and Miche hubs.

Good luck

gavcsmith

Cannot go wrong with mavic kysrium elites.. Rose bikes.co.uk have them for £390 inc delivery

jonomc4

Mavic Kysirum Equipe - I am very pleased with them - fast and light enough for training rides - strong enough to commute on. £329 - £33 for sale therefore under £300 at evans

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/mav ... t-ec025777

sure you could find them cheaper though.

Elites are obviously better - just depends on your budget.

danmitch

Harry Rowland will be able to build you something within the budget - perhaps Ambrosio Excellight on NovaTec hubs - look at http://www.harryrowland.info/

unixnerd

Pro-Lite Bracciano's a little over 1500g for the pair v.good

I bought some of those when they were 185 quid, they've shot up in price since! Very good riding wheels and I love them. But if I was paying 300 I'd get the Shimano RS80s or better yet stretch to some Mavic Ksyrium Elites.

nmcgann

gavcsmith wrote:

Cannot go wrong with mavic kysrium elites.. Rose bikes.co.uk have them for £390 inc delivery

Or http://www.merlincycles.com/bike-shop/w ... -pair.html for £386.45 inc delivery

(I just bought a pair from Merlin.)

bmxboy10

Harry Rowland, Ambrosio Excellight Rims, Ultegra Hubs, 32h =£300. Better than the factory equivilents if you are heavy. I have seen a few reports on here of RS80s going out of true after a bit of use.

jonny_trousers

There's a lad here building me up some Open Pros on Novatec hubs for not much over £200. He's on holiday right now, which is perhaps why he has not chipped in, but he's built for several satisfied forum members in the past. PM me if you would like his details.

Mickyg88

That seems like a bargain, what weight will they be?

MattC59

Mavic Open Pro rims on Hope Pro3 hubs. Fantastic and pretty bombproof wheels.
£284 from Chain Reastion. That was the first price I found.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=38867

Herbsman

danmitch wrote:

Harry Rowland will be able to build you something within the budget - perhaps Ambrosio Excellight on NovaTec hubs - look at http://www.harryrowland.info/

This

Lovely wheels, and serviceable

essjaydee

MattC59 wrote:

Mavic Open Pro rims on Hope Pro3 hubs. Fantastic and pretty bombproof wheels.
£284 from Chain Reastion. That was the first price I found.

Similar to what I went for

I'm just shy of 16st and had a few problems with rear wheel issues recently. Broken spokes and worn hub bearing cones have kept me off the road for the last 2 weeks. So, local club colleague put me onto a wheel builder who lives near and went and had a chat this morning. I'm now a lot more educated on all things wheel related, such as double butted spokes etc. Have gone for a Mavic Open Pro rim with a Hope mono Pro 3 hub (36h) and laced with Sapin double butted spokes, 3 cross pattern.

Cost me £195 for rear wheel incl build costs. Seems a bulletproof set up so far and I'm well happy 8)

gabriel959

for the price of Hope hubs you can almost get Dura Ace hubs which I am sure are superior to the Hope ones anyway, ugo.santalucia will be around any moment soon to confirm.

ara3791

Fulcrum racing 3s can be got for Just over 300, great reviews.

fortyone

There's an Ebay site where a dealer has Dura Ace hubs on Mavic Open Pro's for about £270 plus post.

andyboyce

I had exactly the same dilemma as you...loads of people telling me to go for handmade but I didn't feel that I knew enough about what I was talking about to know if they were good or bad. Narrowed it down to the Shimano RS80 c24's and the Mavic Kysirum Elites. I went for the Mavic's as a few people told me that the Shimano's easily went out of true.

I have been absolutely delighted with the Mavics. They are very fast and light and have really transformed my carbon bike from its factory wheels. Just make sure you get some good tyres too....I went for the Schwalbe Ultremo ZX

Herbsman

andyboyce wrote:

I had exactly the same dilemma as you...loads of people telling me to go for handmade but I didn't feel that I knew enough about what I was talking about to know if they were good or bad.

This just doesn't make any sense

jonny_trousers

Mickyg88 wrote:

That seems like a bargain, what weight will they be?

Sorry for taking so long to get back to you on this. I'm quoting here, "A feather over 1600 grams."

essjaydee

gabriel959 wrote:

for the price of Hope hubs you can almost get Dura Ace hubs which I am sure are superior to the Hope ones anyway, ugo.santalucia will be around any moment soon to confirm.

Hope hub was £116. Dura Ace is £167. No contest as far as I was concerned.

Herbsman wrote:

andyboyce wrote:

I had exactly the same dilemma as you...loads of people telling me to go for handmade but I didn't feel that I knew enough about what I was talking about to know if they were good or bad.

This just doesn't make any sense

A good wheelbuilder with a good reputation, will advise you what to go for, based on what you want from a wheelset. You don't have to be an expert on wheels or componentry to spec a wheel.

ugo.santalucia

essjaydee wrote:

gabriel959 wrote:

for the price of Hope hubs you can almost get Dura Ace hubs which I am sure are superior to the Hope ones anyway, ugo.santalucia will be around any moment soon to confirm.

Hope hub was £116. Dura Ace is £167. No contest as far as I was concerned.

Herbsman wrote:

andyboyce wrote:

I had exactly the same dilemma as you...loads of people telling me to go for handmade but I didn't feel that I knew enough about what I was talking about to know if they were good or bad.

This just doesn't make any sense

A good wheelbuilder with a good reputation, will advise you what to go for, based on what you want from a wheelset. You don't have to be an expert on wheels or componentry to spec a wheel.

If money was no object and 32 spokes was the target, I would go for Dura Ace hubs any day, but Hope is a valid and durable alternative. Good quality ball and cone Shimano bearings can last indefinitely, sealed bearings will require replacement at some point, but it's not a big deal and the cost is within reason. Bear in mind Dura Ace hubs come with good quality QR, probably worth 30 pounds each, while Hope come without QR, so that has to be factored in the total cost.

Choosing rims and hubs is not difficult but there are some issues... for example if you get a rim which only takes low tensions, you need to match it to a hub with the right flange, to avoid having a slack non drive side after a few hundred miles... this aspect is often overlooked... then of course one has to be sensible with spoke count and weight/intended use of the wheelset.

parryman

Hello again.
Thanks for the suggestions/ offers.
I am a true Clydesdale. 6'6" and 17stones. Although ideally I'd be closer to 15st.
Looking at factory wheels, shimano RS80s or Ultegra are winning.
The Ultegra would leave budget for better rubbers, and is only marginally heavier.
May take the custom route and ping an email to Harry and seewhat he suggests.
I'm not going to be racing, but do plan go enter several 100 km + rides the coming spring.

unixnerd

I got a used set of Ultegras for 110 and use them on my other bike, very nice. Love the silent freewheel. Consensus is that they're bomb proof.

parryman

ah sweet, thats pretty much what i am after.

ugo.santalucia

unixnerd wrote:

I got a used set of Ultegras for 110 and use them on my other bike, very nice. Love the silent freewheel. Consensus is that they're bomb proof.

That's NOT the general consensus.

gabriel959

Ultegra's aren't bombproof or stiff for that matter. They have got nice hubs (Ultegra) but the rims is pretty average. At 17 stone you should be looking at a nice handbuilt to be honest.