New strong back wheel

rohan
rohan Posts: 591
edited December 2012 in Commuting general
Hey people!

I have been looking around for info on this, but I don't know enough to make use of what might be useful threads, or people have different requirements, so sorry if it feels like a repeat post!

I was just told my back wheel is too knackered to be worth spedning the £18 for truing and 3 new spokes. I have a almost exactly year old Giant Seek 2 (love it!), and ride it like a mountain bike far too often, on not great quality roads (North Eastish Bristol). I do a reasonable bit of kerb hopping too, I just can't get the mtb attitude to go... I'm also 12-13 stone and stick a (not too heavy) bag on a bike rack, so my poor back wheel DOES take a pounding, even when I remeber to try and ride light over the rough stuff...

So what I want is a tough as old nails 700c backwheel I can forget about for at LEAST another full year... Any ideas? The only thing I've learned thuis evening is that 36 spoke sounds good - might technically be over-kill but I wanna fit and forget pretty much!

Cheers, Rohan
Pffff. Never thought I would feel this lost as regards bike tech :(

Comments

  • 36 spoke is indeed the way to go, do you have a budget in mind? - Saves us suggesting a load of wheels you cant buy :)
  • rohan
    rohan Posts: 591
    Oops! Knew I'd forgotten a key fact... Ideally around £100, but if it's tough enough I could go a bit higher... £150 is prob my limit though. Why is that things always go wrong when you're not minted?!
    Pffff. Never thought I would feel this lost as regards bike tech :(
  • cycleclinic
    cycleclinic Posts: 6,865
    What tyre widths doi you run?

    I am going to suggest handbuilt Rigida Spunilk rims + sapim race spokes (again 36 of them) and LX hubs for 25-47mm tyres or wider. This will take all the abuse you can throw at it and some more. Cost of rear wheel £84. A pair for about £150.

    Really these are pretty "boomproof"
    http://www.thecycleclinic.co.uk -wheel building and other stuff.
  • Moodyman
    Moodyman Posts: 158
    What tyre widths doi you run?

    I am going to suggest handbuilt Rigida Spunilk rims + sapim race spokes (again 36 of them) and LX hubs for 25-47mm tyres or wider. This will take all the abuse you can throw at it and some more. Cost of rear wheel £84. A pair for about £150.

    Really these are pretty "boomproof"

    This would also be my choice just make sure you pick a version of the hub compatible with your disc brakes.
  • as above for "bombproof" would suggest maybe the same but with grizzly or snyper rims for a slightly sportier/lighter wheel with still great strength.

    but as long as are happy with a wide rim - the sputniks are renowned for being extremely resilient.
  • rohan
    rohan Posts: 591
    I don't care too much about weight, strength is most important! The only potential concern I have about the Sputinks is if my 28c tyres will be OK? I know little enough about wheel/tyre combos for mountain bikes, and wheels/tyres for road bikes are a whole new thing..!

    *ahem* rookie error. I shall not be reusing the old hubs, as they are, of course, 32h. Glad I'm learning to check everything before placing orders...

    Thanks for the tips, much appreciated! :)

    Rohan
    Pffff. Never thought I would feel this lost as regards bike tech :(
  • cycleclinic
    cycleclinic Posts: 6,865
    a sputnik rim is 24mm wide at the outside so a 28mm (700x28c) tyre will sit very nicely and take up a slighty ewider profile than it would ion a narrower rim. The spuniks are meant for 28-47c tyres.
    http://www.thecycleclinic.co.uk -wheel building and other stuff.
  • FWIW, I built up a new rear wheel and wanted to go the bomb-proof route and used Sapim Race on the non-drive side but went for Sapim Strong (single butted) on the drive side. Still going strong (pardon the pun) after 2 years despite my non-existent wheel building skills!

    _
  • The Sputnik is a solid rim, but if you are not planning on riding the Road of Bones fully loaded, it's largely unnecessary. It weighs 300 grams more than a decent robust 20 mm rim, which for two rims is like carrying 6 Kg more of static load on your bike, give or take.
    There are very robust and significantly lighter rims in a similar price bracket, if you plan to stick to 28 mm tyres... I'm thinking of Ambrosio Excursion or even the Rigida Chrina
    left the forum March 2023
  • cycleclinic
    cycleclinic Posts: 6,865
    A chrina is 520g and a spuntnik is 700g so the difference is not as great ug. Even the exrusion is nearly 500g.

    Also the chrina is so narrow not everyone like the handling you get from 28mm tyres but not everyone notices or even cares.
    http://www.thecycleclinic.co.uk -wheel building and other stuff.