Lighter wheelset

Kerrmit1992

Hi guys,

I'm in the process of trying to set up my bike for cross country racing.

I believe that lighter wheels might be a good place to start, these are the current ones on my Giant talon 3 - Giant CR70 DW aluminium - that's what it says on the giant website, now as the bike was £500 I know the wheels are not going to be the best or lightest hence the upgrade :-). Also, am I best going tubeless?

Any suggestions are welcome :-)
Thanks
Craig Kerr

cooldad

What do yours weigh?

The Spiderman

And what is yur budget?

Kerrmit1992

I've not weighed them lol, I'll do that just now lol

preferably under about £300 lol
It would really depend on what was available and at what price as I coul maybe push it a bit further :-)

WindyG

http://superstar.tibolts.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=40&products_id=496

bartimaeus

WindyG wrote:

http://superstar.tibolts.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=40&products_id=496

+1 for these - I have them on my Anthem

Kerrmit1992

Which ones? There is a choice of 2 on there?

Also, a lot of reviews claim loose spokes? Any of use had this problem?

I reckon the current weight of my wheels (including tyre) is 2300g

bartimaeus

Crests for XC... the Flows are much more heavy duty - people have them on AM or even DH bikes I think. The SS rimtape is not much cop IMHO so I'd also get some Stans rim tape (21mm). I'll let you know about spokes when I've done a lot more miles on them... to early to tell, but they seem good to me.

Kerrmit1992

They do look nice,

I've no idea what kind of adapters I would need :-O lol

cooldad

Kerrmit1992 wrote:

Which ones? There is a choice of 2 on there?

Also, a lot of reviews claim loose spokes? Any of use had this problem?

I reckon the current weight of my wheels (including tyre) is 2300g

Reckon is a bit pointless. If you are right, take off around a kilo for tyres, , a few hundred grams at least for the cassette? and you are down to maybe a kilo for the wheels.
I think not.

The Spiderman

I`m guessing 2100g plus for the wheels you have.That`s less the cassette,rim tape,qr skewers,tubes and tyres.
I reckon there`s at least a pound to lose here.

Kerrmit1992

cooldad wrote:

Kerrmit1992 wrote:

Which ones? There is a choice of 2 on there?

Also, a lot of reviews claim loose spokes? Any of use had this problem?

I reckon the current weight of my wheels (including tyre) is 2300g

Reckon is a bit pointless. If you are right, take off around a kilo for tyres, , a few hundred grams at least for the cassette? and you are down to maybe a kilo for the wheels.
I think not.

So you reckon my wheels are heavier? It was more an educated guess, the only thing I had available to weigh them was bathroom scales lol, and they would barely register. It would briefly flash up with 23kg :-)

cooldad

I believe that's how Mclaren cut weigh, reckoning and guessing.
Bit pointless to blow a few hundred trying to cut weight unless you know what you're starting with and what you'll end up with.

Kerrmit1992

Yes but I'm just trying to get an idea of what's out there. I KNOW that the wheels on a £500 -£600 bike are not exactly going to be very good.

Of course I when I was going to make the change I would make sure it was going to work!

The Rookie

Kitchen scales work fine, just make sure the regular cook (your Mum/wife/GF/civil partner) doesn't find out!

I'd guess at 2.1+Kg for the wheels, 350g for cassette, 100+g for QR's, 220g EACH for tubes (lightweight can be had for from £4 - 120g - very cost effective), your tyres could be anywhere between 650g and over 1Kg EACH, so better tyres will benefit grip/rolling resistance and weight.

I'd personally put the money into tyres and tubes before the wheels, more bang for your buck (in fact more bang for less buck!).

PashleyRider

Which lightweight inner tubes are good though?

njee20

I'd get the Crest wheelset from Superstar, some Racing Ralphs from Actionsports, and go tubeless. All in less than £300 and I'd be surprised if you didn't save over a kilo.

lawman

what Njee said ^^^^

My superstars haven't put a foot wrong in over a year and I've got another set of crests nearly 2 years old on my susser that have taken a right hammering, still perfect. Change the tyres and tubes or go tubeless and you'll save a kg easily.

The Spiderman

PaulOliver wrote:

Which lightweight inner tubes are good though?

I`ve used these before. Lightish without compromising puncture resistance.

http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/article/schwalbe-butyl-inner-tube----extra-light/aid:49063/?origin=pla&kw=&gclid=COrHuKS8nLUCFQ7LtAodcDEAew

njee20

I disagree, any lightweight butyl tube is more puncture prone than a thicker equivalent. With Crests you'd be daft not to go tubeless IMO.

rockmonkeysc

Those Giant wheels are heavy. My wife has a Talon 3 and my Nukeproof Generator downhill wheels are lighter!
Stans Crest with a light aluminium cassette and some light tyres will make a HUGE difference.
I have had three sets of Superstar wheels (mavic rims on switch evo hubs) and their builds have been excellent each time. Fast delivery and free Haribo as well.

njee20

I don't think you mean an aluminium cassette, they last no time at all and shift like crap!

A cassette like XT, with some (steel) sprockets on an alu spider will likely save weight though yes!

rockmonkeysc

njee20 wrote:

I don't think you mean an aluminium cassette, they last no time at all and shift like crap!

A cassette like XT, with some (steel) sprockets on an alu spider will likely save weight though yes!

Thats what I meant.

Kerrmit1992

I want to go tubeless, I'm just unsure as to what I'll need to do :-)

cooldad

Easy, buy tubeless stuff, and gunk, faff around for hours. Finally get them inflated.
Go for a ride, tyre burps, fit tube or walk back.

The Spiderman

cooldad wrote:

Easy, buy tubeless stuff, and gunk, faff around for hours. Finally get them inflated.
Go for a ride, tyre burps, fit tube or walk back.

Alternatively use a dedicated tubeless rim, a decent tyre,follow Stans no tubes video, pump with a track pump,ride , enjoy a puncture free existence and laugh/point at Cooldad for tyre related ineptitude.

The Rookie

Not had any puncture issues with my budget (Ghetto as our American cousins would say) lightweight tubes

I Use Schwalbe 26x1.0-1.5 tubes inside tyres upto 2.25".

I agree if you have crests you may as well go tubeless, but if you don't have tubeless ready wheels, the tubeless will weigh more than tubes..

cooldad

The Spiderman wrote:

cooldad wrote:

Easy, buy tubeless stuff, and gunk, faff around for hours. Finally get them inflated.
Go for a ride, tyre burps, fit tube or walk back.

Alternatively use a dedicated tubeless rim, a decent tyre,follow Stans no tubes video, pump with a track pump,ride , enjoy a puncture free existence and laugh/point at Cooldad for tyre related ineptitude.

I'm old and wise enough to stick with tubes - just relating what I hear here. Including the chap last week who went out and bought a compressor.

The Spiderman

You haven`t lived until you`ve risked the will it or won`t it seal and possible latex spattered catastrophe of your first tubeless inflation.............

Kerrmit1992

If I was going to go tubeless I would prefer to get wheels that were designed to be tubeless, if they exist? Lol

lawman

Stan's rims are designed to be run tubeless, google how to setup stan's rims and it's easy to follow, I've had mine setup for a year and had no issues, and my other set of crests have run tubes and also had no problems. If you change tyre regularly, use tubes, if not, go tubeless. simples.