Fulcrum Racing Quattro vs Mavic Aksium S

Cycle Runner 888

I'm planning to upgrade my wheelset for my bike I don't really want to spend over £300 on a wheelset which ones do u think are better ?

Fr Howie

I am no expert on the stuff that really matters, (i.e. how stiff and aero they are) but it is my experience that the free-wheel on Fulcrum wheels is almost deafeningly loud, whilst the Mavic free-wheel runs at a much more sensible volume. This isn't a huge deal, but it certainly swayed me when I was choosing between Fulcrum and Mavic.

Mickyg88

You might consider the American Classic Victory for around the £300 mark, or the Victory 30's for a few pound more, LBS racing team use them this season.

duckson

I have Victory 30's and i have no complaints, can only compare them to the stock Ritchey DS Pro wheels that came with my Boardman Team Carbon. On swapping them there was an instant "zing" when riding the bike, more instant acceleration but to be expected as they are a lighter wheelset (1590g vs 1850g or there abouts).
I didnt buy them new though so payed less than £300 although i'm now going to change them for some Wheelsmith 50mm carbon clinchers or H Son Plus Archetype based custom build, only reason is that I was going to change the bike but decided to keep it this year so I have some cash to spend and a new wheelset seems like a good option!

PS the freewheel noise isnt loud, quite a subtle click but very nice sounding, perfect i'd say.

musttriharder

duckson wrote:

I have Victory 30's and i have no complaints, can only compare them to the stock Ritchey DS Pro wheels that came with my Boardman Team Carbon. On swapping them there was an instant "zing" when riding the bike, more instant acceleration but to be expected as they are a lighter wheelset (1590g vs 1850g or there abouts).
I didnt buy them new though so payed less than £300 although i'm now going to change them for some Wheelsmith 50mm carbon clinchers or H Son Plus Archetype based custom build, only reason is that I was going to change the bike but decided to keep it this year so I have some cash to spend and a new wheelset seems like a good option!

PS the freewheel noise isnt loud, quite a subtle click but very nice sounding, perfect i'd say.

There seems to be a lot of people building up H Son Plus Archetype wheels, what advantage do you think these will offer over the American Classics, I can't imagine they will come out any lighter.

duckson

Wheelsmith Race23 are quoted at 1440g so they are 150g lighter but then they are £450 to buy, swings and roundabouts!

mugensi

Fr Howie wrote:

I am no expert on the stuff that really matters, (i.e. how stiff and aero they are) but it is my experience that the free-wheel on Fulcrum wheels is almost deafeningly loud, whilst the Mavic free-wheel runs at a much more sensible volume. This isn't a huge deal, but it certainly swayed me when I was choosing between Fulcrum and Mavic.

I have Quattros on my 'good' bike and Aksiums on my winter bike. The quattros have approx 1000kms on them and the aksiums approx 3500kms. The Fulcrums are silent, there is an ever so slight ticking from the free hub when freewheeling. The Aksiums are VERY loud and have been since i got them, a very noticeable loud ticking from the hub when freewheeling.

Performance wise there is nothing in it between them, both spin as freely as each other and comfort seems similar on both however my good bike is carbon and the winter bike is alloy and so farme and tyres probably have more to do with comfort levels than the wheels themselves, I have heavy wire bead Zaffiros on the aksiums and Rubino Pro slicks on the quattros and so there is quite a difference in tyres in terms of weight (150g to be exact 205 -v- 355)

The Quattros take it in tems of looks but aksiums are good strong wheels, mine are still true without ever having to be adjusted/tightened.

DiscoBoy

Fr Howie wrote:

I am no expert on the stuff that really matters, (i.e. how stiff and aero they are) but it is my experience that the free-wheel on Fulcrum wheels is almost deafeningly loud, whilst the Mavic free-wheel runs at a much more sensible volume. This isn't a huge deal, but it certainly swayed me when I was choosing between Fulcrum and Mavic.

Depends on the model and year. I have a set of 2013 Fulcrum 5s which are silent.

Incidentally, I have a set of Mavic Aksium S WTS (so tyres and tubes included) which are brand new (I took them off my new bike before use) which I'm selling. I can't post them, but you could collect from me near Chester, or I am going to be in Oxford/Buckinghamshire this weekend.

king_jeffers

Hub on the Fulcrum should be almost silent, certainly was on my set. No experience with Mavic but had a problem sourcing replacement spoke for my Fulcrum when one snapped, might have just been a bad experience. I know one other in my club that had a similar issue with Fulcrum

adamfo

Current campag/fulcrum are near silent at least when new. The askiums I had from new are mid-range in terms of noise.

apreading

Aksium S for about £125 from here: http://www.4thebike.de/laufraeder/rennr ... vge87cnhk4

Cant comment on how they compare but thats like £100 cheaper than the Quattros...!

apreading

Good thread on the Quattros here - bear in mind that spokes and/or rims may be hard to find quickly and expensive (should you need to)

Shame, because I looked at some in a shop today and they are REALLY nice, the red nipples really add to their visual appeal too.

sparklehedgehog

Aksiums are horribly noisy click click click click whilst freewheeling. Hate it. Fulcrum racing 7's (2014) are near silent.

mugensi

apreading wrote:

Good thread on the Quattros here - bear in mind that spokes and/or rims may be hard to find quickly and expensive (should you need to)

Where is the link?

yaya

Cycle Runner 888 wrote:

I'm planning to upgrade my wheelset for my bike I don't really want to spend over £300 on a wheelset which ones do u think are better ?

For £300 with a bit of shopping around you should be able to find F3's (but not the 2-Way version which are more expensive)

As others mentioned the freehub is very quiet and to keep it quiet you can grease it once a year or so...personally I don't mind loud freehubs (got Hope XC on my MTB...)

apreading

MugenSi wrote:

apreading wrote:

Good thread on the Quattros here - bear in mind that spokes and/or rims may be hard to find quickly and expensive (should you need to)

Where is the link?

Sorry, dont know what happened there - here it is: viewtopic.php?f=40042&t=12899492&p=18083811&hilit=quattro+spokes#p18083811

I would trust what Ugo says and having ridden with guys with aero spokes that went in France and couldnt be replaced easily leading to need to buy a whole new wheel, this makes sense. Standard spokes and standard number of spokes would be highly desirable to my mind.

ugo.santalucia

apreading wrote:

I would trust what Ugo says and having ridden with guys with aero spokes that went in France and couldnt be replaced easily leading to need to buy a whole new wheel, this makes sense. Standard spokes and standard number of spokes would be highly desirable to my mind.

I read this the other day on a blog about wheels (Slowtwich maybe?) "sex sells" with reference to low and bizarre spoke count and bladed spokes.
It amazes me that most people don't even consider the eventuality of having to get something repaired when it comes to bicycles and wheels in particular, but of course would never buy a car that cannot be repaired... the money involved is not dissimilar.
What happened to components that were functional, serviceable and also beautiful? When I go out with my fully serviceable 1980 bike I get more compliments than boys on Cervelos... sex sells, but you probably have to find out which sex you want to buy...

Bar Shaker

Quattros are way better than Aksiums, that just isn't a valid comparison. The Quattros are light, stiff and a nice shape so are getting nearer to Kysirium Elite performance.

Just about any wheel is better than the Ritcheys that came on my 2010 Team Carbon. They were heavy, flexible and had non aero/bladed spoked. They probably cost less than £100 a pair and riding with them felt like towing a mattress, compared to the Elites that I swapped them for.

With regards to repairs, in 6 years of road biking, I have never needed anything doing to any of my wheels.

Ugo, surely your comparison is more valid if you mentioned repairs to your car wheels. The cost and difficulty of replacement/repair is very comparable, then. Does anyone buy a car or even a set of alloys on the basis of repairability or do you buy components on the basis that they will last almost forever and then you just replace them with something dripping in newer technology?

I might consider the repair factor if spending £2k+ on some carbon wheels but on a sub £500 wheel set, I am not sure it's an issue.

rolf_f

Bar Shaker wrote:

I might consider the repair factor if spending £2k+ on some carbon wheels but on a sub £500 wheel set, I am not sure it's an issue.

OK - two years ago I hit a huge pothole with my handbuilt touring wheels. Both rims bent. £32 for the replacement rims and, when I get round to it, probably £20 for getting them trued (I transferred the the rims to the old wheels myself and the front came out pretty well so maybe I'll get away with paying less) - but anyway, two bent rims, £50 to repair.

Cost of wheels - £170. If they'd been my Ventos, cost of repair would have been £170 ish.

For me, not throwing away £120 is an issue.

Bar Shaker

It could also be argued that something stronger than an £85 wheel may not have bent in the first place.

If that sort of money is a factor to you, then of course getting a cheap repair may be more important to you than having high performance equipment that you cannot afford to repair/replace.

The wheels being discussed above, such as Quattros etc, are very strong so should be very reliable, even if you ride down potholes and remain seated.

rolf_f

Bar Shaker wrote:

It could also be argued that something stronger than an £85 wheel may not have bent in the first place.

If that sort of money is a factor to you, then of course getting a cheap repair may be more important to you than having high performance equipment that you cannot afford to repair/replace.

The wheels being discussed above, such as Quattros etc, are very strong so should be very reliable, even if you ride down potholes and remain seated.

That could be argued but only by an idiot who is guessing.

These are 36 spoke touring wheels with Rigida Chrina rims and they went into a pothole 6 inches deep, me remaining seated, with a near vertical forward edge, at about 15mph. The wheels were so strong that they remained entirely true and round and I only realised the rims were bent (braking surface folded over, both sides of both rims) when I braked and felt the blocks rubbing on the deformation. I would bet a large sum of money that a pair of Quattros would have faired no better (and would probably have been unrideable afterwards).

You don't seem to know much about cycle wheels if you think that a cheapish wheel can't be built extremely strongly. Not necessarily the lightest wheel going but perfect for the purpose. I can afford more expensive wheels and do have them - but I actually know how little I'm actually getting for my money when I do spend more. It's not about knowing the cost of everything and the value of nothing.

PS - I would imagine that most people on here wouldn't wish to throw £120 away even if they can afford it. You are very fortunate if you regard £120 as not worth picking up.......

slowbike

Rolf F wrote:

That could be argued but only by an idiot who is guessing.

These are 36 spoke touring wheels with Rigida Chrina rims and they went into a pothole 6 inches deep, me remaining seated, with a near vertical forward edge, at about 15mph. The wheels were so strong that they remained entirely true and round and I only realised the rims were bent (braking surface folded over, both sides of both rims) when I braked and felt the blocks rubbing on the deformation. I would bet a large sum of money that a pair of Quattros would have faired no better (and would probably have been unrideable afterwards).

So .... you're just guessing then ....

rolf_f

Slowbike wrote:

Rolf F wrote:

That could be argued but only by an idiot who is guessing.

These are 36 spoke touring wheels with Rigida Chrina rims and they went into a pothole 6 inches deep, me remaining seated, with a near vertical forward edge, at about 15mph. The wheels were so strong that they remained entirely true and round and I only realised the rims were bent (braking surface folded over, both sides of both rims) when I braked and felt the blocks rubbing on the deformation. I would bet a large sum of money that a pair of Quattros would have faired no better (and would probably have been unrideable afterwards).

So .... you're just guessing then ....

I have similar wheels to Quattros so I can see that the rims are lighter (you'd hope they'd be lighter than the 500gs of Rigida rim - actually, Snypers rather than Chrinas) and the Quattros have far fewer spokes (only one spoke over half as many!!). I can call that an educated guess rather than an uneducated guess!

Seriously - what would you guess? 36 hole 500g rims to stay true or 16/21* hole much lighter rims?

*21? Where'd they get 21 from?!!

slowbike

Rolf F wrote:

Slowbike wrote:

Rolf F wrote:

That could be argued but only by an idiot who is guessing.

These are 36 spoke touring wheels with Rigida Chrina rims and they went into a pothole 6 inches deep, me remaining seated, with a near vertical forward edge, at about 15mph. The wheels were so strong that they remained entirely true and round and I only realised the rims were bent (braking surface folded over, both sides of both rims) when I braked and felt the blocks rubbing on the deformation. I would bet a large sum of money that a pair of Quattros would have faired no better (and would probably have been unrideable afterwards).

So .... you're just guessing then ....

I have similar wheels to Quattros so I can see that the rims are lighter (you'd hope they'd be lighter than the 500gs of Rigida rim - actually, Snypers rather than Chrinas) and the spokes fewer. I can call that an educated guess rather than an uneducated guess!

Are you skilled at engineering structures and strength? Just because something is built like a brickshithouse, it doesn't make it stronger than something built far lighter.

lighter could also mean that the item is capable of flexing more - capable of non-catastrophic absorption of impact - rather than just buckling at first hit.

ugo.santalucia

Bar Shaker wrote:

I might consider the repair factor if spending £2k+ on some carbon wheels but on a sub £500 wheel set, I am not sure it's an issue.

I am glad you have money to throw away... I, like many, don't

slowbike

ugo.santalucia wrote:

Bar Shaker wrote:

I might consider the repair factor if spending £2k+ on some carbon wheels but on a sub £500 wheel set, I am not sure it's an issue.

I am glad you have money to throw away... I, like many, don't

I had a spoke replaced on some Mavic Kyhoweveryouspellit Elites for £20 - ok, it's not "cheap" - but I'm sure a good proportion of that sum was taken up by overheads and a similar sum would've been required for the mavic cxp22's .
£20 for a spoke once in a while I can cope with but if I needed to replace the rim or the hub then I suspect it would be cheaper to buy another wheel.
For now, those wheels seem to be taking everything I can throw at them 1500 miles in have only needed one spoke (my fault!) - rims are still fine so plenty of life left in them - providing I miss any big obstacles - which I fully intend to do as the chances are that it'll wreck other bits of my bike, not just the wheels ...

rolf_f

Slowbike wrote:

Are you skilled at engineering structures and strength? Just because something is built like a brickshithouse, it doesn't make it stronger than something built far lighter.

lighter could also mean that the item is capable of flexing more - capable of non-catastrophic absorption of impact - rather than just buckling at first hit.

Of course you are right. Those 36 hole handbuilts with the heavy rims designed for use on laden touring bikes could well be weaker than a lighter rim (though I doubt it). And yes, if they had been more flexible they might have just flexed without damage. But do you really think so? Or is it more likely that the lighter rim would have buckled over a wider area given that the spokes on the front wheel are more than twice as far apart on the Quattro.

I'm a fan of Campagnolo wheels - they really do seem bombproof but I don't think they are completely indestructable!

slowbike

Rolf F wrote:

Of course you are right. Those 36 hole handbuilts with the heavy rims designed for use on laden touring bikes could well be weaker than a lighter rim (though I doubt it). And yes, if they had been more flexible they might have just flexed without damage. But do you really think so? Or is it more likely that the lighter rim would have buckled over a wider area given that the spokes on the front wheel are more than twice as far apart on the Quattro.

I'm a fan of Campagnolo wheels - they really do seem bombproof but I don't think they are completely indestructable!

I am right to query it ...

a lighter wheel designed for lighter loads may well absorb impact better. Have you ever dented a panel in a car and pushed out that dent leaving no trace? Ok - do that on a panel that is braced more (ie to take a heavier load) and it's likely that the panel will crease.

No wheel is indestructible - they are designed for different purposes - you trashed a touring rim in a pothole - would a more expensive wheel have faired any better? It's impossible to say as it depends on so many variables including the exact point on the rim that took the hit.

If you want to go riding potholes then get a mountain bike - or at least a mountain bike wheel & tyre ... the greater volume of the tyre absorbs far more impact than a road/touring wheel.

ugo.santalucia

Slowbike wrote:

I had a spoke replaced on some Mavic Kyhoweveryouspellit Elites for £20 - ok, it's not "cheap" - but I'm sure a good proportion of that sum was taken up by overheads and a similar sum would've been required for the mavic cxp22's .
£20 for a spoke once in a while I can cope with but if I needed to replace the rim or the hub then I suspect it would be cheaper to buy another wheel.
For now, those wheels seem to be taking everything I can throw at them 1500 miles in have only needed one spoke (my fault!) - rims are still fine so plenty of life left in them - providing I miss any big obstacles - which I fully intend to do as the chances are that it'll wreck other bits of my bike, not just the wheels ...

Yes, but this is the classic argument... I am sure people are fed up of it... I was trying a different angle...

slowbike

ugo.santalucia wrote:

I was trying a different angle...

Perhaps we should do that with potholes?!

ugo.santalucia

Slowbike wrote:

ugo.santalucia wrote:

I was trying a different angle...

Perhaps we should do that with potholes?!

Well, that's a tyre issue... if you damage your rim in a pothole, either the pothole is huge or you've got the wrong tyres on... can't blame the rim... you might damage a Sputnik and get away with a Zipp 202... it's anyone's guess... a rim being dented in a pothole doesn't say anything about the rim (but a lot about the rider... )