£250 Wheelset?

chilling

Sorry, a question that's probably been done to death but here goes.

I'm looking for a new wheelset for my ride. (Shimano 10 speed, Clinchers)

It's mainly used for commuting in London (15 miles a day, crappy potholed roads, speed humps etc.) with a few longer rides (usually in the Chilterns/Cotswolds so a bit hilly and generally crappy country roads). I weigh around 80Kg.

I'm guessing that £250 isn't going to be enough to get a decent set of handbuilts?

I've seen that Ribble have the 6700 Ultegra wheels for £233 which looks like a decent price to me.

Does anyone know how tough they are? Am I going to kill them using them to commute? My worry is that they only have 16 front and 20 rear spokes which is far fewer than the stock wheels I'm currently using (Which are slowly becoming less round and more wobbly). Also do the Ultegra's have a 'clicky' freewheel? I want quiet hubs.

Anyone have alternative suggestions I should be looking at? Fulcrum Quattro? Mavic Aksium?

Cheers

drlodge

You should be able to get some good handbuilts for £250 e.g. 105 hubs, Mavic Open Pro rims (or Ambrosio Excellent), Race spokes. http://www.harryrowland.info/7352.html

skyd0g

Mavic Askiums are generally considered to be pretty bomb-proof, so perhaps more suitable for a commute. They're available at Ribble for a little under £200 and come with a decent set of tyres & tubes thrown in.

They do however have quite a noisy freewheel - something I'd personally consider an advantage on a commute - a slightly better chance of warning pedestrians that there's something coming their way.

drlodge

skyd0g wrote:

Mavic Askiums are generally considered to be pretty bomb-proof, so perhaps more suitable for a commute.

In what way are they *more suitable* for a commute? the beauty of hand built wheels are they are very servicable, bult for a specific purpose/rider and spares parts are easily available.

FWIW, my bike I'm just about to commute on has Mavic Open Pro, DuraAce hub (old ones with cone/bearings) and 32 spokes. That's bomb proof.

junglist_matty

I did have Mavic Kysrium Equipes, thought they were pretty good wheels, then yesterday out on a ride, and bang, there goes a spoke; wheel fit for the bin... They've been ridden 4900 miles almost daily, (throughout the winter). But even so, under 5k miles is nothing for a set of wheels, or at least it shouldn't be!

I've just ordered some Open Pro's on Shimano 105 hubs for £220 inc. delivery from Merlin, good price, and hopefully should be decent longer lasting rims, especially that they have a lot more spokes (32 as opposed to 20) so "should" be much stronger than the Equipes

bikeit65

Ask Ugo on here a wheelbuilder.

skyd0g

drlodge wrote:

skyd0g wrote:

Mavic Askiums are generally considered to be pretty bomb-proof, so perhaps more suitable for a commute.

In what way are they *more suitable* for a commute? the beauty of hand built wheels are they are very servicable, bult for a specific purpose/rider and spares parts are easily available.

FWIW, my bike I'm just about to commute on has Mavic Open Pro, DuraAce hub (old ones with cone/bearings) and 32 spokes. That's bomb proof.

Are these your wheels drlodge?


I was only suggesting the Askiums are a pretty good off-the shelf all-round set of wheels & worth considering. Suitable for commuting and as well as various other duties. As they're available for £200 with free tyres and tubes (iro minus £50ish) which effectively makes them around £150 net, so great value & leaves the OP to fritter away the savings on other shiny things.

...and that may be on a good lock, depending on where in London he leaves his bike.

cycleclinic

£250 can buy you a very decent set of handbuilts. Mavic OP's on novatec or miche hubs for example and you mighy even have some change. 32 spoke front and rear and lighter than a pair of askiums.

chilling

Thanks for all the advice.

I think I'll be getting some of those Open Pros with 105 hubs.

Is the 105 hub quiet?

drlodge

chilling wrote:

Thanks for all the advice.

I think I'll be getting some of those Open Pros with 105 hubs.

Is the 105 hub quiet?

No idea, does it matter? My old Dura Ace hub are fairly quiet, compared to my Record hubs which are waaayyyy noisy.

chilling

I don't suppose it really matters, just my personal preference.

I got enough of noisy freewheeling back in the day when a playing card pegged to your seat stay was the coolest way to ride.

junglist_matty

chilling wrote:

Thanks for all the advice.

I think I'll be getting some of those Open Pros with 105 hubs.

Is the 105 hub quiet?

Stuck them on my bike yesterday evening, did 20 mile commute this morning, they're fine mate, freehub is about as quiet as you get... I couldn't tell a blind bit of difference between these wheels and the 300g lighter (almost twice as expensive) Mavic's; I even got a PR on a climb I've ridden about 50 times..... I was also way off my PR's on other segments that I've also ridden hundreds of times (although a lot of those PR's are set with huge tailwinds so it's not really comparable)

It just goes to show that I'm correct in what I bang on about all the time about loads of riders on here who have all the gear but no idea.... PB's are about being fit and strong on a good day, not about having a light bike.

sloppyschleckonds

junglist_matty wrote:

PB's are about being fit and strong on a good day, not about having a light bike.

You'll never get a job in any cycling marketing department with an attitude like that

MarksMintness

This thread has been one of the more useful on wheels (there have been many!).
I was set on some Ultegra's or maybe even Elites as I was obsessing with weight and magazine articles, but I'm now thinking about getting some built. It's good to hear about the experiences from both camps, and also that handbuilt wheels isn't the preserve of the elite or the 'enthusiast' but just general good sense from riders who know their stuff!
Cheers,

southdownswolf

chilling wrote:

I don't suppose it really matters, just my personal preference.

I got enough of noisy freewheeling back in the day as a playing card pegged to your seat stay is the coolest way to ride.

FTFY

darkhairedlord

105 hubs run as sweet as a sweet toothed sabre toothed tiger in a sweetshop full of sweet tasting jelly babies, themselves gorged on sherbert dips, mojos and blackjacks. So long as you swap out the balls and re-lube before and after winter (try some 52100 balls) they will last forever. or until the sabre tooth tiger eats them.

cycleclinic

Miche hubs are a better buy than 105 hubs, lighter and good cartridge bearings, that last. Once they are worn fit new bearings, you will not get hubshell damage with cartridge bearing hubs like you can if you leave cup and cone hubs for too long before servicing. 105 hubs are good but TLC is not something every one does so unless you are handy with cone spanners use the Miche or Novatec A171/F172 hubs. Bearing changes on these hubs are pretty easy and on the novatec hubs freehub body bearing changes are easy with the right tools. The miche hubs also come with a 11 speed shimano freehub as that is trickling down now.

chilling

But are they quiet?

bisoner

Back on factory wheels. Campag Zonda's can be had fairly close to your budget and have silent Hubs. They are a much loved set of wheels, stiff and great value.

cycleclinic

Miche hubs are pretty quiet.

smidsy

Novatec have a reasuring clicking. Louder than Shimano, but quieter than Hope, if that is what you want.