Wheels for roughish roads

decca123
decca123 Posts: 15
edited July 2013 in Road buying advice
Hi

I cycle mainly in the Lake District where the roads are not that smooth. I want to update my wheelset with a budget of less than £300. What options do I have for a light but strong wheel that is not going to leave me with a hard ride?

Thanks

Dec

Comments

  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    Ride quality is 95% down to tyres, not wheels. Change them first, it's cheaper.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,321
    You have to look at round double butted spokes and crossed pattern... radial big thick bladed spokes give you a harsh ride.
    left the forum March 2023
  • pippi_langsamer-2
    pippi_langsamer-2 Posts: 1,470
    Imposter wrote:
    Ride quality is 95% down to tyres, not wheels. Change them first, it's cheaper.

    What he said.

    Maybe look at some 25mm tyres and drop your psi a bit...?
  • passout
    passout Posts: 4,425
    I'd go handmade on Open Pro rims - ask in Biketreks, I've got wheels made up there in the past & they were good. Also have a look at Hope entry set of road wheels. Would be perfect.
    'Happiness serves hardly any other purpose than to make unhappiness possible' Marcel Proust.
  • cycleclinic
    cycleclinic Posts: 6,865
    Open Pro's or velocity A23's on Miche hubs would be just about perfect built with Sapim Race spokes. DT Swiss RR465 rims would be another good option.
    http://www.thecycleclinic.co.uk -wheel building and other stuff.
  • iPete
    iPete Posts: 6,076
    Try a wider rim, something 23/24mm wide. H+ Son TB 14s have made a subtle improvement to the harshness of my fixed.
  • 2oldnslow
    2oldnslow Posts: 313
    got a pair of DT Swiss RR465 on Hope 32 hubs built 3x with DT Comp's on my touring bike and can confirm on the equally rubbish roads in my part of Lancashire they do indeed ride really well but then I'm also running 28C Continental 4 Seasons at a relatively low pressure.
  • drlodge
    drlodge Posts: 4,826
    passout wrote:
    I'd go handmade on Open Pro rims - ask in Biketreks, I've got wheels made up there in the past & they were good. Also have a look at Hope entry set of road wheels. Would be perfect.

    Pretty much this. I've got Open Pros and Excellight rims on my 2 bikes, 32H 3 cross spokes (Sapim laser on front and race on the rear). Light weight and bullet proof, they more than stand up to the awful Surrey roads.
    WyndyMilla Massive Attack | Rourke 953 | Condor Italia 531 Pro | Boardman CX Pro | DT Swiss RR440 Tubeless Wheels
    Find me on Strava
  • smoggysteve
    smoggysteve Posts: 2,909
    I ride a lot on cobbled roads around Europe, especially like those found in Belgium. I can tell you tyre choice and pressure make a damn sight more difference than rim choice. Tyre lowering the pressure in the rear as the fork (if its carbon) should do a better job of absorbing the shocks than seat stays and seat post does so pressure can be left higher.
  • decca123
    decca123 Posts: 15
    Hi and thanks for all your advice.

    I probs wasn't as clear as I could have been. I'm not necessarily trying to improve ride smoothness from my current wheels, it's more that I have looked at a few reviews of potential sets to upgrade to and a lot of them talk about the ride being quite harsh on tougher roads. I don't want to upgrade to a new set that gets great reviews only to find that things have got all bumpy!

    Hope this makes sense.
  • Mickyg88
    Mickyg88 Posts: 289
    Although there aren't many reviews, I changed my wheels to American Classic Victory wheels whith continental 40000s tyres, these were recommended by my lbs who runs a race team using these for training, they are fantastic wheels, vastltly underrated, I got 25 mm tyres with them and the ride on my scott cr1 is sublime, get some you can't go wrong.
  • passout
    passout Posts: 4,425
    decca123 wrote:
    Hi and thanks for all your advice.

    I probs wasn't as clear as I could have been. I'm not necessarily trying to improve ride smoothness from my current wheels, it's more that I have looked at a few reviews of potential sets to upgrade to and a lot of them talk about the ride being quite harsh on tougher roads. I don't want to upgrade to a new set that gets great reviews only to find that things have got all bumpy!

    Hope this makes sense.

    Read this:
    http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/ ... t-11-44505
    'Happiness serves hardly any other purpose than to make unhappiness possible' Marcel Proust.
  • apreading
    apreading Posts: 4,535
    Mickyg88 wrote:
    ...continental 40000s tyres...

    Oooh - where can I get a set of these, I only have 4000s - are they like an amplifier that goes up to 11...?!?!
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    decca123 wrote:
    I probs wasn't as clear as I could have been. I'm not necessarily trying to improve ride smoothness from my current wheels, it's more that I have looked at a few reviews of potential sets to upgrade to and a lot of them talk about the ride being quite harsh on tougher roads. I don't want to upgrade to a new set that gets great reviews only to find that things have got all bumpy!

    In case you missed this earlier...
    Imposter wrote:
    Ride quality is 95% down to tyres, not wheels. Change them first, it's cheaper.

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