Wheely Need Advice II

WarlKicken
WarlKicken Posts: 224
edited July 2013 in Road buying advice
Bonjour my fellow cyclists!

...following on from my previous post regarding new wheels (appreciate the feedback), I've been considering getting a factory pair purely because I know so little about getting made ones and don't want to screw myself.

I am stuck between Dura Ace C50s at £1,150 (ouch - for someone not a pro or am racer that's a packet right there but they do seem to go well) OR the slightly more reasonably priced Campag Bullet C50 at about £700.00.

Anyone ridden either? I know a guy that knows a guy selling the DA for about 750beans all in.

I duno what to do :(
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Comments

  • napoleond
    napoleond Posts: 5,992
    Stop deliberating so much and buy some. Buy some you like the look of. Shimano and Campag can't afford to make bad wheels. Nor can anyone else at that price point.
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  • WarlKicken
    WarlKicken Posts: 224
    NapoleonD wrote:
    Stop deliberating so much and buy some. Buy some you like the look of. Shimano and Campag can't afford to make bad wheels. Nor can anyone else at that price point.

    Now you're a guy I like. My budget was £700.00 so I think Campag win. 105g heavier but then, I'll just lose the extra in body weight to make up.

    Thanks man!!
  • napoleond
    napoleond Posts: 5,992
    You wouldn't notice 105g. At all. Whatsoever. It's what, 3 packs of crisps?
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  • Sprool
    Sprool Posts: 1,022
    ...or just don't top your water bottle up quite so much...:)
    However, 105g spinning fast on a wheel mounts up to a lot more than 105g static mass.
    Someone more clever and motivated can do the maths I'm sure.
  • napoleond
    napoleond Posts: 5,992
    Sprool wrote:
    ...or just don't top your water bottle up quite so much...:)
    However, 105g spinning fast on a wheel mounts up to a lot more than 105g static mass.
    Someone more clever and motivated can do the maths I'm sure.

    You still wouldn't notice it between two wheels. Pick the wheel up and hold it at the ends of the hub, spin it by finger. Easy no? Then pick one up that's 50-60g heavier and do the same. I'm sure no-one would notice much of a difference in how hard it is to make spin...
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  • wishitwasallflat
    wishitwasallflat Posts: 2,927
    WarlKicken wrote:
    regarding new wheels (appreciate the feedback), I've been considering getting a factory pair purely because I know so little about getting made ones and don't want to screw myself.

    All you need to know is what you want them for, how much you weigh, your riding needs and your budget - then email or phone Harry Rowland and he will tell you options. You will end up with a far far better set of wheels for the same money or far better for less. You can trust Harry he's been around for ever, his rep is impeccable and he won't suddenly become someone who screws his customers when you call.
  • napoleond
    napoleond Posts: 5,992
    edited July 2013
    We've already been through the benefits of handbuilts with the OP in a previous thread, but he wants factory.
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  • drlodge
    drlodge Posts: 4,826
    WarlKicken wrote:
    Bonjour my fellow cyclists!

    ...following on from my previous post regarding new wheels (appreciate the feedback), I've been considering getting a factory pair purely because I know so little about getting made ones and don't want to screw myself.
    [...]
    I duno what to do :(

    What you ought to do is give Harry Rowland a ring, otherwise you may well screw yourself by getting factory wheels.
    WyndyMilla Massive Attack | Rourke 953 | Condor Italia 531 Pro | Boardman CX Pro | DT Swiss RR440 Tubeless Wheels
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  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    madasahattersley wrote:
    Factory wheels are fine

    You are right Luke - but unfortunately, the assembled masses of BR only want to discuss handbuilts...
  • napoleond
    napoleond Posts: 5,992
    Imposter wrote:
    madasahattersley wrote:
    Factory wheels are fine

    You are right Luke - but unfortunately, the assembled masses of BR only want to discuss handbuilts...

    Nowt wrong with factory wheels, I prefer hand builts (well, custom, some 'factory' wheels are built by hand)

    For me and my riding hand builts suit me. I've had many a factory wheel over the years, the only ones I wouldn't have again are Zipps.
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  • wishitwasallflat
    wishitwasallflat Posts: 2,927
    Imposter wrote:
    madasahattersley wrote:
    Factory wheels are fine

    You are right Luke - but unfortunately, the assembled masses of BR only want to discuss handbuilts...

    Not me - the reason I raised handbuilt option is cause
    WarlKicken wrote:
    regarding new wheels (appreciate the feedback), I've been considering getting a factory pair purely because I know so little about getting made ones and don't want to screw myself.

    that's a crazy reason and supposes that wheel builders will screw their customer if the customer is not knowledgeable - some may but many many will not.
  • drlodge
    drlodge Posts: 4,826
    wishitwasallflat wrote:
    that's a crazy reason and supposes that wheel builders will screw their customer if the customer is not knowledgeable - some may but many many will not.

    Harry's view is that the customer is always wrong ;-) And he's probably right most of the time, since the customer knows only the wheels they want, not the wheels they really need.
    WyndyMilla Massive Attack | Rourke 953 | Condor Italia 531 Pro | Boardman CX Pro | DT Swiss RR440 Tubeless Wheels
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  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,321
    drlodge wrote:
    wishitwasallflat wrote:
    that's a crazy reason and supposes that wheel builders will screw their customer if the customer is not knowledgeable - some may but many many will not.

    Harry's view is that the customer is always wrong ;-) And he's probably right most of the time, since the customer knows only the wheels they want, not the wheels they really need.

    MMmh, yeah, but not many customers actually do NEED wheels, sometimes they only WANT them... so if you give them the ones they NEED, they will still NEED the ones they WANT... does it make any sense? :wink:
    left the forum March 2023
  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    What people WANT is to be given proper buying advice and not constant spamming of BUY HAND BUILT. Every single wheels thread gets caught up in this meaning nobody gets any useful advice. Those of you who are doing this - please stop.
  • drlodge
    drlodge Posts: 4,826
    markhewitt1978 wrote:
    What people WANT is to be given proper buying advice and not constant spamming of BUY HAND BUILT. Every single wheels thread gets caught up in this meaning nobody gets any useful advice. Those of you who are doing this - please stop.

    Stop what? If you go the hand built option AND choose a reputable wheel builder, you will get better advice than you ever will on this forum. Getting the right wheels (whether its what you want or what you need...) is a matter of compromise. You can have wheels that are light, strong, stiff or whatever but you can't have it all - trade offs are required including selection of the right components (narrow hub flanges will not work well with your typical box section rims like Open Pro).

    I would only suggest to the OP - find the factory wheels you think you want. Then give Harry a call with your budget and information about your weight, riding style etc and what you are looking for. See what Harry recommends (Shimano 105 hubs with Open Pro rims, Sapim race spokes) and compare against the factory option. Compare what each will give you over the course of the wheel's lifetime. Then make an informed choice.
    WyndyMilla Massive Attack | Rourke 953 | Condor Italia 531 Pro | Boardman CX Pro | DT Swiss RR440 Tubeless Wheels
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  • smidsy
    smidsy Posts: 5,273
    The advice is there, people simply choose to ignore it and buy the pretty, shiny thing they wanted in the first place, despite the reasoned arguments against.

    Different opinion does not equal no advice.

    OP - If you want to spend £1000 on a set of factory wheels go ahead.
    Yellow is the new Black.
  • drlodge
    drlodge Posts: 4,826
    I can't think of anything worse then dropping £1k ish on a set of factory wheels, and ending up with something that loads of other people have. And then when they break finding out I can't ride for a few weeks as the spokes are proprietary and have a 2-3 month lead time.
    WyndyMilla Massive Attack | Rourke 953 | Condor Italia 531 Pro | Boardman CX Pro | DT Swiss RR440 Tubeless Wheels
    Find me on Strava
  • smidsy
    smidsy Posts: 5,273
    droldge - I am with you. My comment at the OP was not vindication of the decision.
    Yellow is the new Black.
  • drlodge
    drlodge Posts: 4,826
    smidsy wrote:
    droldge - I am with you. My comment at the OP was not vindication of the decision.

    Yeh I know :D I pity the fool that favours factory wheels.
    WyndyMilla Massive Attack | Rourke 953 | Condor Italia 531 Pro | Boardman CX Pro | DT Swiss RR440 Tubeless Wheels
    Find me on Strava
  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    So you will continue your trolling. Shame.
  • napoleond
    napoleond Posts: 5,992
    trolling? WTF? People ask for advice and that is the advice given!
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  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    The OP asked for a comparison between two types of wheels. However some here are not interested in helping, just pushing their own agenda.
  • smidsy
    smidsy Posts: 5,273
    Trolling seems to have taken on a completely new definition.

    You have a different opinion to me = Troll.

    May as well remove the Buying advice section all together and let folk forge on blindly following the marketing hype in this wonderful world of ours.
    Yellow is the new Black.
  • wishitwasallflat
    wishitwasallflat Posts: 2,927
    Amazing :shock:
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,321
    To the OP,

    general rule is Campagnolo wheels are better built than Shimano wheels. It is an easy choice, as they are pretty much the same thing and 400 pounds extra are hard to justify. I don't see a grand worth of wheels in the C 50 clinchers to be honest.
    left the forum March 2023
  • drlodge
    drlodge Posts: 4,826
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    To the OP,

    general rule is Campagnolo wheels are better built than Shimano wheels. It is an easy choice, as they are pretty much the same thing and 400 pounds extra are hard to justify. I don't see a grand worth of wheels in the C 50 clinchers to be honest.

    If I had to choose between the two wheel sets, I'd go for the Campag wheels too. But then I'd think...for the same or lower price I could have a pair of wheels made from Gigantex carbon 50mm deep tubular rims, CX Ray spokes and some not so bad hubs. Would be a much nicer pair of wheels :P
    WyndyMilla Massive Attack | Rourke 953 | Condor Italia 531 Pro | Boardman CX Pro | DT Swiss RR440 Tubeless Wheels
    Find me on Strava
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,321
    drlodge wrote:
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    To the OP,

    general rule is Campagnolo wheels are better built than Shimano wheels. It is an easy choice, as they are pretty much the same thing and 400 pounds extra are hard to justify. I don't see a grand worth of wheels in the C 50 clinchers to be honest.

    If I had to choose between the two wheel sets, I'd go for the Campag wheels too. But then I'd think...for the same or lower price I could have a pair of wheels made from Gigantex carbon 50mm deep tubular rims, CX Ray spokes and some not so bad hubs. Would be a much nicer pair of wheels :P

    For the same money you'd get pretty much the same value in the hand built too, but a product with available spares, which is the only tangible difference. Campag hubs are as good as any and alloy/carbon rims are all the same. Campag bladed spokes are very similar to CX ray
    left the forum March 2023
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    Sorry, but this notion that spares are not available for factory wheels is unadulterated nonsense. People need to stop saying it.
  • napoleond
    napoleond Posts: 5,992
    Imposter wrote:
    Sorry, but this notion that spares are not available for factory wheels is unadulterated nonsense. People need to stop saying it.

    If you break a spoke you are much more likely to be able to get DT revolutions / Sapim CX Eays etc straight away than, say a Campag straight pull bladed spoke...
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  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,321
    Imposter wrote:
    Sorry, but this notion that spares are not available for factory wheels is unadulterated nonsense. People need to stop saying it.

    Sad but true, you can find very little and only for the latest version. I challenge you now to find 1 spare spoke for Campagnolo Neutron 2008, for instance... spare rims are even worse
    As long as you keep changing wheels every year you are fine... :roll:
    left the forum March 2023

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