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Really "budget" wheelset

road_runner12road_runner12 Posts: 113
edited July 2013 in Road buying advice
Hi all,

Apologies if this question doesn't appeal to the elite riders. I'm currently looking at some wheelsets that have recently come on offer. I'm not looking for the ultimate performance as I think I'd need to be a performance athlete to see the difference.

Currently have a set of 4ZA stratos wheels on my bike and my main reason for purchasing a new wheelset is to use the trainer more this winter and avoid the hassle of switching tyres. I'm on an extremely tight budget of <£150 and wondered if there were any thought on:

Shimano R501 (Standard £67, Bladed £70, 30mm Bladed £85)
Shimano RS10 £90
Shimano RS30 £120
Shimano RS21 £130

Limited to those wheelsets due to budget. Would like to think that the purchase would improve performance of bike as well as for the reasons mentioned above.

Would appreciate any feedback or alternative suggestions - thanks in advance.

Posts

  • smidsysmidsy Posts: 5,273
    Due to the way recent posts have gone I will confine my response to your list only.

    The Shimano RS range are considered reasonable for the money. I had a set of the old RS20 (which the 21 replaced) and they were OK until the nipples siezed making truing the wheel problematic.

    The RS range go higher up as the numbers get bigger, so the RS30 is the highest spes wheel of your list. If that matters to you then that is the one.
    Yellow is the new Black.
  • thistle_thistle_ Posts: 6,896
    Not on your list but I bought a set of the R500s 18-24 months ago when they were on offer and dirt cheap. I guess the R501s are pretty similar?

    Not had a problem with them. They felt much nicer than the stock wheels that they replaced, but that might've just been because they were new.
  • cyclecliniccycleclinic Posts: 6,865
    Moche reflex are £120 and that's what I would use.
    http://www.thecycleclinic.co.uk -wheel building and other stuff.
  • smoggystevesmoggysteve Posts: 2,909
    Maybe not within the budget of the OP, but if anyone has the pennies to spend, these look a bargain ATM,

    http://www.hergarden.de/rennrad-teile/laufraeder/2377/zipp-404-firecrest-clincher-laufradsatz?sCoreId=a0d9454619e8b0a6c94c8f4b29a488be

    Note, price is euros so closer to £1550ish
  • ugo.santaluciaugo.santalucia Posts: 27,716
    SmoggySteve wrote:
    Maybe not within the budget of the OP, but if anyone has the pennies to spend, these look a bargain ATM,

    http://www.hergarden.de/rennrad-teile/laufraeder/2377/zipp-404-firecrest-clincher-laufradsatz?sCoreId=a0d9454619e8b0a6c94c8f4b29a488be

    Note, price is euros so closer to £1550ish

    Or... if anyone is interested, I can match the £ 1550 price for... my car... only 3 and 1/2 years old.. :wink:
  • pessimalpessimal Posts: 58
    on the subject of really buget wheels, i recently snapped 2 spokes on my hybrids rear wheel and had them replaced, and now its broke another.

    do i just replace the spoke, replace the spoke and get it trued/tensioned, or just replace.

    if replace, the bike was only £300 new, so whats a reasonable replacement, something under £50 or just something thats round and the right size?
  • Phil_DPhil_D Posts: 467
    pessimal wrote:
    on the subject of really buget wheels, i recently snapped 2 spokes on my hybrids rear wheel and had them replaced, and now its broke another.

    do i just replace the spoke, replace the spoke and get it trued/tensioned, or just replace.

    if replace, the bike was only £300 new, so whats a reasonable replacement, something under £50 or just something thats round and the right size?

    thread thief
  • SproolSprool Posts: 1,022
    cheap entry level wheel from decathlon is pretty round and under £50.
  • cyclecliniccycleclinic Posts: 6,865
    rebuild the wheel or replace. cheap wheels will break spokes.
    http://www.thecycleclinic.co.uk -wheel building and other stuff.
  • road_runner12road_runner12 Posts: 113
    smidsy wrote:
    Due to the way recent posts have gone I will confine my response to your list only.

    The Shimano RS range are considered reasonable for the money. I had a set of the old RS20 (which the 21 replaced) and they were OK until the nipples siezed making truing the wheel problematic.

    The RS range go higher up as the numbers get bigger, so the RS30 is the highest spes wheel of your list. If that matters to you then that is the one.
    thistle (MBNW) wrote:
    Not on your list but I bought a set of the R500s 18-24 months ago when they were on offer and dirt cheap. I guess the R501s are pretty similar?

    Not had a problem with them. They felt much nicer than the stock wheels that they replaced, but that might've just been because they were new.

    Thanks for the info so far. Really appreciated. Been doing a little more browsing and found Fulcrum 5's at around the £150 price. Are they worth the additional investment?

    Also just to go back to the original question - if anyone can recommend a wheel that is below the £150 that would be a noticeable improvement on my 4ZA's, I'd be very grateful.
  • smoggystevesmoggysteve Posts: 2,909
    Fulcrum 5's are solid performers. Good choice if you can get them for the price you say.
  • milesemilese Posts: 1,233
    I bought the R501s for my training bike a few months ago (which in reality is probably 6 - 10 months ago given how time flys), I've not fitted the front yet, but I've snapped 2 spokes on the rear.

    I've never snapped a spoke on any other wheel before, and I've probably ridden over 10,000 in the last few years. I rode planet x's cheap wheels to death without ever snapping a spoke.

    They seem to ride ok though.
  • ugo.santaluciaugo.santalucia Posts: 27,716
    Milese wrote:
    I bought the R501s for my training bike a few months ago (which in reality is probably 6 - 10 months ago given how time flys), I've not fitted the front yet, but I've snapped 2 spokes on the rear.

    I've never snapped a spoke on any other wheel before, and I've probably ridden over 10,000 in the last few years. I rode planet x's cheap wheels to death without ever snapping a spoke.

    They seem to ride ok though.

    That pretty much sums up my thoughts on the Shimano R series... they are a pile of sxxt... :wink:
  • smoggystevesmoggysteve Posts: 2,909
    ugo.santalucia wrote:

    That pretty much sums up my thoughts on the Shimano R series... they are a pile of sxxt... :wink:

    I have got RS30's and they are very good wheels. Hubs are smooth and they have remained true since the day I got them. They have taken a battering on some terrible roads and have held up well. Can't comment on the lower wheels in the range but not ALL the R series are as bad as you suggest.
  • smidsysmidsy Posts: 5,273
    I suspect it comes down to weight and luck!.
    Yellow is the new Black.
  • milesemilese Posts: 1,233
    smidsy wrote:
    I suspect it comes down to weight and luck!.

    Not buying the 501's will increase your luck!

    I'm around ~ 12 stone.
  • secretsamsecretsam Posts: 4,948
    Fulcrum R7s VG for me, may be selling mine soon as my Shimano bike's being replaced by a Campag one! PM me if interested (rock solid wheels FWIW)
    It's just a hill. Get over it.
  • jimbod75jimbod75 Posts: 55
    Hi all

    I will soon have a pair of R501 wheels for sale if anyone is interested.
  • GuanajuatoGuanajuato Posts: 399
    Have a look at SwissSide St Bernhards. I've had a set for a year & they're surviving my 14st dropping to 13 stone on potholed lake district/dales roads and stayed true. They look pretty and different. And they come with 3 spare spokes (one for each size spoke in the set)
    Slight issue with the freewheel last month - swissside sent me a whole new wheelset.
  • simon_esimon_e Posts: 1,701
    If it's for the turbo then you surely only need a rear wheel.

    RS10 and RS20 are almost identical, the RS21 is 11-speed compatible version. I'm not sure if anything else has changed. I like my RS10s. RS30 is a bit deeper (30mm) rim so heavier but you don't get any other benefit. I wouldn't pay extra for them. And don't pay extra for bladed spokes.

    Why not buy secondhand? I recently picked up a pair of virtually new Giant P-R2 wheels locally for £80 as the seller wanted to upgrade the wheels on his Defy.
    Aspire not to have more, but to be more.
  • passoutpassout Posts: 4,425
    Got a new pair of 'Rodi' wheels as seen on Ribble bikes for 100 quid fitted at my LBS. Early days but seem fine.
    'Happiness serves hardly any other purpose than to make unhappiness possible' Marcel Proust.
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