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Mavic Reflex v Ambrosio Nemesis v Velocity Major Tom

DaithiDaithi Posts: 184
edited August 2013 in Road buying advice
I revived an old set of GP4s earlier in the year to try tubs out again and make my bike more comfortable. I'm really enjoying the improvement over clinchers but want to upgrade to something modern mainly for improved braking performance but also to drop the weight a bit as I need all the help I can get. I'm using Conti Gatorskin 25mm tubs as these are meant to be "everyday ride" wheels so I wanted something reasonably tough & am happy with these so will transfer these to the new wheels. The only downside with GP4s has been poor braking performance in the wet due to a lack of a machined braking surface. It's manageable but I'd prefer better performance & don't fancy getting caught out on a steep descent in the wet one day!

I'm considering either Mavic Reflex, Ambrosio Nemesis or Velocity Major Toms & would appreciate feedback on any of these rims please or indeed recommendations on others (or direction to an existing thread on this subject). Probably looking at a strightforward build on some Ambrosio hubs with double-butted spokes, nothing too fancy. Improved comfort is a factor which is why I'm considering the Major Toms as is durability as I intend these to be my main wheels for club runs etc.
Daithi, Cardiff

Posts

  • racingcondorracingcondor Posts: 1,434
    The Reflex is probably closer to the Crono than the other two rims but the Nemesis and Uncle Tom will certainly build you a strong wheelset. The Uncle Tom is a wider rim and I think most people use it for cross as a result.

    I'd probably either go with the Nemesis or for a cheap alternative which would still be stronger than the Crono or Reflex you could go with the Kinlin TB25.
  • imposter2.0imposter2.0 Posts: 11,767
    I think you may be getting your literary/musical characters mixed up. 'Uncle Tom' was a character in a book, while 'Major Tom' is David Bowie's fictional astronaut. Velocity do make a rim called 'Major Tom' though...
  • ugo.santaluciaugo.santalucia Posts: 26,817
    Nemesis is not machined either but the braking is excellent... in fact Nemesis are the best rims around, period.
  • ugo.santaluciaugo.santalucia Posts: 26,817
    built some Nemesis today actually... :D

    http://paolocoppo.drupalgardens.com/med ... ail/16/481
  • DaithiDaithi Posts: 184
    Imposter wrote:
    I think you may be getting your literary/musical characters mixed up. 'Uncle Tom' was a character in a book, while 'Major Tom' is David Bowie's fictional astronaut. Velocity do make a rim called 'Major Tom' though...

    :oops:
    Daithi, Cardiff
  • DaithiDaithi Posts: 184
    Thanks all for the replies, plenty to think about.

    On a related point, whats the view on simply swapping out rims & keeping the spokes in an exsiting set of wheels, assuming of course rim depths match? I have a set of IRD Velocity rims on Ambrosio hubs with very few miles on them which I was going to sell to fund these new wheels but I've also thought about just buying the rims I want & transferring on to the existing wheels. I recall seeing a guide in old bike maintenance manual where the new rims were taped to the old ones & then you work around the wheel swapping the spokes over.
    Daithi, Cardiff
  • racingcondorracingcondor Posts: 1,434
    Imposter wrote:
    I think you may be getting your literary/musical characters mixed up. 'Uncle Tom' was a character in a book, while 'Major Tom' is David Bowie's fictional astronaut. Velocity do make a rim called 'Major Tom' though...

    Didn't spot that!

    Given how high the spoke count is going to be re-using spokes will be less of an issue (less work done by each spoke and less of a problem if one broke. Assuming you haven't had spokes break on the old wheelset you'll probably get away with it.

    ACI's DB spokes work out cheap though if you can stretch to it.
  • ugo.santaluciaugo.santalucia Posts: 26,817
    Daithi wrote:
    Thanks all for the replies, plenty to think about.

    On a related point, whats the view on simply swapping out rims & keeping the spokes in an exsiting set of wheels, assuming of course rim depths match? I have a set of IRD Velocity rims on Ambrosio hubs with very few miles on them which I was going to sell to fund these new wheels but I've also thought about just buying the rims I want & transferring on to the existing wheels. I recall seeing a guide in old bike maintenance manual where the new rims were taped to the old ones & then you work around the wheel swapping the spokes over.

    Yes, fine...

    IRD Velocity?
  • DaithiDaithi Posts: 184
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    Daithi wrote:
    Thanks all for the replies, plenty to think about.

    On a related point, whats the view on simply swapping out rims & keeping the spokes in an exsiting set of wheels, assuming of course rim depths match? I have a set of IRD Velocity rims on Ambrosio hubs with very few miles on them which I was going to sell to fund these new wheels but I've also thought about just buying the rims I want & transferring on to the existing wheels. I recall seeing a guide in old bike maintenance manual where the new rims were taped to the old ones & then you work around the wheel swapping the spokes over.

    Yes, fine...

    IRD Velocity?

    Doh . . . IRD Cadence! That & Uncle Tom too! Got to stop hurriedly posting in work :roll:

    Thanks again for feedback, will check rim depth & swapping rims might be a goer. I did initially have spokes break in these wheels but they've both been re-built since & no problems since then.
    Daithi, Cardiff
  • ugo.santaluciaugo.santalucia Posts: 26,817
    Daithi wrote:
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    Daithi wrote:
    Thanks all for the replies, plenty to think about.

    On a related point, whats the view on simply swapping out rims & keeping the spokes in an exsiting set of wheels, assuming of course rim depths match? I have a set of IRD Velocity rims on Ambrosio hubs with very few miles on them which I was going to sell to fund these new wheels but I've also thought about just buying the rims I want & transferring on to the existing wheels. I recall seeing a guide in old bike maintenance manual where the new rims were taped to the old ones & then you work around the wheel swapping the spokes over.

    Yes, fine...

    IRD Velocity?

    Doh . . . IRD Cadence! That & Uncle Tom too! Got to stop hurriedly posting in work :roll:



    Thanks again for feedback, will check rim depth & swapping rims might be a goer. I did initially have spokes break in these wheels but they've both been re-built since & no problems since then.

    Those have and ERD of 577... can't think of any tubular rim compatible without replacing the spokes
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