Ambrosio or Mavic Open Pro

anthony12345
anthony12345 Posts: 3
edited October 2013 in Road buying advice
Im looking at 2 wheel sets:
Ambrosio Excellights with Ultegra hubs and Sapim d light spokes or Hope Hoops pro hub 3's with Open pros and sapim sprint spokes. Both sets are 32h front and back and within £20 of each other

Does anyone have any views on these other than hopes are noisy. Im about 13st looking for a durable and fast set of wheels for long rides in the Surrey Hills.

Comments

  • majormantra
    majormantra Posts: 2,094
    If you want fit and forget hubs the Hopes are cartridge bearing so you don't have to worry about regular servicing - just replace the bearings when they die. That said, Ultegra hubs are excellent if you look after them.

    If the Hope set appeal I'd go to a builder though as Hope Hoops don't have a great reputation for build quality. And if you do that you can have your choice of rims.
  • Duncanandthemachine
    Duncanandthemachine Posts: 263
    I've had open pro's on hope pro 3 hubs for >10,000 miles, replaced 1 rim. Very robust wheels.
  • cycleclinic
    cycleclinic Posts: 6,865
    Or Miche hubs. A bit like hope in terms of durability (they use large bearings) available in 20H to 36H drillings and alot cheaper. They are a bit heavy then Pro3's but lighter than ultegra.
    http://www.thecycleclinic.co.uk -wheel building and other stuff.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,321
    Both rims are excellent... a bit dubious on the spoke choice... is it your choice or your local builder's suggestion?
    left the forum March 2023
  • Bordersroadie
    Bordersroadie Posts: 1,052
    I use both, on separate bikes. Same weight, similar appearance (Excellights look better maybe with the lovely etched branding) quality and performance. RRP of Ambrosios is higher, does that mean better?

    I noticed the welded joint on the Ambrosio was detectable by a bit of a click on the brake blocks when new but this went smooth after a few hundreed miles. The Open Pros were super smooth from day one.

    My mechanic uses both for CX and reckons the Excellights wear slightly better, but it's subjective.
  • Bobbinogs
    Bobbinogs Posts: 4,841
    Yepp, my experience says this thread should be more about which hub and spoke combo to go with the rims (either Excellight or Open Pro) than rim choice. Both rims, IME, are very similar, great to use as all rounders and I would happily buy either again.
  • anthony12345
    anthony12345 Posts: 3
    Thanks for the feed back, in response to Ugo's question the spoke spec is based upon a hope manufactured wheel and a custom build but sold by planet x wheel hence these specifications.

    Ive read a ton of good stuff about you wheel building etc how do I get in touch would be happy to talk through some options with you.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,321
    anthony12345 wrote:
    Thanks for the feed back, in response to Ugo's question the spoke spec is based upon a hope manufactured wheel and a custom build but sold by planet x wheel hence these specifications.

    Ive read a ton of good stuff about you wheel building etc how do I get in touch would be happy to talk through some options with you.

    have a look at my blog, there is also my contact there

    http://paolocoppo.drupalgardens.com
    left the forum March 2023
  • daviesee
    daviesee Posts: 6,386
    Duncanandthemachine wrote:
    I've had open pro's on hope pro 3 hubs for >10,000 miles, replaced 1 rim. Very robust wheels.
    Try riding them through a winter. 18 months and @ 4000 miles.
    First time I have done that though so AFAIK other rims may melt. :wink:

    PS:- "Ugo" builds good wheels!
    None of the above should be taken seriously, and certainly not personally.
  • majormantra
    majormantra Posts: 2,094
    Use your rear brake a lot? 4000 miles on any rim is underwhelming.
  • daviesee
    daviesee Posts: 6,386
    MajorMantra wrote:
    Use your rear brake a lot? 4000 miles on any rim is underwhelming.
    As I say, try riding it though winter, a Scottish winter.

    I am seriously considering disc brakes for my next commuter. Not for stopping but wear replacement. Stop/start commuting is harder on a bike than normal road cycling. :wink:

    A chain doesn't last a year @ 2500 miles. :shock:
    None of the above should be taken seriously, and certainly not personally.
  • alanparsons
    alanparsons Posts: 529
    I am using Open Pro on Ultegra hubs with Wheelsmith double butted spokes.
    Fast running and durable, not very blingy but great allround wheel.
    I got the hubs in the CRC sale back in January and had the wheels built up at LBS, I have run these wheels since March, 4500 miles in all weather, and no problems.
    All in the build was £265.
  • majormantra
    majormantra Posts: 2,094
    daviesee wrote:
    As I say, try riding it though winter, a Scottish winter.

    <<my location. :)

    Although to be fair, I'm a lot lighter than most cyclist's so my rims last a long time. :wink:
  • daviesee
    daviesee Posts: 6,386
    MajorMantra wrote:
    daviesee wrote:
    As I say, try riding it though winter, a Scottish winter.

    <<my location. :)

    Although to be fair, I'm a lot lighter than most cyclist's so my rims last a long time. :wink:
    You calling me fat?

    You'd be right. :wink:
    None of the above should be taken seriously, and certainly not personally.
  • bikeit65
    bikeit65 Posts: 999
    +1 for Ugo, simply perfect.
    https://www.instagram.com/seanmcgrathphotography/
    Trek Domane SL7 GEN4
    Planet X RT58
    Cannondale CAAD 10 2012.
    Pain.. Is weakness leaving the body.

    HATING LIFE-CYCLES FROM 2011
  • Big_Ring_Rider
    Big_Ring_Rider Posts: 86
    Been running Ambrosio Excelight's on Record hubs and DT Swiss spokes as my every day wheel for a few years now, no complaints. Occasionaly in the truing stand thanks to the state of our roads. Paul Hewitt did a damn fine job building mine. Only reason I chose the Ambrosio rim over Open Pro was down to aesthetics, I'm sure performance wise there is nothing between them.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,321
    Big_Ring_Rider wrote:
    Only reason I chose the Ambrosio rim over Open Pro was down to aesthetics, I'm sure performance wise there is nothing between them.

    Ambrosio rims are a bit narrower and as such road specific, while I have fitted 37 mm tyres to a set of Open PRO and they work just fine. The 2012- Open PRO build perfect wheels
    left the forum March 2023
  • ovi
    ovi Posts: 396
    Im using excellights on white industries t11 hubs 32r aci spokes/ 28f sapim laser spokes and I am more than happy with them and the bearings are easily obtained

    http://www.wheelsmith.co.uk/sites/default/files/pages/IMG_0626.JPG

    http://www.whiteind.com/t11-rear-hub_1.html
  • majormantra
    majormantra Posts: 2,094
    Is anyone selling the T11s in the UK? I've not seen them listed anywhere although some wheelbuilder sites mention them.
  • adamfo
    adamfo Posts: 763
    The OP mentioned Sapim d light spokes. Being of a curious nature I had a look on the Sapim emporium and they are listed as MTB spokes:

    http://www.sapim.be/spokes/butted/d-light

    Why would Planet X use them :?:

    WBAMPOW_P6.jpg

    http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/WBA ... t_wheelset

    This wheel building lark seems like some sort of secret Masonic lodge. Strange names and practices totally alien to the great unwashed without the knowledge like me.
  • majormantra
    majormantra Posts: 2,094
    There's no such thing as an mtb specific spoke really. They're 2/1.65/2mm so I guess they fall roughly half way between Lasers and Races.
  • jermas
    jermas Posts: 484
    My experience is that Ambrosio excellights are better than open pro. The brake track lasts much better (even though they are the same thickness), they don't fill up with water, and they can have a higher spoke tension without cracking around the eyelets.
  • andy_s_t
    andy_s_t Posts: 106
    I have been running the Open Pro / Hope Pro II combo that I bought for my Croix de Fer on my normal road bike after my old R500s developed a stress crack around a nipple on the rear wheel (not surprised as I'm a fatty!). I couldn't be more impressed, the rims are lovely and stiff and the hubs roll beautifully. I now want the equivalent for the road bike year round so have been looking at similar options. I'd love the hopes but getting funding approved for a £300 wheel set may prove difficult!
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,321
    Andy_S_T wrote:
    I have been running the Open Pro / Hope Pro II combo that I bought for my Croix de Fer on my normal road bike after my old R500s developed a stress crack around a nipple on the rear wheel (not surprised as I'm a fatty!). I couldn't be more impressed, the rims are lovely and stiff and the hubs roll beautifully. I now want the equivalent for the road bike year round so have been looking at similar options. I'd love the hopes but getting funding approved for a £300 wheel set may prove difficult!

    Vague memories... are these the ones?

    http://paolocoppo.drupalgardens.com/med ... ail/16/101
    left the forum March 2023
  • andy_s_t
    andy_s_t Posts: 106
    No the ones I have we're bought on the classifieds here, they're the older Pro II not the Evo. If the Evo are better then blimey! Just bought some wheels for the road bike yesterday though. Open pros with Ambrosio Zenith hubs, looking forward to them arriving next week.
  • cycleclinic
    cycleclinic Posts: 6,865
    Sapim D light spokes are just expensive. It is cheaper to use a Laser on the NDS rear and a Race on DS rear and get the same weight and overall stiffness. For the front wheel Lasers are often fine.

    Open Pro rims I think do wear more quickly than some but use softer pads and problem solved.
    http://www.thecycleclinic.co.uk -wheel building and other stuff.
  • captain_tiara
    captain_tiara Posts: 106
    I had open pro ceramic's laced with sapim laser front & offside rear, sapim race driveside, on hope pro 3's a couple of years ago. Recently replaced the cartridge bearings all round.

    Very good summer & particularly excellent winter wheels, & no sign of any wear at all on the rims. One of the best things I ever did getting those built. Open pro's are a benchmark rim.

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