CX Wheelset Upgrade

alesupper

I have a Boardman CX Team and would like to buy second (lighter) wheelset then I can swap between road and CX use without having to swap the tyres and tubes. Any recommendations would be appreciated.

ugo.santalucia

Kinesis make a set (crosslight) based on rebadged Novatec hubs and disc specific rims, laced with PIllar triple butted spokes. They are quite nice and light, but Kinesis doesn't supply spares in case you bend a rim or break a spoke. Of course you can use a different brand of spokes and a different rim, like in this repair I did recently...
http://paolocoppo.drupalgardens.com/med ... ail/16/561

For a similar price you should be able to have essentially the same thing built to your specifications on Novatec disc hubs (711/712) and a rim of choice. These Novatec hubs are hard to find in the UK, but they are everywhere on Ebay from reputable retailers based in the far east, or you can buy them from BDOP cycling in Taiwan (business owned by a British guy).
This is just an example on Velocity A 23, which is the set I normally ride day in day out

http://paolocoppo.drupalgardens.com/med ... ail/16/386

giant_man

But are the Novatec hubs reliable?

alesupper

Could I buy 29er MTB wheels or are 700c CX wheels different in some way?

ugo.santalucia

Yes, the 711/712 are excellent... I have just changed one bearing after 2 years of daily use, but there was still a lot of life in it... it was just starting to get a bit grindy. I could have spend 3 quid for a replacement, but I have fitted an SKF, hence 12 pounds.

You can buy a 29er, but that will limit your tyre choice significantly... road tyres are 700C and you will struggle to fit them on a 29er rim, or at least this is my experience. The issue is quite controversial, with some saying yes and some saying no... I am for the no.

cycleclinic

I will be ordering some more of the hubs for stock this as the distributor has them again I think. Not hard to find at all ugo if you know where.

ugo.santalucia

I did talk to the Uk distributor about a year ago... if he is still the same (parklife parts)... I had the impression he is someone who is not doing a good job with it. His stock level was pathetic, the range he offers was limited to 2-3 models out of a range of 20 or so. He did not stock the latest products, like the anti bite freehubs, which help with the problem of chewed splines. Also, he devalues the brand by offering "grey import", meaning stuff with no logos... nothing wrong in principle if it costs less, but it does devalue the brand and that's a fact. Proof of the pudding is that everybody thinks Novatec are cheap hubs, when the 711/712 are in all similar to Goldtec, for instance. Supply of spares is patchy and limited, when Novatec is the only manufacturer which offers the full range of spares, including ratchet rings, axles, caps etc.. All in all I found it was not worth dealing with this outfit and I wish someone with a bit more vision takes over the brand for the UK... there you go, I said it... :twisted:

maddog 2

I've tried 29er wheels on the road and it wasn't really ideal. Mine were Stans Crest on Hope Pro2 EVO hubs. Getting road tyres on was stupidly tight, and I'm not sure that high pressures and road riding was good for the rims as they cracked at numerous spoke eyelets after less than a year. Mainly on the rear but the front was starting to go too.

Now I'm on a handbuilt pair of Archetype rims on Hope Pro2 EVO, which are doing fine.

A mate has the Kenesis wheels and hasn't had any issues so far.

apreading

Stans tubeless rims, even the CX ones like Iron Cross are not meant to run at road tyre pressures - I would guess this may be true of any tubeless rims. Archetype, Velocity A23 or Mavic Open Pro are a much better bet (in that order IMO).

Loving my Archetypes on Americal Classic hubs...!

maddog 2

out of interest, is anyone running their Archetypes tubeless?

I'm not but only as the commuter runs 28mm tyres (GP4Seasons). If there were some 28mm tubeless tyres around then I'd consider a swap. Hutchinson talked about getting some 28s but I'm not sure they are buyable yet.

alesupper

Thanks to everyone for your advice/comments. After reading these I have decided to go for some novatec hubs with Velocity A23 rims. Can anyone recommend a good wheel builder who could supply and build these?

ugo.santalucia

alesupper wrote:

Thanks to everyone for your advice/comments. After reading these I have decided to go for some novatec hubs with Velocity A23 rims. Can anyone recommend a good wheel builder who could supply and build these?

Not far from your neck of the woods, Paul Hewitt maybe?

alesupper

Yes I've heard good things about Paul Hewitt and not to far down the road for me as you say. Cheers.

alesupper

I opted for the Velocity Rims with Novatec 711/712 rims. I got them from a fella called Mark at http://www.spokesmanwheels.co.uk and I am very happy with the quality of the build as they are straight as a dye. The level of service and the delivery time was excellent so I would highly recommend him.

I have only done one ride on the wheels so far but it was a hard 52 miler in the Lakes with about 25 miles off road and some of that on some rough bridleways. The wheels performed brilliantly, I am chuffed to bits with them.

The Velocity decals are not too attractive so I peeled them off.

ugo.santalucia

alesupper wrote:

I opted for the Velocity Rims with Novatec 711/712 rims. I got them from a fella called Mark at http://www.spokesmanwheels.co.uk and I am very happy with the quality of the build as they are straight as a dye. The level of service and the delivery time was excellent so I would highly recommend him.

I have only done one ride on the wheels so far but it was a hard 52 miler in the Lakes with about 25 miles off road and some of that on some rough bridleways. The wheels performed brilliantly, I am chuffed to bits with them.

The Velocity decals are not too attractive so I peeled them off.

If you have the A 23, fit some Stan's 21 mm tubeless tape if you don't have it already... other rim tapes will curl in time and end up in flats

cycleclinic

Parklife part is not the distributor I am thinking of. the distributor I use has excellent stock until they run out but there new stock should be in now. This distributor does not advertise, they do not go to trade shows, send stuff to magazine's and most people in the trade have even forgotten about them but they are in business and are very efficient.

Mark Pollard seems to be a good guy. He has bought the odd hub of me including D711/712's when he has run out and I have bought the odd batch of CX-rays of him when Chickens are out which happens alot.

FransJacques

When you get them, please weigh them without tyres, tubes, and skewers (no cassette too). Keen to see what they come out as.

I'm in the market for something similar but I like the sound of Wheelsmith's new Race 24: http://www.wheelsmith.co.uk/race24

But I've yet to speak to Ugo about them :-)