Tubular Rims

andrew549
andrew549 Posts: 35
edited January 2014 in Road buying advice
I've been looking at getting a set of low profile aluminium tubular wheels, these will be used summer rides as well as possibly using them in the alps so light weight would be a benefit I weigh around 65kg and am fairly light on wheels. Looking at rims there seems to be limited choice with the main ones seem to be mavic relex, Ambrosio Chrono F20 or Nemesis unless there are others that I've missed. I was thinking of getting them built on dura ace hubs or similar.

Thanks for any advice.
Andrew

Comments

  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,325
    Kinlin TB 25 and Velocity Escape complete the picture.

    Nemesis are by far the best tubular rims... ride, versatility, durability, finish, look... they tick all the boxes
    left the forum March 2023
  • racingcondor
    racingcondor Posts: 1,434
    I have both Crono's laced to DA Hubs and Escapes laced to CK R45's and love them both. I'm a similar weight to you too.

    The Crono's are definitely more flexy but they do make for a lovely wheelset so as long as you get the spoke count right. I'm not such a fan of the feel of the Escapes but then I've put Pave's on them rather than Evo's so I don't have a direct comparison.
  • andrew549
    andrew549 Posts: 35
    Do you know roughly how much the cronos on DA hubs weigh.
    I was thinking of using 28F 32R probably both 3x would this be suitable for someone my weight.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,325
    andrew549 wrote:
    Do you know roughly how much the cronos on DA hubs weigh.
    I was thinking of using 28F 32R probably both 3x would this be suitable for someone my weight.

    If you fit DT compor Alpina DB rear and DT revs front you are probably looking at just under 1600 grams. I had the Crono, nothing special... Nemesis are a lot better if you can erase from your head the idea that lighter is necessarily better. Crono are made of butter
    left the forum March 2023
  • cycleclinic
    cycleclinic Posts: 6,865
    Well chrono rims with DA hubs and Sapim Race spokes all round, brass nipple and 28H/32H drilling would weigh in at 1565g or there abouts. If you did as ugo suggests and use rev/'laser on the front you will save another 42g. So a bit lighter than you think.

    The Chrono rim is flexy and is best suited to light riders. The velocity Excape is barely available. NMSW in 24H/28H only and 32H with MSW. Big Mama/BLB are not bring in the lower drilling in MSW any more.

    In contrast if the Nemesis rims are 465g a 32 spoke build with Laser spokes front, Race spokes rear and DA 9000 hubs would weigh 1715g.

    I also would recomend the Nemesis. It is just good.
    http://www.thecycleclinic.co.uk -wheel building and other stuff.
  • andrew549
    andrew549 Posts: 35
    Is it possible to use rim brakes on NMSW or is that not advised
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,325
    andrew549 wrote:
    Is it possible to use rim brakes on NMSW or is that not advised

    Depends... any in particular?

    Ambrosio Excursion are fine, Nemess and Crono are fine... old 1990s grey rims are generally fine... Velocity A 23 is not fine
    left the forum March 2023
  • andrew549
    andrew549 Posts: 35
    Was looking at the velocity escape, is it dependant on if the rim is anodised or just powder coated.
  • cycleclinic
    cycleclinic Posts: 6,865
    I asked this question today with BLB/Bigmama and they said the NMSW Escapes are Machined sidewalls but the brake track is anodised. They siad they are fine to use with rim brakes but as I have not had one yet to try in this form I cannot confirm. Maybe someone else can but since BLB sell almost zero of these rims that person maybe hard to find.
    http://www.thecycleclinic.co.uk -wheel building and other stuff.
  • andrew549
    andrew549 Posts: 35
    Ok thats interesting I'll have a look at them then, would 24F 28R be possible using revo and comp spokes or equivalent.

    Looking at hubs the current DA hubs look good and not too expensive what other hubs are worth looking at that are fairly light weight and can be found for around £250 a set.
  • cycleclinic
    cycleclinic Posts: 6,865
    Escapes on DA hubs is what I want to do for my self but I will build with Laser's or CX-ray's if I am feeling flush (which is unlikely). I weigh 80kg and have no doubt they will work for me. DT comps or Sapim Race for the rear is the safe bet but if you know you are kind to wheels are not a spoke snapper and are not excessively heavy for such a build then a thinner will work out fine. Allot of cavets there.
    http://www.thecycleclinic.co.uk -wheel building and other stuff.
  • andrew549
    andrew549 Posts: 35
    That sounds interesting so far I've never broken a spoke but I normally ride on 36 spoke open pros, do you know what sort of weight Escapes on DA hubs build with lasers would roughly come out at and how much would it be reasonable to expect to pay for that sort of build.
  • racingcondor
    racingcondor Posts: 1,434
    I went with 28/28 (the hubs I had, using CX Ray's since they were a pricy build anyway) on Escapes and NMSW (from BLB). With the current rain etc it hasn't taken long for me to make myself a nice silver brake track and they seem fine now (braking a little slow while the black was wearing off but they weren't grabby and the weld was smooth).

    24/28 would be fine for someone at your weight on DA with Escapes. To date I just love my DA hubs (prefer them to CK's thanks to the soft freehub on the CK's) so if you can afford them for the build I'd go for it.
  • andrew549
    andrew549 Posts: 35
    Thats good to know, do you know how much yours weigh.

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