Wheels to race on

mattv

I'm looking at some cat 3/4 racing next year on my tarmac and am after recommendations for wheels.
What they have to do:
I want to build them myself, so I can repair them easily. So that's real spokes.

I want lightweight, but strong. I'm around 11 stone, on a 58cm bike. They will be occasionally ridden to work, but I've got some other handbuilt wheels which are solid and reliable.

Semi deep section, I'm thinking 38 or 50mm. I'm not sure what rims are available separately? (for a good price).

Spoke count 20/28? I'm thinking lightweight DT maybe?

Hubs, I'm thinking ultegra, got to be 9 and 11speed compatible.

What are people's thoughts?

ugo.santalucia

Ultegra only come as 32/36.
Hope or Novatec come in all drill counts and Novatec 291/482 can be a decent combination for what you have in mind.
Deep rims that don't weigh a ton only come in carbon which is a lot of money, so you probably want a 30 mm rim instead... Kinlin XR 300 is a good race rim that comes in all drill counts. You could choose tubulars, again Kinlin TB 25 would be a good option should you go that route.
20/28 is a good combination if you want to race.

dj58

Ultegra 6800 hubs are only available 32 and 36 hole. Dura Ace 9000 hubs 24, 28, 32, 36 hole.

mattv

Ok, thanks for the replies. I'd not totally rule out carbon, with a brake track, if they were easily sourced. I reckon dura ace over Hope, just for total refinement. I'd like DT 240s but the 350s in my commute wheels cost enough! I'd never heard of Kinlin before, but apparently they are HALO in the UK....

ugo.santalucia

mattv wrote:

Ok, thanks for the replies. I'd not totally rule out carbon, with a brake track, if they were easily sourced. I reckon dura ace over Hope, just for total refinement. I'd like DT 240s but the 350s in my commute wheels cost enough! I'd never heard of Kinlin before, but apparently they are HALO in the UK....

Carbon and Dura Ace is a bit difficult as 99% of carbon rims are sold as 20/24 and Dura Ace comes as 18 front, not 20... Kinlin, IRD or Halo, you can find the lot in the UK

mattv

Ok, I'll look closer into it all. I'll try and dig up an ISON catalogue, see what they will actually import. No-one seems to sell them, other than one online wheelbuilder. 9000 hubs are pricey now too! Could almost go for 240s at that price and get smoother hubs.........

cycleclinic

Yep Kinlin rims are a good choice.

Kinlin XC-279 is 490g and 28mm deep 23mm wide. The XR-300 is a bit narrower and lighter. Both are good rims and lace them to those Novatec lightweight hubs and you are good to go.

There is Kinlin distribution in the U.K how do I know you may ask.... White Industries T11's are cheaper than DT 240's, light and reliable.

mattv

Just researching white industries, DO NOT click the UK distribution link on their website. Gave my antivirus a shock! I'm in the cycle trade, so was hoping to find this stuff through distributors we deal with. I'm tight. Still looking up novatech.