Wheels for around £150

germcevoy
germcevoy Posts: 414
edited July 2014 in Road buying advice
Looking to buy a set of wheels to replace the soft and wearing wheels on my Triban 3. Not really wanting to put more than £150 quid into it as I am likely to be looking at a new bike next year. Any recommendations?

At the moment I'm most liking Shimano RS31 but purely for aesthetic reasons. What would get your money?

Comments

  • thiscocks
    thiscocks Posts: 549
    Campag Khamsin or Vento
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,312
    Forget the aesthetics and get the Shimano R 501... in fact 2 pair of them with your budget
    left the forum March 2023
  • bigmul
    bigmul Posts: 208
    Fulcrum Racing 7 - brilliant wheels and you'll definitely feel the difference. Don't forget that folding tyres will make a difference too. I think Wiggle still has a deal on some 7's with tyres for under your budget...
  • rickeverett
    rickeverett Posts: 988
    100% Planet X AL30's

    Surprised how good they are coming from Fulcrum 5's , light, deep section and roll and roll.
  • lawrences
    lawrences Posts: 1,011
    rickeverett wrote:
    100% Planet X AL30's

    Surprised how good they are coming from Fulcrum 5's , light, deep section and roll and roll.

    But racing 5's are a more expensive lighter wheelset? How is that an upgrade?
  • rickeverett
    rickeverett Posts: 988
    lawrences wrote:
    rickeverett wrote:
    100% Planet X AL30's

    Surprised how good they are coming from Fulcrum 5's , light, deep section and roll and roll.

    But racing 5's are a more expensive lighter wheelset? How is that an upgrade?


    I know. I bought them as a stop-gap as my Racing 5 rims had badly worn. I was very surprised and pleased by how good they are for £150.


    Fulcrum 5's are heavier when you factor in Shimano Hub Version and Skewers. Fulcrum definitely play a optimistic card when it comes to quoted factory weights too. My Fulcrums were heavier than the quoted weight which didn't include skewers and tape. The AL30's weight is all-in

    They don't have a 30mm Aero profile like the AL30's or the larger bladed spokes. - My Racing 5's defiantly caused more rear break rub too and weren't as stiff. The Special spoke thing they have going on does sweet f-all IMO.

    The Hubs on the Planet X wheels definitely roll smoother and longer than the Fulcrum Hubs did. It was the first thing I noticed. The rear hub is LOUD though. The wheels feel quick on the flat, but no different on the climbs in comparison.
  • clazza
    clazza Posts: 626
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    Forget the aesthetics and get the Shimano R 501... in fact 2 pair of them with your budget

    I'm looking at some wheels for a bike that I only ride a few times a year (stored away from home) so have similar question. Why are R501's as good as khamsins?
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,312
    clazza wrote:
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    Forget the aesthetics and get the Shimano R 501... in fact 2 pair of them with your budget

    I'm looking at some wheels for a bike that I only ride a few times a year (stored away from home) so have similar question. Why are R501's as good as khamsins?

    For the money they are both excellent wheelsets... they will get you 90% as fast as anything out there for 5-10% of the price, what's not to like? The 501 have pretty standard components that can be easily replaced...
    left the forum March 2023
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    I went for the R501's with plain round spokes for the winter bike; £70 a pair from Ribble.

    More spokes than the RS10's on the summer bike, and hopefully easier / cheaper to find a replacement spoke should I break one.
  • Macdory
    Macdory Posts: 113
    Couple of questions if I may:

    Will the 501s be a good upgrade from the stock wheels on my Specialized Secteur (Alexrims S480)?

    How easy is it to swap the rear cog over to the new wheel?
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,312
    Macdory wrote:
    Couple of questions if I may:

    Will the 501s be a good upgrade from the stock wheels on my Specialized Secteur (Alexrims S480)?

    How easy is it to swap the rear cog over to the new wheel?

    At 70 quid they are not an upgrade to anything... they are wheels and if you need a pair of wheels they will do the job... if you want an upgrade you have to budget a bit more than 70 quiz
    left the forum March 2023
  • Macdory
    Macdory Posts: 113
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    Macdory wrote:
    Couple of questions if I may:

    Will the 501s be a good upgrade from the stock wheels on my Specialized Secteur (Alexrims S480)?

    How easy is it to swap the rear cog over to the new wheel?

    At 70 quid they are not an upgrade to anything... they are wheels and if you need a pair of wheels they will do the job... if you want an upgrade you have to budget a bit more than 70 quiz

    Hmm, okay - how about http://www.wiggle.co.uk/fulcrum-racing- ... es-bundle/ ?
  • nigelgos
    nigelgos Posts: 128
    Macdory wrote:
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    Macdory wrote:
    Couple of questions if I may:

    Will the 501s be a good upgrade from the stock wheels on my Specialized Secteur (Alexrims S480)?

    How easy is it to swap the rear cog over to the new wheel?

    At 70 quid they are not an upgrade to anything... they are wheels and if you need a pair of wheels they will do the job... if you want an upgrade you have to budget a bit more than 70 quiz

    Hmm, okay - how about http://www.wiggle.co.uk/fulcrum-racing- ... es-bundle/ ?


    Fulcrum 5's are cheaper here without the tubes (http://www.acycles.co.uk/fulcrum-racing ... 10384.html) but those tubes arn't worth £25. I've got some Fulcrum 5's on mine (2012 I think) and they've been great, no complaints after 4000 miles in all weather.
  • Macdory
    Macdory Posts: 113
    nigelgos wrote:
    Macdory wrote:
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    Macdory wrote:
    Couple of questions if I may:

    Will the 501s be a good upgrade from the stock wheels on my Specialized Secteur (Alexrims S480)?

    How easy is it to swap the rear cog over to the new wheel?

    At 70 quid they are not an upgrade to anything... they are wheels and if you need a pair of wheels they will do the job... if you want an upgrade you have to budget a bit more than 70 quiz

    Hmm, okay - how about http://www.wiggle.co.uk/fulcrum-racing- ... es-bundle/ ?


    Fulcrum 5's are cheaper here without the tubes (http://www.acycles.co.uk/fulcrum-racing ... 10384.html) but those tubes arn't worth £25. I've got some Fulcrum 5's on mine (2012 I think) and they've been great, no complaints after 4000 miles in all weather.

    Wiggle one includes Michelin Pro4 tyres as well as the tubes.

    Will I notice much difference with these wheels from my current ones?
  • germcevoy
    germcevoy Posts: 414
    I'm swaying towards Fulcrums so the next question is whether the 5's are worth the mark up over the 7's. I would go my budget by thirty quid or so if it was the case.
  • nigelgos
    nigelgos Posts: 128
    Macdory wrote:
    Wiggle one includes Michelin Pro4 tyres as well as the tubes.

    Will I notice much difference with these wheels from my current ones?

    I didn't notice that, that makes them a good price. I think I paid £130 for my Fulcrum 5's after discount codes on top of a sale - you can always wait to get them at a better price. They made a difference to the stock Mavic wheels on my Specialized Allez. I'm no wheel expert but I did a bit of reading before buying and I'm still happy after 4000 all weather use.
    Germcevoy wrote:
    I'm swaying towards Fulcrums so the next question is whether the 5's are worth the mark up over the 7's. I would go my budget by thirty quid or so if it was the case.

    The Fulcrum 7's would maybe suffice tbh.
  • navrig2
    navrig2 Posts: 1,851
    Decathlon were doing Aksiums at a decent price.
  • Macdory
    Macdory Posts: 113
    A little over budget, but what about http://www.wiggle.co.uk/campagnolo-scir ... 5360518133 ?
  • germcevoy
    germcevoy Posts: 414
    I've went and ordered Fulcrum 7's. £108 from CRC.
  • pmoore2007
    pmoore2007 Posts: 30
    rickeverett wrote:
    100% Planet X AL30's

    Surprised how good they are coming from Fulcrum 5's , light, deep section and roll and roll.

    Fulcrum 5's are pretty cheap on Merlin cycles have a look

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