Tubular rims - Ambrosio Crono or Mavic Reflex?

Pedro77

Good morning,

I would like to try a tubular tire and don't seem to find a decent factory build wheel set within my budget. So I am looking for a custom build. The difficulty I found was the lack of options regarding aluminium tubular rims. I found the ambrosio crono or nemesis, the mavic reflex, velocity major tom.

If any of you runs tubulars and had a wheel built could you please comment on the pros and cons of these rims, also point out any alternative ones. Not looking for carbon, too expensive. I will be looking for some ultegra hubs and want to make the best tubular I can. Does HED makes any tubular alu rims?

Thanks for your advice and I apologise if the wheels topic has been answered elsewhere.
Pedro

ugo.santalucia

Neither... Ambrosio Nemesis is much better than either of those you mention.

HED makes tubular rims, you have to ask The Cycle Clinic on this forum, I think he has some... they ain't cheap!

Pedro77

Thanks Ugo, do you ride tubulars? Do you use the Nemesis? Why are they better? Sorry, not disputing just really interested in the subject.

Thanks
Pedro

BenderRodriguez

Main advantage with the Nemesis is that they are unlikely to crack around the spoke holes, a common problem with alternatives such as the Mavic Reflex. Then again, with a real-world weight of almost 490g each they should be robust! Another downside is that they give no aerodynamic advantage.

ugo.santalucia

I do have Nemesis and I did have Crono... crono is a very soft rim and I have seen cracked ones. Nemesis is a very stiff rim and a lot more robust. Nemesis is about 480 grams and not 430 as advertised, but it's still a pretty light rim. It's just a very good rim, which the Crono is not. I have never ridden or built Reflex, but I have never heard much good about them either.
If you don't mind riding 32 spokes, and why would you... Nemesis is the rim to go for

cycleclinic

Ambrosio chrono rims are 380g not 340g and they are a better rim the the mavic reflex but they are not stiff. Even a 32 spoke build with sapim race spokes is kind of flexy, fine I suppose for a 60kg rider but you will be better served with a stiffer rim like the montreal or the excellent nemesis. the nemeis rim is stiff and built with ultgera hubs you will have a wonderfull wheelset. I run something like that Nemesis rims on DA 7403 hubs and they perfect. Also the braking surface works very well better than most rims.

HED do make belgian C2 tubular rims as yes I have some they are a similar weight to the nemesis rims but are available in 24H, 28H and 32H drillings. Stiff rims though so a lower spokes count can work.

The nemesis rim is nearly half the price of the HED rim.

As I typed this ugo got there first and said the same thing.

Pedro77

Thanks, really good advice. I guess the Nemesis seem to be the best choice. I want something robust that I can enjoy for many miles. I have no problems with 32 spoke count.

Thanks again for the advice.
Pedro