Colnago C59 - 23mm rims / tyre clearance

seventenths

Hi (first post),

In recent weeks I have been building up a bike that I have been lusting after for a long time, a Colnago C59 (she was a NOS/display frame).

The build is complete (she is a beautiful thing..), aside from the wheels. I am currently using some old Mavic Ksyrium Elites (which will move to my winter bike). The groupset is Campagnolo.

I am having a dilemma in terms of wheels. I have (I think) arrived at a decision for aluminium clinchers (based on my riding). That leaves factory vs hand/custom built, which in practice is Campy Shamal Ultra (current Wiggle discounts are good) or hubs X laced to a Pacenti SL23 rims (as web research suggests these are a little more favoured than the H Plus Son Archetype).

My principal question is does anyone have a 23mm rim in a C59? I believe mine is a 2012 frame and that the latest C59s may have increased clearances a little. I plan to use 23mm Conti GP4000S II tyres.

So this is really a frame/tyre clearance question, as I am sure people get bored of what wheel/factory vs custom wheel posts!

The hubs being suggested are the Tune Mig 70 / Mag 170.

Thank you in advance, hopefully someone has experience of wider rims in C59s.

ugo.santalucia

seventenths wrote:

or hubs X laced to a Pacenti SL23 rims (as web research suggests these are a little more favoured than the H Plus Son Archetype).

Certainly by those who sell them, considering the mark-up over the US price for those. Realistically, if you don't plan to ride tubeless, they will give you far more grief than the Archetype...

seventenths wrote:

The hubs being suggested are the Tune Mig 70 / Mag 170.

Clearly by the same people... As value for money goes, they are the very bottom of the barrel. I don't have anything good to say about them, other than they are light, but quite a lot bad to say... basically my experience with Tune has always come in the form of people contacting me because they had problems with them. The front hub assembly is a bit of a joke.

As far as wheel components go there isn't a straight relationship between price and quality. Sometimes quality is expensive, other times it isn't. I am always a bit weary of those who advice the most expensive as the best, as IME often that's not the case

Sorry can't advice on tyre clearance in your specific case, but the difference in tyre size is pretty small and shouldn't be an issue with 23 mm tyres.

northpole

Not sure if this helps. I fitted a rear Zip 303 Firecrest clincher rear wheel to my C59 temporarily, while I sorted out a tyre replacement without problems other than adjusting the brakes!

I run with Mavic C40 clinchers which are less wide and work fine. I also have a set of Archetype & Son rims on Chris King hubs which are probably in between widths. Where I did have a serious problem was in trying to run the Archetypes with Conti GP4000s 25mm tyres. No problem on the rear but the increased depth of tyre on the front rubbed very slightly with the underside of the forks and scraped the paint. Out of ignorance, I had only thought to check clearance to the sides - wrong!! Now running 23mm tyres without clearance issues.

Peter

seventenths

Thank you both.

Sounds like I should be okay with 23mm conti's on the wider rim.

I have no interest in running these wheels tubeless ( I would have a separate set of wheels ).

Ugo, I have read lots of your posts and they always seen sensible; would you mind expressing your views on which hub (sounds like you like the archetype rim)?

I am 66-67kg, my riding is just for pleasure, always lumpy as possible I normally get a few weeks/trips to the alps/Pyrenees a year hence lack of desire for carbon clinchers. This is obviously a summer/best bike.

I have concerns re Tune also, I was considering DT Swiss 240s or Chris King. If Campy did low spoke count record hubs I would have them (always lusted after large flange campy when I was a kid!) .



Thanks

ugo.santalucia

DT Swiss 240 are excellent, but they don't build a particularly stiff rear wheel, given the flange spacing is only 51 mm or so. Chris King are very good, but the level of toolage necessary to service them is enough to put off anyone from doing it. Spares are almost inexistent in the UK.
Hope Mono RS are heavier, but they are very well engineered, built to last, made in the UK, which means any problem or spare part is easily sourced at any time, something that cannot be said about the others. Don't need no tools for servicing... To be honest I don't see any reason to spend more. The new ratchet ring has a less mechanical sound about it than the older one, if that's a concern.

seventenths

Thanks Ugo.

What is the sensible spoke choice ? Are cx rays unnecessary expense? I imagine I will be 24 rear, 20 front.

ugo.santalucia

seventenths wrote:

Thanks Ugo.

What is the sensible spoke choice ? Are cx rays unnecessary expense? I imagine I will be 24 rear, 20 front.

As usual you want a light spoke at the front, as the wheel carries less load and is not dished and a stiff spoke at the rear... so Sapim Race/Laser or Dt comp/revs. CX Ray at the front... why not... probably 20-30 pounds extra that won't make you bankrupt.... at the rear un-necessary and not as stiff. DT Aerocomp build nice stiff aero rear wheels, but they're hard to find in the right size in the UK as madison don't distribute 270-288 lengths... I've seen them from german retailers... Bike24, I think