All-round wheelset advice

Fabius

Hi,

I'm about to build up a CX bike around a Kinesis Crosslight frame and fork.

I am looking at the Kinesis CX Disc wheelset but before I buy a set, I wanted to ask if there might be a more suitable option for a budget of around £350-£400. I am a mountain biker coming to CX (no road experience at all) and I have been tubeless for years, but can I run a set of wheels at this budget that will give me decent results on all surfaces? I reckon that during the winter I'll be riding 70% road, linking it up with fireroad and bridleway - nothing too gnarly but I don't want to be getting punctures in the cold and dark in the middle of nowhere. Obviously as the weather turns good I'll start to do more off-road.

Ideally I'd like to use the bike to do the odd sportive or long road run, so having the ability to put some high pressures in would be a great advantage.

Any recommendations/suggestions to get me in the right direction would be great. Or just confirmation that I'm seeking the impossible!

ugo.santalucia

I have reviewed the Crosslight in my blog (see my signature)... although they were the older model and not the new V3. The newer are basically idenatical but with a lighter rim.
I think they have some issues, which will inevitably show up especially

1) If you are heavy (broken spokes)

2) if you do a lot of miles (broken spokes and seized nipples)

3) if you don't clean your bike throughly (seized nipples)

Fabius

Thanks, as it happens, it was your review that led to my doubting them as the best choice for my circumstances!

Because I have an opportunity to spend more money now, I feel like I should be trying to overcome these issues through better components at the start.

Lukeaerowallace

I'd say the Novatec CXD Aluminium Clincher wheelset is worth a look at £349.00.

Check out the review of them here http://road.cc/content/review/121253-no ... r-wheelset

They do look very tempting...

ugo.santalucia

Fabius wrote:

Thanks, as it happens, it was your review that led to my doubting them as the best choice for my circumstances!

Because I have an opportunity to spend more money now, I feel like I should be trying to overcome these issues through better components at the start.

Novatec disc hubs are extremely good for the money... pair them with Sapim or DT spokes, brass nipples and the rim you want/can afford and you get a similar but more durable product for little more.
It's very hard to hit the 1550 grams figure with brass nipples though... I managed 1630 g on my last set, using Sapim D-Light spokes, which are new to me and something at the moment I am testing on my own wheels

On_What

The Kinesis are the only sensible choice, cheap enough that by the time you even worry about seized nipples you can bin them and get new, that is unless you wreck them one race in.

ugo.santalucia

On_What wrote:

The Kinesis are the only sensible choice, cheap enough that by the time you even worry about seized nipples you can bin them and get new, that is unless you wreck them one race in.

I don't follow your logic... you say it's better to spend 270 quid twice than 350 once?

I'd say the Kinesis are the only sensible choice if you are set on 1500 grams

Fabius

Thanks all,

To pick up some points...

@lukeaerowallace - yes I have looked at those - thanks for the review link

@ugo - thanks for the advice, I think that the novatech disc hub looks like a good option to save money in my budget that I can then use on spokes and rims. I am certainly not set on 1500g. I can overcome the difference of 150g-350g within my own strength and technique for some way before that kind of weight difference starts to matter to me.

What is important is reliability and versatility.