Road/CX wheelset advice please

luke a-d

I'm looking for replacement wheels for my CX bike, which I use as for (in order of frequency) commuting, winter road riding and off-road forays. The current ones are on their last legs. They need to be clinchers, fit a 9-speed shimano cassette and tyres up to 35mm width. Low price (under £100) and robust are my prime considerations - they don't need to be light. Any recommendations from anyone who has been scouring the sales? I'd take second hand if they were in excellent condition.

ugo.santalucia

Shimano R 501 would be my choice in that price range... decent wheels, easy to fix, very good value

How Far is too Far

I would look for some second hand Mavic Askiums as in my experience Shimano rims don't last in winter and off road riding. Mavics do seem to take the abuse a lot better.

luke a-d

Thanks. Would any roadbike wheel take a 35mm clincher (my slicks for road usage only 25mm, but my knobblies are 35mm)?

hammond1975

luke a-d wrote:

Thanks. Would any roadbike wheel take a 35mm clincher (my slicks for road usage only 25mm, but my knobblies are 35mm)?

Nope, most road rims are narrow section and take a max of 25's

I have a budget pair with wider rims spare, they came fitted with 32's, pm me if your interested.

luke a-d

hammond1975 wrote:

Nope, most road rims are narrow section and take a max of 25's

I have a budget pair with wider rims spare, they came fitted with 32's, pm me if your interested.

According to Schwalbe, I would need a rim with a 17c width (see table here: http://www.schwalbetires.com/tech_info/ ... nsions#rim). I'll take that into consideration. I'll pm you re: your budget wheels.

cycleclinic

You can fit 30mm+ tyres to a narrow road rim but don't expect the tyre to come up at the width you would expect. Also all wide tyres on narrow rims introduce handling comprimises (but nothing dangerous) but if you have only £100 to spend that is your first comprimise and other follow from that.

How Far is too Far

luke a-d wrote:

hammond1975 wrote:

Nope, most road rims are narrow section and take a max of 25's

I have a budget pair with wider rims spare, they came fitted with 32's, pm me if your interested.

According to Schwalbe, I would need a rim with a 17c width (see table here: http://www.schwalbetires.com/tech_info/ ... nsions#rim). I'll take that into consideration. I'll pm you re: your budget wheels.

Most CX bikes pre disk were fitted with normal road wheels. I have used Shimano RS80 and Mavic Kysrium Elites recently with 32mm and 35mm CX tyres for many 1000,s miles without any problems Apart from the RS80 rimes were shot after only 4000 miles where as the Mavics are still going strong with 12,000 miles on them.

FransJacques

I'll add a voice for the R501s. Had a pair back in 2005 and they lasted 3+ years commuting. And with mudguards, which I think wear rims faster b/c they drive more water and crap back onto the braking service.

Perhaps you can find RS10s for not much more but apart from the hubs and straight-pull spokes, the rims look identical.

BTW, when I had them they were a 'medium' width 21mm, as are the RS80s and DC CL24s I own.

Try a Schwalbe Marathon for no flats (my bike was stolen before I had flat) or a Conti Contact or Ugo's gomme favoriti, the Vittoria Randonneur.

luke a-d

Thanks, all. Advice much appreciated. I went for the Campy Khamsin CX's as I got a good deal on them.