Carbon wheels

gazeds
gazeds Posts: 182
edited March 2015 in Road buying advice
Carbon clinchers for climbing, any suggestion's, I weigh 76kg

Comments

  • diamonddog
    diamonddog Posts: 3,426
    Not the best option for climbing wheels, they are generally heavier wheels IMO unless you are going to spend mega bucks.
  • Bobbinogs
    Bobbinogs Posts: 4,841
    Maybe he wants the look of carbons? 99% of most high end purchases have nothing to do with logic.

    OP, best give some idea of your budget, criteria and any preferences.
  • Grill
    Grill Posts: 5,610
    Are you planning to descend on them too?
    English Cycles V3 | Cervelo P5 | Cervelo T4 | Trek Domane Koppenberg
  • proto
    proto Posts: 1,483
    The Hope Carbon 45 clinchers look great, but maybe a tad expensive (approx £900 I think).

    Hand built in Barnoldswick, the hubs are superb (as long as you don't mind a loud freehub - think 5000 angry bees, personally I love it), Sapim bladed spokes and beautifully finished carbon rims. Weight is something like 1700gms a pair.

    Rims come from the far east, Taiwan I think, but to my eye looked very high quality. As is the trend these days, fairly wide, 24/25mm(?)

    http://www.bike24.com/p2113474.html
  • mrushton
    mrushton Posts: 5,182
    edited February 2015
    Malcolm from the Cycle Clinic or Ugo may be along to tell you the reality. You can also read what Derek at Wheelsmith has to say. In a nutshell, you are wasting your money.

    http://www.wheelsmith.co.uk/braking-techniques

    http://whosatthewheel.com/
    M.Rushton
  • As you also have to come down the other side, you need to spend some money in high tech rims. So I suggest Zipp 202.

    If you want to spend less, stick to aluminium, a pair of Zero or SLR will outclass even the Zipp (at least the clinchers). If you want to spend even less, then this man seems to have the magic touch when it comes to light wheels

    http://www.spadabike.com/en-en/

    If you want to spend even less, resign to get something around 1.5 Kg, which can be had for roughly 300 quid
    left the forum March 2023
  • mrushton wrote:
    You can also read what Derek at Wheelsmith has to say. In a nutshell, you are wasting your money.

    http://www.wheelsmith.co.uk/braking-techniques

    From that link:
    Carbon tubulars are a completely different matter of course - and that's why the Pros use them.

    I would tend to agree with this. For me a carbon wheel is an out-and-out performance bit of kit. Given this, putting pressures on them does seem to defeat the point somewhat, given the advantages that are still to be had from using a top-grade tubular. (Unless, of course, it is just the 'look' that you are interested in.)
    "an original thinker… the intellectual heir of Galileo and Einstein… suspicious of orthodoxy - any orthodoxy… He relishes all forms of ontological argument": jane90.
  • cycleclinic
    cycleclinic Posts: 6,865
    Decending on far eastern carbon rims can be fine it does depend on the decent and how much braking you have to do and how frequently. I know Zipps are meant to be than most in resisting damage from heat build up but I am not sure I would want to try them on the a long -15% twisty slope. Still carbon clincher wheels are not really meant for mountains whoever makes them best kept for more rolling terrain where your speeds are likely to be higher. So derek is kind of right.

    Carbon tubulars do not suffer as much from heat build and tubs are quite practical so go with carbon tubulars for mountain goat work.

    Your ability to climb is not affect much by the weight of the wheel anyway unless you are able to shave of a lot of weight from the wheel then it might be measurable. What I am getting at is if you have a 1600g wheelset changing it for a 1500g wheelset will make no diference even changing it for a 1300g wheels is only going to make a 1% diference to your climb times on decent gradient. Hills are hard work no matter the wheel you rolling on. Mountains are even more hard work. It is possible to build some very light alloy clinchers for reasonable sums. BLB have a new lightweight hubset I forget the name which is the same weight as the novatec A291/F482 SB-SL but hopefully more reliable although the SB-SL hub seems to be alot better than the cheaper SB hubs. If these new hubs from BLB are any good then reliable 1300g clinchers are a reality for less than spada charge.

    so how important is shaving seconds on a climb you are doing for fun, and then ask are you willing to pay for it.
    http://www.thecycleclinic.co.uk -wheel building and other stuff.
  • norvernrob
    norvernrob Posts: 1,447
    I have some Zipp 202 tubulars - you can get them pretty cheap because most people are scared of them and want clinchers. I paid £500 and they weigh 1100g.

    On long rides (all I really use the bike for, I have an alloy training bike for shorter rides) I carry a spare lightweight tufo 160 which doesn't weigh much more than a tube, and a can of sealant. Worst case scenario I pull the old tyre off, put the spare on and take it easy home.

    I do most of my riding in the Peak District and will be taking the bike to France too, tubulars may be more awkward to fix if you puncture but I'd rather that than a carbon clincher disintegrate at 40mph on a mountain descent.
  • although the SB-SL hub seems to be alot better than the cheaper SB hubs....

    How can they be better? They are exactly the same hub with a few more holes drilled on the flange and one of the bearing of a smaller size... I have fitted a couple... one is fine, the other gave endless bearing issues
    left the forum March 2023
  • Campag zondas - 1550 gms smooth as you like, pretty bomb proof £237 @ the wiggles. Only downside is not so deep but remember if you're doing climbing in the mountains it can be very windy at the top / coming down so deep isn't always best.
  • Kinda of side tracking the issue but is tape as good as using glue for tubulars?
  • Kinda of side tracking the issue but is tape as good as using glue for tubulars?

    Off topic, this is a can of worms...
    left the forum March 2023
  • Kinda of side tracking the issue but is tape as good as using glue for tubulars?

    Off topic, this is a can of worms...

    Not sure that helps.
  • Bobbinogs
    Bobbinogs Posts: 4,841
    borisface wrote:
    Campag zondas - 1550 gms smooth as you like....

    mmm, not sure I would call them smooth. They are lightweight, good vfm, the hubs are good and they spin up well but smooth is the one word I wouldn't use compared to better options like the DA range or RS81 (which uses the same DA rim).

    I find the Zondas to be harsh/brittle, particularly when doing long (70 miles+) rides on British roads.
  • Not sure that helps.

    It's not meant to help... but you can open a new thread in the workshop section, or you can use the search function in the workshop area and find your answer... it is a well covered topic and there are lots of diverging opinions, hence not worth discussing here...
    left the forum March 2023
  • rc856
    rc856 Posts: 1,144
    Kinda of side tracking the issue but is tape as good as using glue for tubulars?

    Discussed in depth amongst this :)

    http://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum ... 13&t=72309
  • RC856 wrote:
    Kinda of side tracking the issue but is tape as good as using glue for tubulars?

    Discussed in depth amongst this :)

    http://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum ... 13&t=72309

    Many thanks

    David
  • cycleclinic
    cycleclinic Posts: 6,865
    well i have had no issues with the sb sl hubs but a few early bearing failures with the sb hubs Which is why i am not buying these anymore. Agreed they are similar but maybe the better quality bearings make a bit of difference. I dont think either hub is one for regular wet road use which restricts there use somewhat.
    http://www.thecycleclinic.co.uk -wheel building and other stuff.
  • well i have ha no issues with the sb sl hubs but a few ezrly bearing failures with the sb hubs. Agreed they are similar but maybe the better quality bearings make a bit of difference. I dont think either hub is one for the wet mind Which restricts there use.

    Coincidence... al Novatec use EZO bearings AFAIK... besides I am not convinced bearing life has much to do with bearing quality, rather than hub design. Poor tolerances and under engineered bearing size kill even the best bearing very rapidly
    left the forum March 2023
  • cycleclinic
    cycleclinic Posts: 6,865
    This is so true and I have just noticed all my typing errors. It maybe that the SB-SL are made to better tolerances then again maybe not. For example White Industries T11 hubs use 6802 and 6902 (although there are three bearings in the rear shell) and these are not unrelaible even in wet weather. So the beaing size it self is not always the problem as other factors play a part as you say.

    None of this discusion changes the fact that these novatec hubs wheather A291/F482SB or A291/F482SB-SL are meant to be low cost light weight hubs for racing on a budget. A seasons racing maybe 2000 miles or so through spring /summer and the hubs will do that. They are not meant to be high mileage all weather hubs for your base miles. The hubs are simply misused by most owners hence the problems people experience.
    http://www.thecycleclinic.co.uk -wheel building and other stuff.
  • norvernrob
    norvernrob Posts: 1,447
    gazeds wrote:
    Carbon clinchers for climbing, any suggestion's, I weigh 76kg

    Just remembered about these, Adrian Timmis mentioned he was looking at getting a set when I was there having a fit and it turns out they are only about 3 miles from my house.

    Sub-1kg set of carbon tubs for under £800 - http://tuwheels.co.uk/product/20mm-deep ... -wheelset/
  • trailflow
    trailflow Posts: 1,311
    Sub-1kg set of carbon tubs for under £800 - http://tuwheels.co.uk/product/20mm-deep ... -wheelset

    Rebadged chinese wheels by the looks of it. Why not buy them from Farsports for less than half that?
  • DKay
    DKay Posts: 1,652
    trailflow wrote:
    Sub-1kg set of carbon tubs for under £800 - http://tuwheels.co.uk/product/20mm-deep ... -wheelset

    Rebadged chinese wheels by the looks of it. Why not buy them from Farsports for less than half that?

    I agree. They are Chosen hubs, which is usually a dead giveaway for Chinese carbon wheels. Yet another of the ever increasing number of pop-up companies selling rebranded Chinese carbon with a 300% mark-up.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,175
    DKay wrote:
    trailflow wrote:
    Sub-1kg set of carbon tubs for under £800 - http://tuwheels.co.uk/product/20mm-deep ... -wheelset

    Rebadged chinese wheels by the looks of it. Why not buy them from Farsports for less than half that?

    I agree. They are Chosen hubs, which is usually a dead giveaway for Chinese carbon wheels. Yet another of the ever increasing number of pop-up companies selling rebranded Chinese carbon with a 300% mark-up.

    BItex actually, but yes, same thing... as long as there is a demand from people who want to be seen riding carbon wheels, there will be an offer for this stuff
    left the forum March 2023
  • diy
    diy Posts: 6,473
    If you don't mind almost as much aluminium as carbon, the Dura ace C35s are good and the C50s are still pretty good for climbing.