Wheel upgrade from Mavic aksium

cookci

Hi,

I have a 3 month old cube race and it came with mavic aksium.

I'm no bike expect but the first thing I noticed is that they aren't very stiff to the point I can't have my brake pads where I want them... the second thing I noticed is that the stickers are all falling off and they look a mess.

I'm considering an upgrade.

Whilst I'm upgrading I'm looking for something more aero to help me out on the flats (I struggle to keep up with people on the flats) and possibly a little lighter also.

my question is do you think I should go out and buy a set of fulcrum Quattro's now or do I save up and get something better like the planetx 50mm aero?


Thanks
Christian

mugensi

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but lighter or more aero wheels are not going to help you keep up with others you cycle with, thats down to your overall fitness/strength.

Quattros are roughly the same weight as Aksiums (although it depends on the year of your aksiums as I had a 2012 set and they weighed in at 1760g which is roughly 150g lighter than later/newer aksium models) Quattros IMO are faster (I also had a set) than aksiums and spin freer/nicer plus theyre considerably stiffer.

In order to feel a difference I'd recommend Zondas in which case you'll be dropping roughly 250-300g in weight and they roll much nicer and smoother than Aksiums.

ben-----

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19708066#p19708066]cookci[/url] wrote:

[…] the first thing I noticed is that they aren't very stiff to the point I can't have my brake pads where I want them...

According to this review they are stiff:
The Mavic Aksium wheelset is strong, stiff, ...
One of the Aksium’s many pleasing qualities is its stiffness, …

Just pointing that out.

cookci

I quite like the aero look but those Zondas do look nice. Is there anything 35MM similar to the Zondas?

There is another reason I need these wheels... my winter bikes has faulty hubs

So by the sounds of things I can tension up the spokes a little on my aksiums and bang those on my winter trainer

Bobbinogs

IME, 35mm rims make very little (if any) positive difference and most cheap ones will just be more of a handful in gusty weather. Perhaps I just ain't fast enough

I bet someone uses the word bombproof shortly though...

cookci

Maybe the zondas are a good compromise then as they are 30 rear and 26 front... my mavics are only 22's.

So 50MM aero's are gonna be a real handful in a cross wind then and best not suited to windy cycling routes?

cycleclinic

askiums are not stiff you can feel that when working on one.

wide u shaped 50mm deep rims are not a handful in cross winds. V shaped deep rims are. I have ridden my own 50mm deep rimmed wheels in windy conditions and barely noticed getting blown about. so aero wheels if done right are no problem. Shimano C50's (narrow V-shaped rims) on the other hand and other wheels like them is where this received wisdom comes from.

singleton

I looked at wheel upgrades a while ago and the whole "light v aero" debate.
After some research, I settled on Fulcrum racing zero's as a good option for mixed riding conditions - they are 26mm front and 30mm rear, good hubs, alloy braking surfaces, lighter than claimed (I weighed mine at 1413g without skewers) and so far have been....
wait for it.....
Bombproof ;-)

darkhairedlord

just spend the money on peds

ayjaycee

Am I the only one thinking that there is a potential warranty issue here? If the stickers are coming off and brake pads are rubbing the rim on a bike only three months old (assuming they are set up properly), I would be taking it back to the store for them to look at and resolve any issues.

Unless the OP is simply too heavy for the Mavic Aksiums, I do not believe that there is a lot wrong with them as a basic wheel set. I bought a Cannondale Synapse not long ago which came with Aksiums and Mavic Aksion tyres and I didn't notice the wheels flexing to any degree while they were on it - if it's relevant, I'm 82Kgs. I soon swapped them for the Fulcrum 5 LGs with 25mm Continental GP 4 Season from my other bike - the Synapse immediately felt better but that may have been mainly due to the tyres. I'm presently waiting for some new Conti GP 4 Seasons for the Aksiums and suspect they will improve them no end once fitted and I will happily use them on the other bike.

It's only a matter of time before someone says the OP needs to buy some handbuilts.

Elfed

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19708519#p19708519]ayjaycee[/url] wrote:

It's only a matter of time before someone says the OP needs to buy some handbuilts.

Longest ever 'Which Wheel' thread without a mention of handbuilts!

gaffer_slow

is everything alright with Ugo? I am starting to get concerned.

dj58

OP, someone mentioned that they had bought a set of Hunt wheels on another post, might be worth a look at those. http://www.huntbikewheels.com/collections/road-rim-brake-wheels

redvision

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19708519#p19708519]ayjaycee[/url] wrote:

Am I the only one thinking that there is a potential warranty issue here? If the stickers are coming off and brake pads are rubbing the rim on a bike only three months old (assuming they are set up properly), I would be taking it back to the store for them to look at and resolve any issues.

Why?? The stickers coming off is hardly an issue and the brake pads rubbing (if set up correctly) is just a sign of wheel flex which most wheels do under stress.

OP is the wheel out of true? or is it only under power that the pads rub?

I would stick with the Aksium, especially with the winter coming up.
Get yourself a new set of decent tyres (pro 4s, gp4000s etc) and save up your money for a nice new wheelset in the spring (if you do decide you need one).

ayjaycee

Redvision, I might be extra picky but if the stickers were coming off of my wheels after only 3 months and, weatherwise, the best part of the year at that, I personally think I would be a bit peed off.

Assuming the brakes are set up OK, I really don't believe that the wheels should be flexing that much - mine certainly don't (but I haven't managed to put them out of true yet). The OP doesn't say whether the brake issue has been there from day one or, indeed, whether it is with one or both wheels but, if it has, it indicates to me that the wheel / wheels might not have been put together very well in the first place - again, a warranty issue.

However, I totally agree on the wisdom of buying some decent tyres - as I alluded to in my earlier post, I did just that and they were a great improvement over OEM ones.