New wheelset
o11y
Posts: 3
Looking for a wheelset to put on my road bike at around the £300-£400 mark - upgrading from Shimano R500s. Not too sure whether to go lightweight or aero as my riding is mostly on quite hilly roads (50km ride would be approx 700m climb) and so I wouldn't be going too fast, most of my riding averages 26-29 km/h. Should I go lightweight or aero with my new wheels? I'm probably looking at a choice of Mavic Ksyriums or Fulcrum R3s for lightweight or a set of Cosmics if I go aero. Am I going fast enough for aero > weight?
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Comments
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At your price range you will only really get semi aero rims and they will be quite heavy and for hilly rides you will see little benefit. Planet X do carbon rims but they are not the lightest either for the money.
Your Fulcrum R3s would be a decent set as they are 30mm rear but shallower at the front so not truely semi aero. But they are reasonably light for climbs.0 -
Keep the R500s until springtime and then replace then with some Zonda's, complete with nice rubber (like Schwalbe One)0
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Keep the R500s until springtime and then replace then with some Zonda's, complete with nice rubber (like Schwalbe One)
My exact wheels and tyres of choice on better roads. R3's and pretty much Zondas anyway with a fulcrum badge. Getting mine respoked and its going to take 2 weeks to get new parts from Italy so thats the only downfall of them.0 -
Keep the R500s until springtime and then replace then with some Zonda's, complete with nice rubber (like Schwalbe One)
I have been using Zondas for the past puncture-less 5 months . I thought they were really good the best wheels for the cost you could buy. Since Monday I think they are fantastic.
Going down Sheephouse lane,north of Bolton,
( lots of you will know it, east wind so chance of a PB) I hit a pot hole at over 60 kph ( according to Strava).
The impact was way in excess of anything I had ever experienced before. I thought "thats the front wheel gone", I then realised I was still on the bike and not heading for A&E. When I stopped the tyre had punctured with a snake bite but the wheel and tyre were perfect.There was not a mark on them and the wheel still ran true. The only way I could identify the impact area are was by the position of the puncture in the tube.
IMHO if Zondas were twice their price they would still be worth every penny. Some people refer to them as being " stiff or uncomfortable " I have not found that.
My tyres are Michelin Pro4 SC 25mm which I run at 80psi on the front. I weigh 68kg. I am undecided whether this is a "one off" or should I go up to 90psi.? One thing I will not change are the wheels. This is now a life time love affair.0 -
Keep the R500s until springtime and then replace then with some Zonda's, complete with nice rubber (like Schwalbe One)
IMHO if Zondas were twice their price they would still be worth every penny.
Of course they wouldn't be, they'd be ridiculously over-priced.
They're probably the best factory builts at that £250ish price though.0 -
Semi aero rims weight around 480-500g well the Kinlin XR31T does anyway (31mm deep as well). Add hubs and spokes and the wheels would be c.1500-1650g depending on the hubs mostly. Now in which world would a ~1600g wheelset slow you down on hills. It's not the world I live in thats fo sure. The same goes for many of the factory offerings.
Besides there is more to aerodynamics than depth. rim shape and width has a influence too.
It is not uncommon for wheels to survive pot hole hits at speed. It depends on the the hole and how you hit it. Re-run the same impact (please dont) and the result may be different for you and the wheel. If you side load the wheel in the impact then it more likely to be damaged. If you hit the hole straight on then it is a radial impact and a wheel has more chance of surviving that. How likely the rim is to dent depends on too many things. Glad you got away with it but it is not likely that the wheel was not the cause of your good fortune. Your low weight is the likely cause. If did the same thing the result could be very different (82kg + a bit more for kit).http://www.thecycleclinic.co.uk -wheel building and other stuff.0 -
Keep the R500s until springtime and then replace then with some Zonda's, complete with nice rubber (like Schwalbe One)
IMHO if Zondas were twice their price they would still be worth every penny.
Of course they wouldn't be, they'd be ridiculously over-priced.
They're probably the best factory builts at that £250ish price though.
I love mine but I don't think they are overly amazing. I only really got them cos they were cheaper than Fulcrum Racing 3 which are the same wheel less spoke pattern. They are a pain to fix as well since there are no spoke holes which makes replacing spokes a pain. Got to use a magnet tool to locate the nipples in the rim0 -
Cheers for the advice, seems people aren't fans of the Mavic wheels. Any reasons why?0
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Cheers for the advice, seems people aren't fans of the Mavic wheels. Any reasons why?
Loads of people like Mavics, well, people tend to like what they have bought regardless, I met someone who liked their Ford Focus once. At your price bracket Zondas are a sweet spot, and you haven't got enough budget to buy any decent aero wheels they'd be just something heavier than it needs to be that you'll be lugging around just to have 'the 50mm look'. Some of the Ksyriums in your budget ride a bit 'wooden feeling' and there seems to be more problems with hubs and freehubs.
If you happened to find a good deal on a set of Eurus (good would be £400), then they would be a great wheel, you'd then pretty much have a Shamal Ultra but with the cheaper steel bearings of the Zonda (a good thing when you come to replace them!?), but at £475 that they're pushed around at they are a bit too much really, not great value hence I say if you can find a good deal. Back to back riding makes it immediately noticeable these are a step up from Zondas.
RS81 C24s are another good one, but you will feel more road surface coming through them than the Zondas, same with DuraAce C24s but they aren't worth bothering with as you can have Eurus/Shamal Ultra/Fulcrum Zeros when you get to that kind of money.
Mavic's various Ksyriums wouldn't get a shout in above any of the others mentioned. This is all personal opinion!
Remember a lot of people rave about their new wheels but generally they are all buying ones that are better/more expensive than their last ones so they should be better and take it all with a pinch of salt.0 -
I have Mavic Ksyruims and Cosmics. Even though the Cosmics may be a bit heavier I cant notice them any slower up long or short climbs. But can definately notice they are faster everywhere else. And they make a nice sound :-)0
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I have the One tires, but they are being replaced with the Pro One.
I would look at tires with low rolling resistance.
Pro One, GP4000SII with latex tubes, Specialized Tubeless are the three lowest. Then a lot of people think the Michelin Pro4 are a ride comfort choice.0 -
For a touch over your budget you could maybe consider Neutron Ultras. I got a pair of these over summer and they have been a joy to ride on both flats and climbs. Apart from the fact they look cool, I don't see the advantage of aero for the average weekend rider - if anything, plenty of disadvantages... heavier, stiffer and being blown around in cross winds?0
