Zonda alternatives
johngti
Posts: 2,508
Sorry about another wheel thread, I have looked and didn't find an answer.
Already running zondas fitted with 25mm tyres on my defy composite but I have always found them a bit harsh. Don't get me wrong, love everything else about them (free spinning, light, good acceleration etc) but I'm kind of hankering after something that offers the benefits without battering my rear end on longer rides.
One option is a pair of 38mm Carbon jobbies I've seen (proper deep aero rims seem like a silly option for me!). But what else? Let's say there's a nominal £500 budget, more than happy to have hand built wheels. But as there are some decently steep hills around here I wouldn't want to add a lot of weight. I'm hovering around 80kg give or take a couple.
Already running zondas fitted with 25mm tyres on my defy composite but I have always found them a bit harsh. Don't get me wrong, love everything else about them (free spinning, light, good acceleration etc) but I'm kind of hankering after something that offers the benefits without battering my rear end on longer rides.
One option is a pair of 38mm Carbon jobbies I've seen (proper deep aero rims seem like a silly option for me!). But what else? Let's say there's a nominal £500 budget, more than happy to have hand built wheels. But as there are some decently steep hills around here I wouldn't want to add a lot of weight. I'm hovering around 80kg give or take a couple.
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They are harsh because they have few big spokes, instead of many and thin.
Something less harsh would be a pair of Neutron, much more plush.... and these days in budget
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/campagnolo-neut ... 60366517uk
Handbuilts will be plush if you choose the right combination of rims and spokes. I wouldn't think 38 mm carbon rims as the most obvious alternative though...left the forum March 20230 -
Now they do look nice. They can be added to the shortlist!0
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(Oh and carbon fibre wheels add bling and who doesn't love a bit of bling, eh?)0
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johngti wrote:Now they do look nice. They can be added to the shortlist!
They are no longer in fashion, as folks now want deep carbon rims, but on Italian forums the mountain goats still rave about the Neutron.
They are a quality set of wheels, which were a bit overpriced at 600, but at 450 they are a good buy. Since the build quality is very good and the spoke count not too low, they also tend to last longer than most other wheels in that weight rangeleft the forum March 20230 -
ugo.santalucia wrote:johngti wrote:Now they do look nice. They can be added to the shortlist!
They are no longer in fashion, as folks now want deep carbon rims, but on Italian forums the mountain goats still rave about the Neutron.
They are a quality set of wheels, which were a bit overpriced at 600, but at 450 they are a good buy. Since the build quality is very good and the spoke count not too low, they also tend to last longer than most other wheels in that weight range
Agreed. Great wheels at that price. I've had a fair few pairs of Neutrons over the years, loved them. I've now got some 38mm Carbon jobbies :?0 -
Looks like campag freehub at that price
How do you find the carbon wheels in comparison?0 -
Zondas aren't really harsh. What tyre pressures are you running?0
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i'm running my Zondas with schwalbe pro ones tubeless at 95 psi and they feel as plush as heck...0
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I changed the wheels and tyres on my Roubaix to Zondas plus GP4000s,which was a huge improvement over stock.Only downside was the ride getting harsher due to the Zondas stiffness.
Recently changed to Zonda two way fit using Schwalbe Pro One tubeless.Running these at 80F/85R the original smoothness has returned with no apparent reduction in rolling speed.
My reason for sticking with the Zondas is that they are light enough for me and totally bombproof.After 5000 miles on the original set I have serviced the hubs once and replaced the sealed bearings in the freehub.Still loads of life in the rims and I have yet to need to true them despite a life spent on Mid Devons potholed lanes.0 -
johngti wrote:Looks like campag freehub at that price
How do you find the carbon wheels in comparison?
I changed to carbon rims mainly because of the excessive rim wear I was experiencing on Exmoor's steep descents.
The carbon's are tubular, therefore, they do feel plusher to ride, and they're lighter (<1200 grams), so, they accelerate better; I guess they're more aero; and they brake better wet or dry, than any aluminium wheels I've ridden (Neutron's, Zonda's, Shamal's) with Wiggle's cheap LifeLine carbon pads, which seem to last forever.
I chose tubulars as I don't like the idea of a carbon clincher with the amount of really steep descending I do around here.
Wheels are FarSport 38mm rims built up with DT240 hubs, Sapim CX-Ray spokes, approx £550; I'm running Clement Strada LGG tubeless tubulars (really amazing tyres)0 -
devonboy wrote:I changed the wheels and tyres on my Roubaix to Zondas plus GP4000s,which was a huge improvement over stock.Only downside was the ride getting harsher due to the Zondas stiffness.
Recently changed to Zonda two way fit using Schwalbe Pro One tubeless.Running these at 80F/85R the original smoothness has returned with no apparent reduction in rolling speed.
My reason for sticking with the Zondas is that they are light enough for me and totally bombproof.After 5000 miles on the original set I have serviced the hubs once and replaced the sealed bearings in the freehub.Still loads of life in the rims and I have yet to need to true them despite a life spent on Mid Devons potholed lanes.
Tubeless might be the answer! Didn't even consider that0 -
joe2008 wrote:johngti wrote:Looks like campag freehub at that price
How do you find the carbon wheels in comparison?
I changed to carbon rims mainly because of the excessive rim wear I was experiencing on Exmoor's steep descents.
The carbon's are tubular, therefore, they do feel plusher to ride, and they're lighter (<1200 grams), so, they accelerate better; I guess they're more aero; and they brake better wet or dry, than any aluminium wheels I've ridden (Neutron's, Zonda's, Shamal's) with Wiggle's cheap LifeLine carbon pads, which seem to last forever.
I chose tubulars as I don't like the idea of a carbon clincher with the amount of really steep descending I do around here.
Wheels are FarSport 38mm rims built up with DT240 hubs, Sapim CX-Ray spokes, approx £550; I'm running Clement Strada LGG tubeless tubulars (really amazing tyres)
No concerns about the p word? Thought about tubulars, not convinced about the practicalities0 -
johngti wrote:No concerns about the p word? Thought about tubulars, not convinced about the practicalities
The 25mm Clement Strada LGG tubulars are a tubeless construction. I've ridden over really shocking moorland roads straight through winter and I've never punctured one, the casing just doesn't cut up. If (and when) I do get a puncture, there is no tube, so Tufo Extreme Sealant is by all accounts almost certain to seal the butyl casing, although I haven't needed to test it.
http://clementcycling.com/strada-lgg-road
They are basically glue on and forget.
On some long rides I take 160g Tufo spare tubular, which isn't much more bulky than a tube. I have been doing this less and less such is my confidence in these tyres.
Plus, I don't have to worry about the tyre leaving the rim after a blow out on a fast descent, and that's a big plus where I live.0
