Is it worth buying 2nd hand wheels , what to look for if youn do ? ,

ilovegrace

Looiking for a little help here
Never bought wheels new or second hand , had some advise from here a while ago regarding an upgrade to my Look 566,
the general opinion was a wheel upgrade.
I am a man who likes a bargain so second hand seems like a good plan , or is it?
Any guidance regarding what to look for would be very much appreciated.
regards
ILG

smmjrr

Hi was in a similar position to you was not sure if I wanted new or used, in the end got a great deal on a new set so pulled the trigger they will be here next week, I took a little time and hope I have ended up with correct wheels for my bike, I think everyone wants a bargain, have managed to arrange for local LBS to supply and fit the tyres and they will do the work foc, have bought a fair bit from them so was happy when they offered to do the work for nothing, will let you know how my new wheels are

lesfirth

smmjrr wrote:

Hi was in a similar position to you was not sure if I wanted new or used, in the end got a great deal on a new set so pulled the trigger they will be here next week, I took a little time and hope I have ended up with correct wheels for my bike, I think everyone wants a bargain, have managed to arrange for local LBS to supply and fit the tyres and they will do the work foc, have bought a fair bit from them so was happy when they offered to do the work for nothing, will let you know how my new wheels are

If you even think about having someone fitting your tyres for you ,you should do it yourself because you certainly need the practice.

sloppyschleckonds

lesfirth wrote:

smmjrr wrote:

Hi was in a similar position to you was not sure if I wanted new or used, in the end got a great deal on a new set so pulled the trigger they will be here next week, I took a little time and hope I have ended up with correct wheels for my bike, I think everyone wants a bargain, have managed to arrange for local LBS to supply and fit the tyres and they will do the work foc, have bought a fair bit from them so was happy when they offered to do the work for nothing, will let you know how my new wheels are

If you even think about having someone fitting your tyres for you ,you should do it yourself because you certainly need the practice.

I'd pay someone to fit tubeless

TIA

sloppyschleckonds

ilovegrace wrote:

Any guidance regarding what to look for would be very much appreciated.
regards
ILG

Don't bother, I've seen some shocking adverts in the classifieds on here for wheels. Spokes damaged, much more wear than expected. Be careful.

shortfall

SloppySchleckonds wrote:

lesfirth wrote:

smmjrr wrote:

Hi was in a similar position to you was not sure if I wanted new or used, in the end got a great deal on a new set so pulled the trigger they will be here next week, I took a little time and hope I have ended up with correct wheels for my bike, I think everyone wants a bargain, have managed to arrange for local LBS to supply and fit the tyres and they will do the work foc, have bought a fair bit from them so was happy when they offered to do the work for nothing, will let you know how my new wheels are

If you even think about having someone fitting your tyres for you ,you should do it yourself because you certainly need the practice.

I'd pay someone tho fit tubeless

TIA

+1
Obviously some tyre and rim combos will be easier than others but f*ck me did I struggle the first time I fit a pair recently. Saying that it was worth the effort and I'm a tubeless convert now.

smmjrr

Shortfall wrote:

SloppySchleckonds wrote:

lesfirth wrote:

smmjrr wrote:

Hi was in a similar position to you was not sure if I wanted new or used, in the end got a great deal on a new set so pulled the trigger they will be here next week, I took a little time and hope I have ended up with correct wheels for my bike, I think everyone wants a bargain, have managed to arrange for local LBS to supply and fit the tyres and they will do the work foc, have bought a fair bit from them so was happy when they offered to do the work for nothing, will let you know how my new wheels are

If you even think about having someone fitting your tyres for you ,you should do it yourself because you certainly need the practice.

I'd pay someone tho fit tubeless

TIA

+1
Obviously some tyre and rim combos will be easier than others but f*ck me did I struggle the first time I fit a pair recently. Saying that it was worth the effort and I'm a tubeless convert now.

Never did a tubeless and there are two cassette changes as well, I have only started cycling in last year, not wanting to screw up anything on a new set of wheels I am no expert, and they are doing it for free, why would I struggle when I can get it all done by an expert for free, have changed tyres with tubes no bother, thanks Steve

svetty

The LBS won't be with you at the roadside when you have a puncture and need to swap out/fit an inner tube. Best learn how to do this slickly in the warm and dry at home....

I have bought wheels second hand but only after I've inspected them myself before paying....

Bobbinogs

The main things i would check are all the basics, so rim wear (does the rim feel or look concave), is the rim true (spin the wheel and check brake block clearance), are all the spokes in good condition and feel even tension, are the nipples ok or corroded...and finally are the hub bearings/seals in good condition and been regularly checked or serviced correctly.

A lot of people will never service a hub until it breaks or under estimate mileage ("100 dry miles" may mean a long winter that was a bit of a blur).

Pay careful attention to the rear as that takes the brunt of any damage, specially for fatboys who ride in the rain and on bumpy roads.

Caveat emptor!

ilovegrace

Thanks for the replies .
Have a feeling it could go horribly wrong if I go second hand. And yet ..................... !
For instance , are these a good buy ?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/mavic-ksyrium ... SwTM5Y6mWE

regards
Mark

on-yer-bike

The rate some people change their cycling equipment means there are some good 2nd hand buys to be had. Ive bought three sets of wheels off here and two have been good the other set of hand builts which were unused had to be rebuilt with new spokes because they were laced incorrectly.

pbassred

Oddly enough I just bought some on ebay. I even posted a similar question. I wanted a spare wheels to use with a turbo trainer because of their tendency to wear out ordinary rubber and noise on any kind of tread. The wrinkle was that I have a disk bike. End result, I took my time and found a 25mm deep alloy set. It took a while to get my spare disks on then and straight but it all worked out. The really odd thing was that by the look of the packaging the wheel the chap had upgraded to were ..... mavic ksyrium 25mm deep alloy.

That brings me back to "why would you want to?" The wheels that re being sold off are usually the stock wheels that came with the sellers' bike. So unless you don't mind mediocrity ( I didn't in this case), I'd steer clear. and go buy a real upgrade to your performance.

mrb123

Wheels and bib shorts are 2 items I'd probably avoid buying second hand, although for different reasons.

ilovegrace

pbassred wrote:

That brings me back to "why would you want to?" The wheels that re being sold off are usually the stock wheels that came with the sellers' bike. So unless you don't mind mediocrity ( I didn't in this case), I'd steer clear. and go buy a real upgrade to your performance.

What would be considered a "real upgrade" to Mavic Aksium ?
regards
ILG

wotnoshoeseh

I recently bought a set of Mavic Aksiums and to be honest I thought they weren't all that bad - admittedly they are on the winter bike.
I also have a set of Ksyrium Elite's with about 7.5k of mileage on them - they are a good wheel - reasonably light and stiff and look good. I've had a broken spoke on these last summer, and had it replaced and as a result they are creaky and sound a tad troubled.
So, if you are on the heavy side (~14-15 stone), you are probably on the cusp of being able to use these and get good long life out of them - if not tear ahead.
If you are, then you might want to look at some hand builts. If my Ksyrium's don't last this year, I'd be considering a set of Borg 22's from thecycleclinic on here.

pbassred

What would be considered a "real upgrade" to Mavic Aksium

Something other than what he sold. I'm not saying that Mavic aren't a better brand than what he sold off. My main wheels are Mavic. However spending money without a clear difference (lighter, more aero, different material, different tyre options) seem a waste. You end up precisely where you started - with a better finish.

According to the smart people on you tube ( not people who are trying to sell you stuff), wheels are among the least beneficial upgrades, behind helmets, clothing and brake blocks. If I was looking to "upgrade" wheels, I would be looking at 38mm deep toroidal carbon.