Wheel upgrade advise

3lions

Hello all
Just want some advise please ...... I have a trek domane 5.9 with the standard Bontrager Race Lite Tubeless Ready 700C Clincher Road wheels on it ...... I would like to upgrade to a nice set of carbon wheels but without breaking the piggy bank ..... up to about £800 ..... I do casual road riding 30 40 miles
Thanks in advance

cougie

I'd save the cash if you're just casually riding 40 miles. Spend it on tops or sunglasses that you'll notice more.

Bobbinogs

Woah there, we'll have no common sense if you don't mind!

Oh, go on then, OP, what are you looking for in terms of features or performance apart from nice, costing a lot of money and being made of carbon?

sloppyschleckonds

Reynolds

imposter2.0

cougie wrote:

I'd save the cash if you're just casually riding 40 miles. Spend it on tops or sunglasses that you'll notice more.

^^ this. Although if you're absolutely determined to have carbon wheels, just buy a set within your budget that you like the look of.

3lions

Bobbinogs wrote:

Woah there, we'll have no common sense if you don't mind!

Oh, go on then, OP, what are you looking for in terms of features or performance apart from nice, costing a lot of money and being made of carbon?

Hmmm I'm just like anybody really who would always want better than I got lol for real reason I don't know lol ..... I go out on the bike once / twice a week I try to do 30 / 40 mile rides on my own just for fitness..... I don't go out trying to beat the land speed record it.s just me and my bike and I'll get there when I get there I do push but for fitness ..... just like any body else I would like to have a better bike than I've got .... I have a trek domane 5.9, 5 series it is fully carbon bike apart from the wheels .... I have a fizik alante saddle and I've changed the complete group set to dura ace 9100 ( the bike is all black ) also have dura ace 9100 pedals on it and a garmin edge 1000 ..... so before I look at shops .... I'd thought I'd ask here ....for advise can I even get good enough carbon wheels for that price ?? Can I spend less ?? Or do I have to save more .... ? ...... we always want more or better lol there to much of a big choice out there for me to make any sense of it lol. ..... o yer for more light weight bike, better aero dynamics and to just look pro ha ha ha

imposter2.0

3lions wrote:

for advise can I even get good enough carbon wheels for that price ??

Good enough for what? Do you simply want wheels that are made of 'carbon' or are there some other criteria as well?

3lions

Imposter wrote:

3lions wrote:

for advise can I even get good enough carbon wheels for that price ??

Good enough for what? Do you simply want wheels that are made of 'carbon' or are there some other criteria as well?

When I say good enough... I mean better than what I have the bontanga race light wheels hence the word upgrade .... what more can you want out of a wheel Other than lighter weight better aero dynamics.... something that can help me out on the road ....why does anyone upgrade their wheels ??? For what reason ??? I just like the look of the carbon wheel deep rim .... and as far as I'm aware carbon is better yer ? ... or is it ??? should I stick to ally ??? or do you think I should just forget the whole idea ..... and not bother !!!!

Bobbinogs

OP, I think you need to just step back and think about a few things.
First off, a carbon wheel is ultimately just a wheel that is made of carbon! Whether it is 'better' than any other wheel is dependent on a number of factors including intended use, not the fact that it is merely made of carbon. If you just want to spend some money on a nice looking wheelset that has the pro look (as in deeper rim, something like 40mm) then it really is as simple as just picking the set YOU like the look of (since that is really your criteria) that are also made of carbon for whatever price you want to pay (from about £400 up to £3k). Decide the depth of rim you want (40mm is a good compromise) and a price and then google...and pick a nice looking wheelset, whatever nice means to you. Bear in mind that deeper rims usually come at some cost, not just financial but usually more weight than a typical shallow alloy rim and also a usually a greater possibility of impact from side winds.
You will then need to adjust your expectations regarding 'better' if you mean improved performance because there probably won't be any (or at least, nothing much). In fact if you do really punchy hilly rides you may even find yourself slower if any additional weight becomes more important than the aero improvement (which will be minimal going uphill at 8mph).
Do you ride in wet weather? If so, bearings become a big factor in choice, as does wet weather braking, etc.

All this means that if this thread really boils down to "sell me some pro looking carbon wheels" then I am sure Matthew will be along in a minute advising you to buy some 60mm carbon knock-off from alibaba or wherever and you may as well take his advice (ignoring any reference to tubs, naturally) ;-)

g00se

Deep rims are heavier and probably harsher to ride than shallow lightweight rims. For a noticeable aero effect, you'll really need to be hitting 25mph. So if you're racing or time-trialling, then they're the best option.

If you're more interested in longer, hilly rides - and not going too fast, then lightweight alloy is probably a better bet.

Braking is also a consideration if you have rim brakes. carbon rims are generally slower to stop when it's wet. Also, if you're not a confident descender and you tend to drag you're brakes, then you can end up with overheating issues with carbon rims.

I've just bought my first pair of carbon wheels - my claim being that I've started racing properly. I'm off to the alps next week but I'll be using the alloy-rimmed wheels.

(But saying that, I'll still take the carbon wheels along for the cafe rides in France - as they look soooo much cooler).

w00dster

Those race lights are absolutely fine, weighing in at approx. 1500 grams, I've had them as stock wheels on a couple of bikes. I use them on my good bike when its too windy for my deep rim wheels. I also have the RXL and there is very little difference between the two wheelsets. The RXL has a DT Swiss hub, but I can't notice any difference to be honest.

£800 is a fair amount of money for the amount of riding you do. Its your money and we all like bling, so if I had the burning itch to spend £800 on wheels, I'd probably go a set of Mavic Cosmic Pro Carbon Exalith....(disclaimer - I'd actually save up another £200 and buy the Hunt 50mm carbon wheels - based on looks only, I know two guys who have them and they do look good, I don't know how they perform so can't comment on that)

https://www.probikekit.co.uk/bicycle-wh ... 91702.html
https://www.huntbikewheels.com/collecti ... 26wide-999

Or I would do what I have just done, purchased a set of Hunt Race Aero Wide, I'm getting Hunt to set them up tubeless for me and with Schwalbe Pro One Tubeless tyres. Then you can put the other £250 to a weekend away on the bike.

And the really boring option would be to put go tubeless with your current wheels with the Schwalbe Pro One tyres - and then have a week away riding somewhere hot later in the year!

3lions

w00dster wrote:

Or I would do what I have just done, purchased a set of Hunt Race Aero Wide, I'm getting Hunt to set them up tubeless for me and with Schwalbe Pro One Tubeless tyres. Then you can put the other £250 to a weekend away on the bike

Thanks for the advise w00dster ..... talking a lot of sense .... by the advise given getting carbon wheels for me ain't really an upgrade but a waste of money ... ( for me a way ) .... looks like I should be looking at a better set of alloy wheels with tubeless tyres .... by the sound of it it's just me being stupid wanting better wheels than what I have it's just that the only stock thing on the bike apart from the frame is the wheels ..... looks like if I want to change them to get rid of stock ( don't ask me why I don't know why ) I should be looking at alloy wheelset

So my question now is ... are the Hunt Race Aero Wide wheels my best option or is there anything else ? .....
also a real noobie question as I have never bought wheels before so I don't know do they come with spindles ???? If not which spindles do I buy to go with the new alloy wheels ???

w00dster

There's nothing wrong with wanting to make your bike better looking, deep aero wheels do look the dogs. There is some performance benefit, so that's a win win. I've got a fair few sets of wheels, including deep rim. I actually like the look of 35/40 mil deep rims on non aero bikes rather than 50mm, but that's personal preference.
You have so many options, I've gone for the Hunt's because I wanted a decent set that I will be racing on - so if I crash I won't be overly upset.
Other options I looked at are Cero Wheels, the AR30 (lightweight and tubeless - £420) and also Cero RC45 Carbon Clincher - £650. Lastly ACycles have Mavic Cosmic Pro Carbon for £620, 45mm rim with an alu bracking track.
Wiggle / CRC do their own cheapish deep rim wheel that might be worth looking at.
Unfortunately its so difficult to give someone advice on the internet with really knowing the details. If its just for looks and you accept that the gains you will get are minimal, go for the set you think will look the best on the bike.
I have a very expensive set of wheels, and the difference on a normal 30 mile ride are marginal to say the least. However the smile on my face is bigger when I'm riding the summer bike in its full glory.....(almost sounds rude!)
My new wheels will not be used on my normal cruising around rides, I'll keep the deep rim ones on for that.

As you already have a decent weight shallow rim wheel and if the £800 won't be missed - go for it and get the deeper rim. However don't expect anything more than a bigger smile. (I'm kind of contradicting myself I know - its because we have all been in your dilemma, I previously opted for the deep rim rather than being sensible!)

bobones

Have a look at the Zuus 50mm. Looks great in gloss black logos. Much the same as the Hunts above but £400 cheaper.

http://www.zuus.co.uk/new-upgraded-50mm ... -warranty/

Edit another 10% off with code JUNE10

BTW, many on here will poo-poo the Zuus wheels. I have had a set of their older 50mm model for nearly 2 years/7.5k miles and they have been spot on. Great in the wind, great braking performance, have stayed perfectly true, and still look superb with virtually no wear on the brake track. Mine came with perfectly serviceable Novatec hubs, which admittedly come with cheap bearings, but it's fairly easy to replace them with quality SKF ones when needed. I am now running mine tubeless with Schwalbe Pro Ones, and I love them even more than when I first got them. The bloke who sells them, Gary, will sort you out if you have any problems.

You can order similar wheels direct from China for much less dosh if you're willing to put up with potential customs and warranty issues. Much less hassle to deal with a UK supplier IMO.

You'll find pics of mine as well as the usual Zuus FUD in this thread: viewtopic.php?f=40042&t=13032469

ugo.santalucia

bobones wrote:

Have a look at the Zuus 50mm. Looks great in gloss black logos. Much the same as the Hunts above but £400 cheaper.

I read a bit of the description and thye say their rims have a high T basalt coating. This is very different from a high Tg resin.
These basalt rim strips have been around for over a decade and do nothing to dissipate the heat.
High Tg resin is a different ball game, as it means that even if the rim overheats, it is unlikely to go soft and warp/rupture...

Of course requirements are very different and some might not need a high Tg rim at all, but if the OP does, then he should get the best technology out there, as there is no point in risking your butt to have some black hoops

3lions

w00dster

Thanks again .... I really thought that doing a wheel upgrade would change alot in the performance of the bike .... I have always heard that one thing going you should upgrade is your wheels as most of the time when you buy a bike from new most makers go shy on the wheels ..... but really spending that money on carbon wheels Aint worth it .... for me and the riding I do .... sorry I thought it was ... my bad .... I think I will take your advise and get the deep alloy wheels from hunt ..... that way I'll save myself ££££ and I'll get the smile factor as well ..... cheets again good advise my friend

Matthewfalle

Have you looked at Planet X - either the Selcofs they do or P/Xs own?

ZMC888

Just buy a set of Shimano or Campagnolo wheels that fit your budget requirements use - aero or climbing? Don't worry too much about the materials used and weight. Thousands of reviews agree Campy and Shimano are bombproof. Me, I'd train on Zondas and race on Boras or Dura Ace. Maybe buy a climbing set of lightweight alloy clinchers and a carbon 50mm rear for flat riding.

w00dster

Normally most bikes come with duff wheels, but your Race Lites are middle of the range. Back when they were new (2013/2014) Trek only had the RXL's above them (for shallow alu rims). If your wheels were the standard Trek TLR wheels then these are heavy and I'd be saying replace, but yours are ok. If you haven't changed your tyres that would be worth doing, some nice 320tpi supple tyres (bontrager R4's on your bike would look good). Trek sell a lot of their bikes with R1 tyres, in my opinion these are heavy and lifeless.
Those alloy wheels from Hunt aren't deep, 31mm, the aero word is a marketing thing. They're still a decent looking wheel and with the tubeless Pro One's should roll very nicely.
I'm probably doing deep carbon wheels a disservice as well, there is a performance benefit, but its marginal, especially over 30 or 40 miles at amateur speeds. And as mentioned when the suns shining the carbon wheels do look and sound awesome! There was a second hand set of Neil Pryde 35mm carbon rims going for sale in the classifieds, I'd have a think about those - in my opinion that's the ideal depth for an endurance orientated frame. (I don't know the seller I hasten to add)

jdee84

3lions wrote:

w00dster

Thanks again .... I really thought that doing a wheel upgrade would change alot in the performance of the bike .... I have always heard that one thing going you should upgrade is your wheels as most of the time when you buy a bike from new most makers go shy on the wheels ..... but really spending that money on carbon wheels Aint worth it .... for me and the riding I do .... sorry I thought it was ... my bad .... I think I will take your advise and get the deep alloy wheels from hunt ..... that way I'll save myself ££££ and I'll get the smile factor as well ..... cheets again good advise my friend

If you're thinking of the hunt aero alloy wheels you should see if you can find a good wheelbuilder as the hunt's are kinlin rims so you could get a set built with as good or better quality spokes and hubs for less money than the hunt wheels are