Wheelset upgrade from Zonda's

flopstocks

Hello I am thinking about upgrading my wheelset to either Shamal or Bullets from Zonda's but can't decide. I live in Cornwall so terrain is naturally hilly making swing towards the Shamal.

When I go out within our group ride I have no trouble keeping up on the flats, it's the long steep hills where I struggle a little. So again I am thinking the Shamal would be the better choice.

The Zonda's would fit nicely on my winter bike, just need a bit of help on deciding on the upgrade.

Thanks

Garry H

Would 100 grams less weight between the two sets make that much difference...

ben@31

Beat me to it

Zondas are 1540g
Shamal are 1459g
While the daddies are Bora Ultra 35 which are 1370g for the clincher or 1160g for tubulars

In my opinion Zondas are very very good wheels for their price. About £1575 cheaper than Bora Ultra 35

flopstocks

Point taken, I was looking to get a used set from eBay. Shamals go for around £350, the older 1425g version. I got my Zonda's in 2015 for £220 yeah for that money they are great.

Bobbinogs

When the Zondas are worn I would upgrade them...to Zonda C17s. Yes, they weigh a little more but the 17mm (matched with 25mm rubber) will make them handle much better on the descents and flats.

I reckon you are struggling on longer climbs compared to your mates because...they are better/fitter. Saving 100g here or there will not make any tangible difference really despite what the weight weenies say. There is much more to a good wheelset then just 100g, and there is much more to being a good climber than a set of wheels.

Have a look at your technique and see what you can do to climb the longer climbs better. Often, it is a case of getting the pacing right (just look at the way Froome lets Dirty Bertie do his attacks without responding but then just slowly winds the screw and reels him in). Learn to find your sustainable point and stay just below it at the start...patience, patience...and then after the mid section start to up the effort but leave enough to crest with strength. Many riding in a group or a race will finish a climb absolutely flagged out...to then get dropped as others power off into the distance as they don't need the immediate recovery. In the winter, get some HEAVIER wheels and do the hills, next spring you can go back to light wheels and see how much you fly with the technique and fitness sorted.

Alex99

Zonda's are my race wheels
When I get beat (which is a lot) it's not because of the wheels. After all, I avoid taking any wind unless I absolutely have to.

Honestly, they're quite good wheels. To really make a noticeable difference over these on climbs, you need to spend a lot of cash and even then, it will make only a fraction of a difference.

Flâneur

I'd stick with the Zondas unless you have a good amount of money you want to part with, then you also need to shout your budget

flopstocks

Unfortunately for me the guys I am riding with are pretty quick, one of them has around 50 KOM's on Strava. They are also running top end bikes too (Cannondale full Dura Ace and a Giant TCR advanced) and both have low profile carbon clinchers. But then mine ain't no dud (Chorus Viner Mitus 0.6).

Bobbinogs

Well, face it chap, changing the wheels isn't going to do didly squat when it comes to keeping up with your mates so either start training or suck it up.

Our club has some very decent Cat 2/3/4s and ex Elites, all on top kit. One guy rides with our club every now and then. He will often turn up on some little bike shaped object with a pannier rack and small wheels, each with heavy rims and a ton of spokes. He flies out of the pack on the first hill and crests it first and he will repeat this for every following hill on a ride. Oh, probably should mention he was the National 24 hour TT champion a couple of years ago, clocking over 500 miles in the time :-)

johngti

flopstocks wrote:

Hello I am thinking about upgrading my wheelset to either Shamal or Bullets from Zonda's but can't decide. I live in Cornwall so terrain is naturally hilly making swing towards the Shamal.

When I go out within our group ride I have no trouble keeping up on the flats, it's the long steep hills where I struggle a little. So again I am thinking the Shamal would be the better choice.

The Zonda's would fit nicely on my winter bike, just need a bit of help on deciding on the upgrade.

Thanks

I swapped my zondas for a pair of zuus 38mm. I'm not appreciably quicker, nor do I keep up much more effectively, but at least I look better while I'm at it.

Or at least the bike does.

jlloyd

flopstocks wrote:

Unfortunately for me the guys I am riding with are pretty quick, one of them has around 50 KOM's on Strava. They are also running top end bikes too (Cannondale full Dura Ace and a Giant TCR advanced) and both have low profile carbon clinchers. But then mine ain't no dud (Chorus Viner Mitus 0.6).

Riding with faster mates will make you much faster than any wheel or kit could ever do.

flopstocks

Bobbinogs wrote:

Well, face it chap, changing the wheels isn't going to do didly squat when it comes to keeping up with your mates so either start training or suck it up.

Our club has some very decent Cat 2/3/4s and ex Elites, all on top kit. One guy rides with our club every now and then. He will often turn up on some little bike shaped object with a pannier rack and small wheels, each with heavy rims and a ton of spokes. He flies out of the pack on the first hill and crests it first and he will repeat this for every following hill on a ride. Oh, probably should mention he was the National 24 hour TT champion a couple of years ago, clocking over 500 miles in the time :-)

I have managed to reduce the gap over the past year or so, so will keep hard at it. I had a hip debridement in 2013, and started up cycling about a year after. My pace is improving quite rapidly though

Bobbinogs

JLloyd wrote:

flopstocks wrote:

Unfortunately for me the guys I am riding with are pretty quick, one of them has around 50 KOM's on Strava. They are also running top end bikes too (Cannondale full Dura Ace and a Giant TCR advanced) and both have low profile carbon clinchers. But then mine ain't no dud (Chorus Viner Mitus 0.6).

Riding with faster mates will make you much faster than any wheel or kit could ever do.

Ha, yeah, good point. Pushing one's self to keep up with faster riders is brutal but bloody effective. The other thing is, when blowing out ya arse just fixating on that wheel in front and trying to keep it, one doesn't have too much time to think about various things like the pros and cons of spoke types...or anything else for that matter.

Alex99

flopstocks wrote:

Bobbinogs wrote:

Well, face it chap, changing the wheels isn't going to do didly squat when it comes to keeping up with your mates so either start training or suck it up.

Our club has some very decent Cat 2/3/4s and ex Elites, all on top kit. One guy rides with our club every now and then. He will often turn up on some little bike shaped object with a pannier rack and small wheels, each with heavy rims and a ton of spokes. He flies out of the pack on the first hill and crests it first and he will repeat this for every following hill on a ride. Oh, probably should mention he was the National 24 hour TT champion a couple of years ago, clocking over 500 miles in the time :-)

I have managed to reduce the gap over the past year or so, so will keep hard at it. I had a hip debridement in 2013, and started up cycling about a year after. My pace is improving quite rapidly though

Keep at it. Still, get new wheels if you just fancy them and have the dosh.

mfin

I own both the wheelsets. You're not going to find changing them contributes noticeably to closing the gap on your mates. If you want them though, fair enough. Remember if you are buying them used then Shamal's bearings cost a lot to replace. In fact, there's no way I'd buy a used set of Shamals myself for that reason if I was you (assuming money is tight).

Remember Eurus are like Shamals in most respects but with the same bearings etc as the Zondas and a hub shell that isn't carbon. Not so common if you are looking for used, but bearing replacement will be cheap.

If you actually want some hardware that will close the gap vs what you have, try riding some other frames, there's way more potential benefit there.

(Of course, the most potential is in improving yourself, but others have said that).

flopstocks

mfin wrote:

I own both the wheelsets. You're not going to find changing them contributes noticeably to closing the gap on your mates. If you want them though, fair enough. Remember if you are buying them used then Shamal's bearings cost a lot to replace. In fact, there's no way I'd buy a used set of Shamals myself for that reason if I was you (assuming money is tight).

Remember Eurus are like Shamals in most respects but with the same bearings etc as the Zondas and a hub shell that isn't carbon. Not so common if you are looking for used, but bearing replacement will be cheap.

If you actually want some hardware that will close the gap vs what you have, try riding some other frames, there's way more potential benefit there.

(Of course, the most potential is in improving yourself, but others have said that).

To be fair, I think my frame is just about as good as my mates. I can get a new set of the older Shamals (non C17) for £550, still sitting on the fence at the moment though.

Like you said I need to work on the engine for the real gains.

flopstocks

I bit the bullet and bought some of the non C17 Shamals from Evans, got a price match with probikekit and used my company scheme for another 10%. Came in at £495 and should be delivered tomorrow just in time for Wales Velothon :-)

philbar72

JLloyd wrote:

flopstocks wrote:

Unfortunately for me the guys I am riding with are pretty quick, one of them has around 50 KOM's on Strava. They are also running top end bikes too (Cannondale full Dura Ace and a Giant TCR advanced) and both have low profile carbon clinchers. But then mine ain't no dud (Chorus Viner Mitus 0.6).

Riding with faster mates will make you much faster than any wheel or kit could ever do.

this, and structured training to allow you to keep up with them.

flopstocks

Managed to get the Shamals on and stuck with them for the first 50 miles. Ended up completing the Wales 140km Velothon in 4 hours 42 :-)

Bobbinogs

Nice to have mates that drop you after 50 miles on an 80 mile ride that is just for fun. Have you thought about upgrading them?

yiannism

Bicycle is not more of 15% of the performance. If you cant keep it up is not your bicycle is the engine.

As others said riding with faster than you is the best way to improve your self. I did it too. At the beginning i was ready to stop cycling, but now i am one of the faster on my group, and my bicycle is nothing special, aluminium with 105 gears and vision team 25 wheels. Cycling is a fair sport, what you give you get it back. If you work hard you will get pay off.

TonyJams

By all means upgrade the wheels but the real improvement will come if you can lose a few kilos. The fact you can keep up with them on the flat means you've got the power, its the power to weight that comes into play on the climbs.
Drop 6kg and you'll be amazed what happens. Cheaper too!