Buying new wheels - Experience needed

joppiano

Dear riders.

I am about to buy some carbon wheels for my bike.

However, i really need some help & experience in regard to which ones to choose.
I've chosen 3 wheelsets which i really like, and i hoped you guys could help me a bit.

Fulcrum Racing Quattro Carbon
https://www.bike24.com/1.php?content=8; ... ;orderby=2
Rim: 40 mm
Weight: 1605 gram
Price: 960 €

Reynolds Assault SLG Carbon
https://www.bike24.com/1.php?content=8; ... ;orderby=2
Rim: 41 mm
Weight: 1531 gram
Price: 1.110 €

ZIPP 302 Carbon Clincher
https://www.bike24.com/1.php?content=8; ... ;orderby=2
Rim: 45 mm
Weight: 1645 gram
Price: 1.260 €

Imo, i really love the Zipp wheels. However also the more expensive ones of those 3, and those 302's is not even the firecrest version.
However, look wise, i would say the Fulcrum comes 2nd for me.
But i've also heard that the Reynolds Assault CLG is tubeless ready, which the 2 others aint.
Atm. i use clincher stock wheels on my bike, and i guess i want clinchers again, but i assume it also kinda "sucks" to buy a new wheelset, that "only" can use clinchers - so if I in the future wants to use tubeless, i cant.

Anyway, what do you guys think - and what is your experiences with those 3 wheelsets?

(If you perhaps have a 4th wheelset that you think fits my need, dont hesitate to post it )

Thanks alot.

Best regards

shortfall

Not sure where you are but I'm guessing somewhere in Europe judging by the Euro prices you quote. In my experience factory wheels are great until they go wrong then suddenly you can have to wait weeks for that one off spoke or warranty claim. You may also struggle to find a local bike shop with the tools or know how to repair and maintain them once out of warranty. That's fine if you're lucky and they never go wrong or if you have enough money to treat them as disposable items. Good quality handbuilt wheelsets can be had for the same or in many cases less money than factory wheels and can be made exactly to your requirements. They will also have the benefit of being built up with readily available and cheap spokes and hub spares.

Something like this should be available where you are

https://thecycleclinic.co.uk/collection ... 6-5mm-wide

Or http://www.spokesmanwheels.co.uk/current-stock/

kingrollo

What is the intended use for these wheels ?

Race days ?

Summer only ?

all year round ?

Be aware that full carbon wheels need dedicated brake blocks - for me that was to much of a pain, but i only wanted them because they looked good ! so I went for carbon wheels with an alloy braking surface, these aren't as light as full carbon wheels - But I can quickly change wheels without the faff of changing brake blox.
The other thing is crosswinds mine are 50mm and i do get blown about it if the wind picks up. I will be swopping back to alloy wheels for the winter,

cougie

Do you want the carbons just for looks - or function ?

joppiano

Shortfall - Yeah, im from Europe
Ive already had that in my considerations. For instance, been looking at some Zipp recreated wheels, from http://www.wheelsmith.co.uk/ .

kingrollo - Ye i've been aware of that as well. And I see the simplicity of having a alu brakesurface, if you want to swap wheels around. However, my thoughts of these new wheels, is to be using them all the time. So basicly all year purpose. However, if i want to ride throughout the winther months, i will use my 2nd bike.

So i have no intentions of moving wheels around, but only use this new wheelset. And also, one of the many reasons i want a set carbon wheels, is due to the look. And imo, looks alot better with carbon braking surfaces - even tho alu surfaces has better performance - especially in wet conditions.

Besides that, i do no racing at all. (yet at least)

cougie - both.. love the looks of some +40mm carbon wheels. and ofc interested in the benefits they also provide :-)

kingrollo

If you want the looks Id go 50mm

Reynolds & Zipp from your list.

keef66

Jeepers. €1000+ for a set of wheels just to look nice. Funny old world...

Still, it's your money, your choice. If you can afford it then why not. And somewhere you're keeping somebody in a job.

tomisitt

These are good:

http://ridefullgas.com/dm8-superleggero ... 500g-pair/

joppiano

kingrollo - I would love to have some 50mm wheels, however, since i want a pair of wheels i can use all the time - even when windy - i prefer to keep it lower than 50mm. As you said yourself "The other thing is crosswinds mine are 50mm and i do get blown about it if the wind picks up."

But besides that, you've mentioned Reynolds or Zipp from my list - Can you specify "why" a bit ? :-).

tomsitt - i might sound stupid here . but i've never seen those DM8 before, and yet they seem quite expensive. My point being, for the same money i can get Zipp wheels. So is the good thing about em?
I can see the weight is 1500g, which is less than the zipp. Also see they are tubeless compatible. (with optional tubeless rim tape, sealant, valves & tyres) I cant tell what hub is used?

Btw. regards hub.
I've heard people say that the Zipp hubs aint that great. For instance, the Zipp wheels ive posted here in this thread. People have adviced me to get DT Swiss Hubs instead.
What is you guys opinion on this?

burnthesheep

The nicer brands have such good profiles now in 50 and even 60mm that some of those in cross winds might be equal or better than a 38 or 44mm wheel in a cheaper or older profile.

tomisitt

joppiano — the Spins are hand-built using widely available components (CX Ray spokes etc), and are made to your exact specifications. The hubs are Spin ones, almost certainly something rebadged from the Far East, but they seem pretty decent. I've got a pair of the slightly older model (DM440s) which I like very much. Maybe have a look at some of the other offerings from Spin?

keef66

joppiano wrote:

Btw. regards hub.
I've heard people say that the Zipp hubs aint that great. For instance, the Zipp wheels ive posted here in this thread. People have adviced me to get DT Swiss Hubs instead.
What is you guys opinion on this?

Zipp did have a quality problem with some poorly designed or manufactured hubs disintegrating a few years ago. I'm assuming they resolved it and moved on though; not heard anything recently.

singleton

I bought some assaults a couple of months ago for my summer bike and have been running them tubeless - so far so good.

joppiano

Another thing, my max price for these new wheels is 1.300 €
Obviously, the cheaper the better xD xD

keef66 - Ahh cool, thanks. However, those 302's ive linked in my thread, is the older version (not firecrest), and is using "ZIPP 76 / 176 Hub". Could it be one of the older hubs ?

I obviously would love some firecrest - but they just become to expensive then.

Singleton - thanks. and what depth is those you've got?

tomisitt - thanks. i will take a more indepth look later on.

cycleclinic

The race team I supply find no issue on windy days echoing above that modern shaped 50mm deep rims are quite stable in strong winds. That goes for mine, Zipps renoylds, campagnolo Bora 50 e.t.c V shaped rims suffer in cross winds. So if you like deep then go with a U shaped rim.

I would argue there is no point in shallower carbon clinchers. they are not much lighter and aero trumps weight. given that 50mm U shaped rims are stable in strong winds there is really is no point in the shallower wheels. That goes for light riders as well. Wet braking these days is pretty good as well. I find Campagnolo red pads are the best but rim pad combination is important too.

So ignore the marketing and thing about this as rational as you can given you are want to drop 1000 euro's on wheels for looks. if you want a main brand wheel then the Campagnolo BORA 50 would be the better choice. OP you are overthing this.

kingrollo

thecycleclinic wrote:

The race team I supply find no issue on windy days echoing above that modern shaped 50mm deep rims are quite stable in strong winds. That goes for mine, Zipps renoylds, campagnolo Bora 50 e.t.c V shaped rims suffer in cross winds. So if you like deep then go with a U shaped rim.

I would argue there is no point in shallower carbon clinchers. they are not much lighter and aero trumps weight. given that 50mm U shaped rims are stable in strong winds there is really is no point in the shallower wheels. That goes for light riders as well. Wet braking these days is pretty good as well. I find Campagnolo red pads are the best but rim pad combination is important too.

So ignore the marketing and thing about this as rational as you can given you are want to drop 1000 euro's on wheels for looks. if you want a main brand wheel then the Campagnolo BORA 50 would be the better choice. OP you are overthing this.

But the OP isn't a member of a race team - as such his bike handling skills might not be up to that.

I have older 50mm deep sections - and I won't be riding them through winter. My reason for recommending 50's over 40's, however is purely the bling ! - 40's still fall into are they deep section or aren't they ? - you don't quite get the look.

Personally I think something like mavic cosmic carbone fit the bill here - if you can hack the weight penalty.

singleton

joppiano wrote:

Singleton - thanks. and what depth is those you've got?

All Assaults are 41mm depth.
The other Reynolds wheels of different depths have a different name.

cycleclinic

bike handling skill have nothing to do with it. you are either getting blown about or your not. Your skills determine if you crash or not. Light girls racing suffer more than I would. Even the race teams ladies are not affected on windy days. That goes for most of the U shaped rims. They are all pretty good. The shallower wheel suggestion in case of wind is simply nonsense. Rim profile has more of an effect that rim depth. V shaped rims make the rider suffer in the wind are best avoided these days as there are better options - a U shaped 50mm deep rim.

Tyre width is important too. Tyres that sit wider than the rim, like 25mm tyres on 20mm wide mavic cosmics for example will have the rider cursing far for than a 20mm tyre on the same rim as when the tyre get wider than the rim the stall angle decreases.

The problem with buying a 40mm deep rim is you dont save any weight (well may be a tab but not enough to make any kind of difference) but even if the profile of the rim is similar you do increase the CdA of the wheel (again maybe not by much) and alter the stall angle. If if the whole point of the wheels is to minimise CdA and maximise stall angle then you should go with the deepest you can reasonably ride with. that is a 45-55mm deep u shaped rims with a minimum brake track width of 25mm and width at the widest point of 26mm or wider. So if the OP could ride with a 50mm deep U shaped rim all day and he could then why not.

there is alot of faulty logic about these kind of wheels and manufacturers compound it buy offering wheels they probably shouldn't so everyone then congure's reasons why they should buy them.

My logic is for carbon Clinchers 50mm ish deep, 26mm ish wide U shaped (wider is fine if you can use wider tyres in you bike) is the minimum depth. tyres that sit at 25mm wide on these rims are perfect. anything wider again increases CdA and the decreases the stall angle increasing the effect of cross winds.

This can apply to tubular rims as well but at least the shallower tubular rims are very light so they at least have a point.

The 105% rule applies for tyres and rims. To minimise CdA and maximise the stall angle the rim should be 105% or more, of the width of the tyre.

Mapaputsi

Is there any decent resource online for a guide to buying cycle wheels? I know what sort of riding and racing I do, but would like to make a decision on a new set of wheels I hope to buy next year by myself without all the opinions of strangers on the internet and other fellow cyclists who all hold wildly different thoughts on the 'right' wheel configuration!

Alex99

Mapaputsi wrote:

Is there any decent resource online for a guide to buying cycle wheels? I know what sort of riding and racing I do, but would like to make a decision on a new set of wheels I hope to buy next year by myself without all the opinions of strangers on the internet and other fellow cyclists who all hold wildly different thoughts on the 'right' wheel configuration!

There are plenty of buying guides. But for a decent online resource, I'd look to the post immediately above yours.

warrior4life

Cero RC45's are good. £650, Sapim CX Ray spokes. A light weight hub set, needs a little maintaining in the wet.
Sub 1500g.