Another "which wheelset?" upgrade question!

handsome devil

Looking to upgrade the wheels on my Allez (winter hack) from the Axis Classics that came stock upon purchase. Reason is the current wheels are generally pretty poor. They struggle to spin freely for more than several rotations (particularly the rear) and feel very "numb" and "lethargic" compared to the 6600 Ultegras on my Roubaix which still feel very sprightly and alive after around 6 years of ownership.

The options I`m pondering are;

1. Do I just buy some Aksiums to replace the Axis as while they`re probably not too much lighter they`ll definitely roll better and will withstand the adverse UK weather conditions (sealed cartridge bearings), I can get a pair of Aksiums with something like Lithions 2`s/Ultrasport 2`s for around £155.

2. Or do I take the opportunity of replacing the Ultegras with Ksyrium Elites, Racing 3`s, etc on the Roubaix (Summer bike) and relegate those (addmitedly still very good) Ultegras to the Allez? Maybe even consider Cero AR24 Evos at £189 for the Allez and there will be a massive gain in lower weight for not much more cash than the Aksiums!

I can`t seem to make a definitive decision hence seeking some opinions on here. Max budget is around £350.

Thanks in advance for any feedback.

rob39

Personally I can't see past campagna Zonda, lightish bomb proof

svetty

For winter wheels I have grown tired of repeatedly throwing wheels away when the rims wear out.
I now have handbuilts and just replace the rims. Over time this means decent hubs and spokes and reduced costs.

dstev55

Think about nipple material. You really want brass nipples as they resist corrosion much better than aluminium. Neither the Cero's or Mavic's have brass nipples. Have you looked at the Hunt 4season Aero's? They do have brass nipples and at £299 are a bit cheaper than the Ksyrium Elite's.

svetty

Can't say that I find Sapim alloy nipples prone to corrosion over several Yorkshire winters. Admittedly I try and keep the rims reasonably clean.

paul_the_pedaller

I put Aksium Elites in my Allez around November, due to the mucky and hilly roads around here they're pretty worn already. When they wear out it'll be Borgs or Hunts for me, easier to get a rim replacement.

sloppyschleckonds

handsome devil wrote:

Looking to upgrade the wheels on my Allez (winter hack)

Max budget is around £350.

£350 for winter wheels? I'm out.

I'd go with Svvettys advise

cycleclinic

I use sapim alloy nipples and a set of my wheels came in for rebuild and they all unwound. The rims had worn out which is a good sign. The only reason to go with brass is to save money or if you are heavy as alloy nipples do fatigue. To avoid nipple failure, spokes have to be the right length and the wheels have to really stiff to reduce fatigue inducing flex.

dstev55

thecycleclinic wrote:

I use sapim alloy nipples and a set of my wheels came in for rebuild and they all unwound. The rims had worn out which is a good sign. The only reason to go with brass is to save money or if you are heavy as alloy nipples do fatigue. To avoid nipple failure, spokes have to be the right length and the wheels have to really stiff to reduce fatigue inducing flex.

You say that but the alloy nipples of my old DT Dwiss R20 Dicut's oxidised after a period of heavy use through winter. Wouldn't happen with brass nipples.

kingrollo

I Brought campag khamsin for my winter bike. a genuine surprise in quality for£140 - not the lightest but very smooth and stiff.

ollaay

rob39 wrote:

Personally I can't see past campagna Zonda, lightish bomb proof

+1

joe_totale-2

I've been using Prime Race Road wheels this winter and they've served me well. They're light enough that they really improve acceleration and make climbs a bit easier and they're simple to maintain.

You can get them right now for £135 at Chain Reaction with the BC discount which for me is a good price for winter wheels.

handsome devil

Thanks for all the contributions everyone. Gotta say I`m liking the look of those Primes from CRC for £149 at the mo. Great weight, tubeless ready, cartridge bearings and theoretically decent backup from CRC all the while they`re available. Realise they`re gonna be a throwaway wheel but if I can get 2-3 years out of them for £150 what`s not to like?!

The Cero AR24 Evos also look promising but I really can`t see where the extra £55 is compared to the Primes (admittedly around 100g lighter overall but not reason enough to pay the extra imo).

Looks like I`ll keep the Ultegras on my Roubaix after all and probably just put the Primes on the Allez - unless anyone can convince me there is an alternative way to go....?!!

scott_w1987

If you need a BC discount code you are welcome to use mine

N0bodyOfTheGoat

handsome devil wrote:

Thanks for all the contributions everyone. Gotta say I`m liking the look of those Primes from CRC for £149 at the mo. Great weight, tubeless ready, cartridge bearings and theoretically decent backup from CRC all the while they`re available. Realise they`re gonna be a throwaway wheel but if I can get 2-3 years out of them for £150 what`s not to like?!

The Cero AR24 Evos also look promising but I really can`t see where the extra £55 is compared to the Primes (admittedly around 100g lighter overall but not reason enough to pay the extra imo).

Looks like I`ll keep the Ultegras on my Roubaix after all and probably just put the Primes on the Allez - unless anyone can convince me there is an alternative way to go....?!!

~50p per gram sounds a fairly decent weight loss investment to me for the lighter wheels, if they are up to the job for you.

I've been toying with the idea of buying the £270 Prime Pro Disc for at least a month, which are ~1450g, making them ~440g lighter than my Cube's Fulcrum Racing 77 DBs (which I believe are same as the Racing Sport DBS).

The Fulcrums have a horrid reputation for freehub issues IIRC, a lighter wheelset will be very welcome, but it's the disc rotor rub I hear from the wheels flexing as I climb cat3/4 hills that I really want to eliminate. £243 with BC discount makes those Prime Pros sound almost too good to be true and I can't help but wonder whether it would be worth spending more on something like Campag Zonda C17s or MasonxHunt 4Seasons, with my weight over the last year being in the 75-80Kg ballpark.

handsome devil

I`ve been mulling over the various options and in the end I ordered the Prime Race Road at £150.

For the weight, price and general build quality I`m impressed. Re-branded Novatech hubs, standard j bend DT spokes and nipples and Alex rims. Should be straight-forward to maintain and also have the back-up of CRC along with a 2 year warranty so what`s not to like?! At 1530g there really wasn`t much to touch them for under £150 tbh...

Did compare the Cero AR24 Evo but these were an additional £44 with no discernible difference so bought the Primes. Will fit on Tuesday and report back as to how they ride.

I`m 82kg so no lightweight but the Ultegras on my Roubaix have served me very well for the last 5 years and are still going strong (hubs have been serviced twice and they`ve never needed truing) so lower spoke count won`t faze me (Ultegra 16/20 while Prime 20/24).

scott_w1987 wrote:

If you need a BC discount code you are welcome to use mine

Big thanks to scott_w1987 for the offer of the BC discount code. Unfortunately I ordered just before you offered but very grateful for your offer anyway