Wheelset for the Alps sub £300

shirley_basso

I have read through the many threads on here but I *think* my requirements are a bit different.

I am a 75kg cyclist and fitness wise, I can happily ride with a few cat3 friends when on training rides.
I have a deep carbon wheelset (zipp 303s) and a cheap winter wheelset (RS11s).

I am off to the alps this summer and looking for a lightweight (1400g or so), stiff climbing wheelset. If I am honest these will live in wheelbags most of the year as I live in Cambridge where it's pan flat so all the riding I need to do can be done on the Zipps or the RS11s when the weather is poor. Therefore I don't need to go for the most durable hubs and also don't want to pay a fortune for them due to lack of use.

I would take the Zipps but have never been to proper mountains before so would rather not take them until I have more experience descending.

Only condition is alu braking surface and maximum inner width of 17mm as my bike doesn't have clearances for anything bigger. I don't mind if they're not tubeless as I have no experience with using tubeless yet.

I have looked at:

- Cero AR24s (look to be hard to beat)
- Ksyrium in various guises
- I used to own a pair of Zondas and have no issues with them, but would go with AR24s rather than the same again simply for the cost saving.

Handbuilt options looks interesting, but I can't find anything light enough at a price I'm willing to pay, unless I am missing something. Lightweight Novatech hubs with Kinlin XR200 and Sapim spokes could be interesting but not sure who would build it or what it would cost.

I've also considered going down the used route for some R-SYS SLR which can be had for £450-£500 but only because they seem like such a high quality wheelset, but I have heard some stories that the Exalith coating can come off very quickly if it does start to go (or it lasts for years). I am in no rush as leaving in mid-July so also able to keep an eye out for a bargain if there are any other excellent wheelsets which are available on the cheap second hand.

N0bodyOfTheGoat

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/prim ... prod142941 ?

I've been looking at the disc version for a few months, in which time it has gone up a bit in price, hard to find much feedback as to whether they are stiff and durable enough for me as regular wheels for me currently a little heavier than I'd like to be at ~78Kg.

Midlands Grimpeur

I wouldn't get hung up on the weight, having used various wheelsets on various climbs I doubt you will 200g difference, (especially not when riding up a 8% gradient at under 10kph!). If you are prepared to sacrifice a bit of weight I would go for a good set of handbuilt wheels, you will appreciate something stiffer with better power transfer particularly when out of the saddle.

mrb123

How about sourcing the hubs, rims and spokes and then paying your LBS to build them up for you if they do that sort of thing.

Chain Reaction currently have the Mavic Open Pro UST rims for £41.99 each, less the usual BC/Top Cash Back.

Bitex Hubs are a nice choice for a lightweight, economical summer build. Malcolm stocks them, as do DCR (as their own branded hubs).


So that's roughly £200 for hubs and rims. Maybe some D-light spokes for about £50 and then build costs.

bobones

I have had the AR24s since January and I like them a lot. I have them shod with tubeless ready Maxxis Padrones and the ride quality is sublime and the wheels feel fast and light. I broke a rear NDS spoke a couple of weeks ago on a bumpy 80 mile ride, which is not great, but I was able to continue the ride and then replaced the spoke and retensioned the entire wheel when I got home. I think the spokes lost a bit too much tension when the tubeless tire was fitted so I gave them an extra turn and they're nice and tight now. (BTW I am not heavy at 70kg).

I think you'll struggle to find anything as light as the AR24s for less than £200, but have a look on slowbike.eu for some interesting handbuilt options. These https://www.slowbuild.eu/aluclincher/op ... ex-1393gr/ are sub €300 for example. (Use Google Chrome translate option).

ugo.santalucia

I am looking for a pair of trousers to go to a wedding in Sicily in August

mrb123

ugo.santalucia wrote:

I am looking for a pair of trousers to go to a wedding in Sicily in August

https://www.boggi.com/en_GB/apparel/sui ... color=GRIG

ugo.santalucia

MrB123 wrote:

ugo.santalucia wrote:

I am looking for a pair of trousers to go to a wedding in Sicily in August

https://www.boggi.com/en_GB/apparel/sui ... color=GRIG

Thanks, but unlike the OP I was hoping to spend less...

mrb123

ugo.santalucia wrote:

MrB123 wrote:

ugo.santalucia wrote:

I am looking for a pair of trousers to go to a wedding in Sicily in August

https://www.boggi.com/en_GB/apparel/sui ... color=GRIG

Thanks, but unlike the OP I was hoping to spend less...

Ah ok. You never specified a budget.

In that case you're probably restricted to factory made rather than handbuilt trousers. They will do the job and will be just as light but once you break the zip or wear out the crotch they'll be for the bin.

ugo.santalucia

MrB123 wrote:

ugo.santalucia wrote:

MrB123 wrote:

ugo.santalucia wrote:

I am looking for a pair of trousers to go to a wedding in Sicily in August

https://www.boggi.com/en_GB/apparel/sui ... color=GRIG

Thanks, but unlike the OP I was hoping to spend less...

Ah ok. You never specified a budget.

In that case you're probably restricted to factory made rather than handbuilt trousers. They will do the job and will be just as light but once you break the zip or wear out the crotch they'll be for the bin.

What if I get J-Brand instead of Straight pull ones?

thegreatdivide

You're over thinking things. Save your money and take your Zipps. There will be zero difference descending on a pair of shallow aluminium rims or 45mm carbon rims. The first time I went to the Alps I took my best wheels which just happened to be 303s.

stueys

If you’ve not hit mountains before I wouldn’t take your carbon clinchers, getting something with an all brake track is eminently sensible. See if you can pick up some c24’s or zero’s second hand. The shim dura hubs are bullet proof, rims wear quickly so make sure you check.

janwal

How about some Prolite Bracciano. Good solid wheels about 1500gms.mine stayed true for 3 years and even then only needed a small tweak to the rear one.

philbar72

the old ultegras were good wheels, used to spin up nicely as the rims were so light. reckon the Ar24's are pretty much what I'd be looking for if I were going lower budget nowadays.

keef66

Unless you're concerned about looks / labels / bling I'd save the £300, service the hubs on the RS11s and take them. I doubt the extra couple of hundred grams will make any difference to your alpine experience.

£300 on wheels which will spend the rest of the year gathering dust just sounds wrong to me.

shirley_basso

While I sort of agree it's more like 600g. Also the RS11s do feel quite wooden by comparison to my previously owned Zondas and I would like something stiffer for the climbs. This will be my first (hopefully of many to come) trips to the high mountains and I really want to enjoy it.

joe_totale-2

For just over £300 you can pick up a set of DT Swiss RR21's from CRC, I use them and I love them. The difference between them and RS11's is like night and day:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/dt-s ... prod165115

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/dt-s ... prod168119

The DT Swiss 240 hubs used in them are a cut above any other hubs at that price range and you'd struggle to pick them up for any less then what they're selling the wheels for!

ugo.santalucia

What is your reluctance to take the Zipp about?

If it's a trip of your choice, I would assume you won't go up the Galibier with the rain and equally, if it's not a busy event like "la marmotte", you can choose to descend at your own pace, fast or slow, which means you are in control of the braking.

Frankly, it seems pointless to own an expensive pair of carbon wheels and then look for a cheap one to go on a cycling holiday

shirley_basso

My concern is that I haven't done any cycling in the high mountains before and I am not a great descender even on UK roads. Therefore I would rather not worry about overheating rims and delaminating brake tracks etc. I am sensible and do understand about not dragging brakes, but would rather not have the worry, especially if it does start to rain. Plus I can't see why the rain would put you off cycling. It does that all the time in the UK.

I do agree with your view up to a point, but for the sake of £200-£300 quid I'd also rather not ruin them.

ugo.santalucia

Shirley Basso wrote:

My concern is that I haven't done any cycling in the high mountains before and I am not a great descender even on UK roads. Therefore I would rather not worry about overheating rims and delaminating brake tracks etc. I am sensible and do understand about not dragging brakes, but would rather not have the worry, especially if it does start to rain.

I do agree with your view up to a point, but for the sake of £200-£300 quid I'd also rather not ruin them.

But you get the hang of it pretty quickly... it's much easier to descend in the Alps, than it is over here... roads are wider, better surfaced, bends are well signed and not as tight as they are over here.

The concerns about braking on carbon are

1) Cheap carbon rims from China

2) Busy events, when you are constantly on the brakes

3) very wet roads

You don't have any of these problems.

As for ruining them, why would you ruin them? Surely you want your scenic photos to have the Zipp on, rather than some cheap looking hoops... 8)

thegreatdivide

As I previously posted, it’s a NON ISSUE. Take your Zipps. You’re going to the Alps so take your best wheels.

Sure I had a bit of a draggy brake time on my first Col descent (on my 303s) but you gain confidence each day until you’re blasting down mountains with a big grin on your face

And you can’t delaminate a modern Zipp rim. Stop reading scare stories on forums.

Where are you going in the Alps?

shirley_basso

Perhaps I am being over cautious and I don't necessarily believe all the scare stories, but I know that I am not a particularly confident descender so want to err on the side of caution.

Given what I've read I may well be fine on the Zipps, so I do appreciate the advice. I rode them for the Amstel Gold Race sportive which has some pretty steep descents and didn't find braking power to be an issue, although only goes on for a few K at a time.

As for location, I am not totally sure to be honest. I am going with a group of friends who have already made some plans which I am fitting around as I find myself between jobs for that week. It's the last week of July so I'm pretty confident it will be near the TDF mountain stages at that time.

svetty

A friend of mine delaminated his front carbon clincher going down Trapping hill a few weeks ago. Granted it wasn't a Zipp but it can happen and it can get pretty warm in the Alps in late July.

@ OP if you are <75kgs I'm sure you'll be fine on the Zipps, >85 kgs and I might think twice....

DeVlaeminck

Friend of mine wrecked a set of Easton carbon wheels on his first Alpine descent (d'Huez) - maybe modern zipps are better but not sure I'd want to find out if it was my first trip over there.

stueys

I had a buddy who fried a new roval rear wheel on the etape last year. He did the whole etape and then dragged the back brake down on the way home, mainly because it was busy and he was tired. Modern carbon rims are much better but you still don’t get the same operating margin that alloy gives you, and the performance in the wet is still lame.

thegreatdivide

Scare stories.

sloppyschleckonds

I had a tubeless puncture that didn't seal once

aberdeen_lune

:roll: I just bought a set of alloy rims for the Marmotte. Scared I’d pop the inner tubes dragging my brakes on the descents. Went with a set of Ksyrium Pro USTs. Going to run them tubeless. Now your telling me these scare stories just to confuse me :roll:

stueys

thegreatdivide wrote:

Scare stories.

Come on, not really. I’m riding my enve 4.5 clinchers in Mallorca as we speak , no one is saying that you can’t take carbon clinchers to the mountains. The only thing I’ve said is that the margins are smaller on carbon clinchers and the braking performance in the wet isn’t as good. I’m swapping my wheels back to alloy tubeless for the Marmotte in July.

The reason I’ve no qualms in Mallorca are (a) I’m riding by myself, the roads are beautiful, so I can descend how I like; (b) I know how I descend in the mountains; (c) if it rains i’ll drink beer instead. The Marmotte will fail on two of these criteria so i’ll take the extra buffer the alloy wheels give me. The ops not been to the mountains before so I think he’s being sensible.

turbo1191

spend £29 more and buy a set of hunt wheels..

https://www.huntbikewheels.com/collecti ... eep-22wide

DeVlaeminck

Of course once he's bought the alloy rims we need to talk about popping tubes due to heat build up !!