Touring wheelsets - your recommendations please

Well Kirstie. Yesterday morning you would have been flooded with advice, but this bikeradar balls-up has driven away all the people who know anything, so you're stuck with me.

Let's start by choosing your tyre size. Any thoughts? What kind of roads or trails will you be on? And do you want the emphasis on speed or comfort? Or a bit of both?

Aha! I'm glad you said that, I know nothing about that slow heavy stuff for crossing Patagonia.

In your shoes I think I would get strong hand built race wheels. No need to go for anything with a 'touring' description because I suspect the total weight borne by the tyres will be less than the body weight of many racers. (How much do you weigh?) I would get Mavic Open Pro ceramic rims, DT 240 hubs and Sapim CX-Ray aero spokes. Dead posh, fast, light, well proven, really pukka. You could fit 20 mm tyres one day if you want to go really fast. The ceramic rims last longer and cost £30 extra but you need special brake blocks for braking in the wet.

There are a zillion choices. Probably best just to ask a good wheelbuilder (.e.g. Paul Hewitt or Harry Rowland or Condor) for a good deal then come back here (or preferably go to anothercyclingforum.com where there are more people who really know what they're on about) and check it out before buying. Just tell the wheelbuilder what size tyres you will use, your weight, the weight of your bags, type of roads...and see what he says. He will probably suggest something much cheaper than my suggestion.

Another option would be DRC ST19 rims, which can take tyres from 25 - 32 mm.. 32 mm is a good option to have up your sleeve if you want to go on rougher trails some time in the future.

The wheels that came on my Hewitt tourer are the only set I've had where the rims wore out before they needed any adjustment. I think it has more to do with the build than components, these were nothing special, or expensive, DRC rims on Shimano hub. I foolishly let a LBS rebuild them and they've been back twice, lesson learnt.
This is worth a read, some reasons why Mavics are maybe not the best choice, there are differing opinions, but with so much choice out there why risk it.
http://www.ctc.org.uk/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabID=3827

My wife and I both have Spa cycles wheels, both with the Rigida Chrina rim. We are impressed. In fact, the Chrina wheels are on my racing bike, not my tourer

Anyway, you might as well get 36 spokes. Shimano mtb hubs are pretty nice, and easy to service when the time comes (the DT ones need a special tool). The DRC rims mentioned would be excellent bets. I have a pair at home that I will build up at Christmas. They are the only ones that are specifically designed for what you are looking for. (Open Pro is too narrow for much above 28, and the A319 is a bit wide and heavy, although I've raced those too!).

Contact Paul Hewitt. The wheels he built us did America, NZ and Austrailia and survived a nasty crash in California and various unmade roads in the Antipodes. They are still going strong back in the UK.

I second the recommendation for spacycles (though somewhere along the line I managed to wreck a Chrina rim). The Rigida Sputniks they sell are very tough (though obviously pretty chunky as well) - you're on the borderline between them and the Chrinas.

Build with XT hubs or 105s depending on what sort of frame you have.

Have a look in this months cycle plus ! there is a good test on touring wheels........