Turns out I can afford new wheels a bit sooner than I expected which is nice as mine are nackered. I’ll have about £300 to spend and want to stick with something I can use my existing shimano cassette with. I dont really know what I’m looking for other than lighter than stock CAAD8 wheels, and need to be able to fit 23c tyres. Also the hubs must have cartridge bearings – dont even try to suggest anything cup and cone as I know for a fact I won’t look after them – would rather just have something I can hammer the bearings in/out when they develop play. I also dont think I want mavic due to proprietary spoke design etc.

Fulcrum (I think?) looked good last time I checked. Is 2nd hand a bad idea with road wheels due to rim wear?

edit – looks like its quite hard to find cartridge bearings..

Cartridge bearings are generally available from any bearing supplier.

I would have suggested Shimano RS-80’s but they’re loose balls and cones.

Planet-X AL-30s are only 100g or so heavier than the RS-80’s but just half the price. I’m happy with mine but some people reckon they have poor internals / sealing.

Superstar do some similar wheels for a little nearer £200 but a bit lighter.

I don’t get why people keep mentioning Fulcrums, cos they don’t look particularly light for a given price point?

Was in the same boat as you as in upgrading my stock wheelset on my sensa. There was a couple of wheelsets I considered. I know you said no to cup and cone but it’s not that hard of a job so if you want to take it on the campag zonda’s are on offer at wiggle atm. Get good reviews, fairly lightweight at 1550g and they look the shizzel 😀 only problem I can see with them is possibly getting spares for them.
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/campagnolo-zonda-clincher-wheelset/?lang=en&curr=GBP&dest=1&utm_source=pla&utm_medium=base&utm_campaign=uk&kpid=5360518140
The other wheels I looked at are supra RA30’s that are available from merlin. The supras are sensa’s in house finishing kit and If your set on getting cartridge bearings these may be worth a punt. Equally as light as the zondas at 1545g but only available in white atm ( which may or may not match your Cadd8 ) Cheap as well at £170
http://www.merlincycles.com/supra-ra30-wheels-57767.html
In the end I went for the zonda’s and very happy with them. With lightweight summer tyres and tubes I’ve saved 800g compared to the stock wheels I had on, a considerable saving. Certainly noticed a difference in acceleration and climbing.

Cartridge bearings are generally available from any bearing supplier.

Sorry meant to say road hubs with cartridge bearings.

Those Supra RA30s look good especially for the money, and the white should look fine on my bike! It’s currently black with white bits on the frame/forks anyway –

All factory built wheels will have proprietary hubs/rims/spokes that will be best case scenario, difficult to source, worse case economically prohibitive to bother with even if they are still available in future years.

For £300 you could easily get a nice set of hand built Novatec A171/F172 hubs (with cartridge bearings), Mavic Open Pro rims and Sapim Race spokes. Depending on your weight you could get 24F radially laced and 28R laced 2X. Should be around 1670 grams. Wider H+ Son Archetype rims will work out slightly heavier but will be stiffer than the Mavic OPs.

Should last years but if you do have any problems all components will be easy to source and the wheels will be easy to fix.

No contest – Zonda’s every time.

Light, spin up real quick, unbelievably strong, I’ve used mine for 4000 miles over 18 months, still as true as the day they arrived and hubs smooth as butter.

Oh really, where’s good to get wheels like that built then, Merlin?

Sounds like you don’t build your own?

Nope I’ve built a set of bmx wheels once and they went ok but had a hop I could never get out. I’d rather get someone else to do em properly tbh, especially for a bike I use almost every day.

mtbtomo – Member

I don’t get why people keep mentioning Fulcrums, cos they don’t look particularly light for a given price point?

Agreed. Not the lightest. Def not one of the best sealed either.

Shimano cup and cone are easier than you prob think to service. Not that they need servicing on a regular schedule anyways. Twice in just under 3yrs on mine, and then it was more a precaution.
Mavic are again superb. Never had an issue with the proprietary spoke design. Superb wheels.

+1 for Zondas.

I’ve had Mavic Open Pros with DT Swiss spokes on hopes built for £300.

If you’re anywhere near Gloucester/Brizzle email me and I will give you the guy’s details.

Cheers, Tom.

Oh really, where’s good to get wheels like that built then, Merlin?

http://www.thecycleclinic.co.uk/

EDIT:

Sorry, a bit of brain fade with my earlier recommendation Mavic Open Pro rims only come in 32 or 36 hole drillings. The Archetypes come in 24 and 28 though and another nice alternative rim is the Kinlin XR-270 which is available from The Cycle Clinic also. I’ve built up both these spec wheels and they are both good.

Contact The Cycle Clinic though and discuss your requirements with Malcolm. He’s a great guy and really helpful.

The caad8 wheels are really terrible. But, if you give Harry Rowland a call, he’ll build you a very fine pair of durable, serviceable wheels for whatever you need. Novatech hubs and open pro or cxp33 will easily bein budget.