The original Giant wheels on my Defy Composite are close to their rim wear markers so I need to start thinking about replacements. The bike is very much summer use, with my rides being generally 30 – 80 miles, once or twice a week, often on less than ideal road surfaces. Original wheels are Giant PSL1’s which I like and got pretty good reviews. Looking for similar level replacements for end of summer – any reccomendations for 12.5 stone mamil rider 🙂 ? Thanks

I can replace with like fo rlike for around £200 these ones

or should I be looking at something else ?

I have some Giant P-SL0s from my Defy Advanced 0 which I only used for a few rides before switching to my aero wheels – interested?

mailed you back, I am other end of the country …

other reccomendations ?

Budget? If about 350 quid then have a look at the ones linked to in this thread.

Shimano Ultegras or Harry Rowland built Ambrosio/Novatech rims/hubs

carbon maybe a bit bingy for my old fat riding abilities 🙂

Maybe some handbuilts if you are riding on poor roads as spokes will be easy to replace. I’ve just bought some Mavic Open Pros on Ultegra hubs with DT Swiss spokes – they are noticeably smoother on bumpy roads than the Shimano R500s I had before.

Ultegra 6800’s are £230 on Wiggle if you can wait till they come back in stock.

fathomer – Member

Ultegra 6800’s are £230 on Wiggle if you can wait till they come back in stock.

Will they be that price then?

any views on Mavic Askiums ? they are similar price to the Giant ones and seem to get good reviews

I have a silver set Mavic Aksiums 2013 with only 450 miles on them, was going to stick on the for sale bit later today. They have Vittoria 23c tyres/tubes & VGC. Looking for about £90 delivered, less collected, will load pics up later

In your shoes I would avoid forking out good money for more Giant wheels. I’ve had a Defy and a mate still has one. The stock wheels are heavy, esp. the rear, and my mate has just experienced spoke-snapping hell on his rear.

Aksiums came as standard on my Look 566, they’re not a patch on the Shimano RS80s that I use now. I’ve had them for a couple of years, they’re light and totally reliable. Or for a bit less and as above, the Ultegra 6800s are a great alternative.

Giant P-SL0 are 1550g and held in very high regard in every review I’ve read. DT Swiss hubs and Spokes. Good parts availability.
Hugely underrated wheels.

Reviews are a load of paid-up sponsored guff, and anyway no review I’ve ever read tests wheels for long term durability. Spokes snap because the wheel hasn’t been built properly, in such cases it doesn’t matter which parts they’ve used!

Well the OP can comment on that as seems to have given his a lot of use – any spoke snapping issues?

IME the P-SL0 have been very good. They came on my TCR and I still use them as summer training wheels. Not heavy, bladed spokes, and good DT Swiss hubs (240’s I think.) Not had any problems with them, but I am over a stone lighter than you. When the rims do go I’ll definitely build new wheels onto those hubs.

Something hand built by Strada; they’ll take your weight, riding style and road surface into account.

Velocity A23

H Plus Son Archetype

By the end of today will have a brand new pair of askiums. Taking them off the new bike and putting a pair of Zonda’s on it. Will have probably done around 2 foot in travel on soft lush carpet. Can be posted to where ever if you’re interested

jolmes – just mailed you, could be interested 🙂

I’ve got some 2013 (I think, maybe 2012) Aksiums on my bike, not got a lot to compare them to but they’ve been faultless over the last couple of years.

Reviews are a load of paid-up sponsored guff, and anyway no review I’ve ever read tests wheels for long term durability. Spokes snap because the wheel hasn’t been built properly, in such cases it doesn’t matter which parts they’ve used!

I tested them over winter as I have a set. They worked. All the time. I snapped a spoke. I got it replaced quickly.

I snapped a spoke

Which rather makes my point, no?

If the hubs are fine just swap rims, far cheaper than complete wheels & easy DIY

Which rather makes my point, no?

I think any spoke would snap with a rear mech rived against it.

Well the OP can comment on that as seems to have given his a lot of use – any spoke snapping issues?

I broke a spoke on the rear at the weekend 👿 That’s the first one in a bit over 2k miles though, albeit I did have one go on the very first decent ride when I got the bike in 2012, and got a new wheel under warranty.

I bit the bullet and picked up a pair of Askium’s on Saturday, so the PSL 1’s will be for sale in a day or 2 once spoke fixed and retrued by LBS 🙂

any offers ? 😛

I broke a spoke on the rear at the weekend That’s the first one in a bit over 2k miles though, albeit I did have one go on the very first decent ride when I got the bike in 2012, and got a new wheel under warranty.

I’d be annoyed if spokes broke every 2k, doesn’t sound particularly impressive longevity… I must have done at least 10k on my Race X Lites, some of it off road, with nary a hint of a spoke breaking.