What Wheels for £500? Last year I bought a Scott CR1 from Westbrook on one of their special sales and built it up with Ultegra 6700 groupset and put my Fulcrum racing 7’s on and now I have DT Swiss R28’s. Both wheels are good but I keep hankering after better wheels that would compliment the bike and my riding even more. I am building up my fitness and riding more with the local club and plucking up the courage to join there chain gangs and longer rides.

I am really working on my climbing so the wheels need to be light and stiff, really like the look of the anniversary Mavic Ksyrium wheelset but there over twice my intended budget 😕 any alternatives???

I have some RS80’s on my CR1 and they go well so I’d recommend those 🙂 I did have some pretty naff alex rims on it before though.

Haven’t rode them but the Shimano dura ace 9000 get great reviews. Or you could go for Mavic Ksyrium SLS although they have very mixed reviews.

I have the Dura Ace 9000s, the C35 versions. The C24s are very light and stiff but for all round riding, the C35s take some beating. The C24s are still going to be more than £500 (and the C35s are at least double that) but they are well worth it. They aren’t quite as light as the C24s but they are a lot lighter than the R28s you have and the advantages they offer through aerodynamic performacne can be felt on the flat.

Just got some Campag Zondas from Wiggle, 1550grms and a fantastic upgrade from the Giant branded ones previously. Much faster rolling and noticeably stiffer. £252.00

The normal Ksyrium Elite wheels are a great match to the CR1 I think.

Light enough but more importantly nice and stiff (but not uncomfortably so).

Will be a vast improvement over those DT Swiss, I’d expect.

I ended up with Kyrium SLSs after trying all sorts of other things first. For a combination of lightness (very light) and stiffness (very stiff) I think they’re hard to beat. Probably some good run out deals on them now too. I also think they look cool, although I know that’s a matter of taste and bike. I haven’t had any issues with mine at all.

FarSports.

1190g, £400 shipped. Or if you go tubs 950g, and cheaper.

Ksyriums aren’t light, even the anniversary ones.

I’ve got a Westbrook cr1 sl and I’m in the process of getting some new handbuilts.

Pacenti SL23s, Aivee SR5 hubs, CX rays. Should come in just under 1400g and a bit over £500.

I was looking at C24s but decided to go handbuilts due to hearing the c24s weren’t that stiff and also the rims are expensive to replace. Mavic Kysirium SLRs look great but as you say are expensive (plus are quite squeaky). Wiggle have Campag Neutron Ultras for under £500; they’re pretty light.

Novatech hubs, stans rims, 24/28 DT rev’s <1300g <£300, what’s not to like appart from the apparnetly thin braking track, but if your replacing wheels out of want rahter than need that won’t be a problem. Infact you could take your pic of the newer rims and get something lighter than most factory sets.

FarSports.

Blimey those 38×23 U shaped ones for the same price are tempting.

Blimey those 38×23 U shaped ones for the same price are tempting.

Indeed, I keep hovering on ‘buy’ and then thinking against it! I’d quite like some of the 950g tub ones, for the pure bonkers-ness of them!

Know they’ve started to do hookless ones for mtb. This likely to be the case soon for road rims, or are the higher pressures more of an issue?

I reckon the higher pressures are a much bigger problem. I had some Bontrager Aeolus carbon clinchers with a bead hook, and they couldn’t keep tyres on. Scary.

So these Chinese wheels then – who’s got them on a road bike and how are they holding up?
Severely tempted but have visions of me going downhill with wheels flying off in different directions…

Severely tempted but have visions of me going downhill with wheels flying off in different directions…

Why? Is there a problem with your forks!? 😉

I’ve not used the road rims, a couple of folk on here do, never seen a bad report.

I bought a wheelset from Spokeman – UK wheel builder. Novatec Hubs on 38mm deep Carbonal carbon rims weighing in at 1420g for a little over £500.
Unfortunately I find them too harsh on my 2013 Trek Madone 5.9, the ride is much better with Shimano RS81.
But before I give up on the carbon I’m going to try them tubes with Stans valves & tape, & Bonty R3’s at 80psi.

I bought a wheelset from Spokeman – UK wheel builder. Novatec Hubs on 38mm deep Carbonal carbon rims weighing in at 1420g for a little over £500.

Looks a pretty good deal that if you don’t want to buy direct from China. Tempting.

Some great suggestions so far and I like the idea of custom hand built wheelsets yet I’m indecisive about what rims to go for Carbon or Alu.

If a locum contract comes off then I can raise my budget and plum for better rims so fingers crossed. What’s the delivery like on farsports and tax as their American, although damitamits wheel builder looks very good and I am yet to look at the others.

Choices choices like black spokes on black rims could also get red nipples perhaps for some bling and match the CR1 paint job which has a matt finish.

What’s the delivery like on farsports and tax as their American, although damitamits wheel builder looks very good and I am yet to look at the others.

They’re Chinese, just price in dollars. Like Light Bicycle expect it to take 2-3 weeks, and you’re at the mercy of HMRC on whether you get charged. I believe they declare a lower value though, so you’ll only get stung for £30 or so.

They’re Chinese,

Doh! Saw the prices in $ and made a presumption.

Indeed, I keep hovering on ‘buy’ and then thinking against it!

Me to, and being doing that for the past 4 months. Thing is I really like the wheels I have and they look great, Mavic Kyserium SL Premiums, but those Chinese carbon ones are very tempting and a fair chunk lighter.

On the wheels front, I have H Plus Son Archteypes built with CX Rays on Bitex hubs which are very good, and were a good price here: Leadout Cycles. On my other road bike I have Velocity A23s built with Sapim Race spokes on Hope Pro 3s, which if anything are better – bought from nixon_fiend on here for a very good price (thanks again, by the way!). Also available for not much cash and very nice wheels.

On the hookless thing above, Continental GP4000S and 4 Seasons both specifically state on the sidewalls not to be used with hookless rims. I would be nervous, personally…

oops – double post

Thing is I really like the wheels I have and they look great, Mavic Kyserium SL Premiums, but those Chinese carbon ones are very tempting and a fair chunk lighter.

Yeah same really, I’ve got some old Bontrager Race X Lites, they’re not hugely exciting, but they’re very reliable, they’ve got DT240 hubs, aren’t heavy, and won’t wear out! Probably wouldn’t get much for them second hand though, so it seems pointless to change them!

But before I give up on the carbon I’m going to try them tubes with Stans valves & tape, & Bonty R3’s at 80psi.

Sorry I ment tubeless

buffalobill – Member

So these Chinese wheels then – who’s got them on a road bike and how are they holding up?
Severely tempted but have visions of me going downhill with wheels flying off in different directions…

Not on a road bike but I used a set of ebay carbonwheel2011 38mm tub wheels on my cx bike last season and they held up fine to all 85kg of me and my lack of finesse. Just bought another pair of the 25mm wides to run this year as the main pair. Spot on quality wise and total after customs and delivery was £245. 1400g the pair.

I’ve a pair of 25x38mm farsports ones on Bitex hubs ~1440g

They’ve been really good so far with 25mm GP4000s (about 400 miles) – the only slight annoyance was a piece of spare epoxy was rattling around inside one of the rims, I soon poked this out and all has been good so far.

Novatech or bitex then?

I’m still hovvering over Wheelsfar wheels too, I can get a pair of FFWD wheels for a very good price but still costly enough to be worried a out crashing ’em or go for Wheelsfar cheapness and take the China risk. Can’t decide so have just been using the wheels that came on the bike! They’re battered!!

Had a set of Cero AR30’s for the last couple of months. 1400grams, roll very smoothly and ride wonderfully.