Looking at new road wheels to replace the crappy stock ones I have now, ideally sub £400 ish.
Searching on here and the web shimano rs80 seem to be the general consensus but how stiff are these? At 85/90 kg and a bit of a pedal masher I’m concerned I’m going to notice the flex, its a low spoke count. Anybody else at a similar weight have these?

Fulcrum racing 3 seem to get reviews as being a bit stiffer but heavier and are ok on the money, ksyrium elites seem to be the favoured wheels for lightweight but stiff but are about £450 so a bit much. Are they worth the extra? Anyone use the racing 3s? Plenty of stuff on here about the rs80s and ksyriums but not so much on the fulcrums.

The other option is hope hoops but all the stock ones are heavy, I can spec a lower spoke count on a hand built with stans rims but then it’s back up towards £500. If I go hand built would 20/24 be a good compromise between weight and stiffness?

Any other options out there?

Cheers

95kg’s and I am fine on Racing 3’s. Had racing 1’s before (second hand) and liked those too. Got Racing 3’s from zee German’s for about £300

Racing 3’s are 1550 g’s I think so pretty light

Morning, i must say, i was very dubious when i bought my rs80’s last summer, but 5000+ miles later, pot holes + all the extras our british roads have to offer… Still true & am very impressed with them, an excellent buy, best shimano wheels i have purchased, or ridden!

if you are getting RS80s, they are £320 here

http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/sp/road-track-bike/shimano-shimano-wheels-factory-road-tri-shimano-rs80-24mm-carbon-laminate-clincher-wheels-pair/shimwhfr385

Good spot, ctm – very tempting!

I’m 85kg, bought some RS80s early last year and can agree with every part of this

i must say, i was very dubious when i bought my rs80’s last summer, but 5000+ miles later, pot holes + all the extras our british roads have to offer… Still true and am very impressed with them, an excellent buy, best shimano wheels i have purchased, or ridden!

Poggy do you mind if I ask your weight?
Rs80 are the obvious choice given a few places have them between 320-325 which is quite a chunk less than fulcrums/ksyriums its the flex I’m worried about given the low spoke count.

Race X Lites?

njee20 – Member
Race X Lites?

Out of stock

I’ve been on RS80s for the last 3years and they have been ace

Mine are fine after 2 years of use, I’m 80kgs and ride mostly on crappy rural roads full of holes, gravel, cow poo and holes.

I also have a penchant for rubbish lines and bunny hopping grids etc at the last minute

I’ve been thinking about these too but after 2 rides & 4 punctures I’m considering going tubeless.
The Ultegra’s are listed as tubeless, anyone know if the RS80’s are?
Its road tubeless just as easy as MTB tubeless?? – I’ve enjoying tubeless on the MTB for many years now.

http://www.merlincycles.com/bike-shop/wheels/road-wheels/factory-road-wheels/mavic-ksyrium-equipe-s-wts-wheelset-2013.html

Ksyriums a bit too hefty? The Elite is 150g lighter for another £150.

RS80 are not tubeless but Ultegra and RS61 wheels are tubeless out of the box.

Campagnolo Zondas? They do Shimano fitting and look like good competition against Fulcrum Racing 3s / RS80s.

RS80s are very good wheels and I think they are plenty stiff and light and I rate them highly.

However, I’ve just snapped a spoke in mine. I bought them when I was about the 90kg mark and found them fine. I been off the bike ( other than simple easy rides ) for about 18months and now weight 105kg. I think the extra weight went for them really and not a product of poor manufacture. . Will get them fixed, but am now looking at a heavier 32h wheelset for training and losing the weight again.

I would recommend them though.

Worth looking at http://www.wheelsmith.co.uk and their race23’s as they have a hub option that brings them under £400…..but you could wait a while.

I have a set of strada wheels (H Plus Son Archetype on novatech hubs and sapim spokes) which came in at a few pounds over 400 but are fantastic.

http://www.stradawheels.co.uk/shop/h-plus-son-archetype/