[Closed] Who runs two wheel-sets on their CX/gravel bike?

they are more or less slick though, apart from the shoulders, im not sure what the rolling resistance is on them, but surely your not going to gain a huge amount switching to a full slick 28x700c

Probably a waste of cash then

I have two sets of wheels for my cross bike, one with Schwalbe G-Ones, the 35mm ones, and one with full-on cross tyres. The advantages are that you don't need to change tyres just wheels, the disadvantage is that they're different hubs and I need to slightly realign the front brake caliper and slack off, I think, the cable on the rear mech by approximately a turn to get the indexing right.

Not quite the same scenario as you're talking about, though not far off. I'd rather swap wheels than tyres, I also occasionally run a cross tyre on the front and a G-One on the back if I'm doing mixed up stuff and it's a bit mucky.

In an ideal world, with identical wheel-sets, it'd be even easier to swap wheels/tyres.

Edit: forgot to say, I run both tyre-sets tubeless, which makes swapping tyres more of a faff. Also depends a little on how often you're planning on swapping tyres.

I do. Bike came with 700x28c slick tyres/wheels and I bought a 2nd set of 700c wheels and fitted 35c "gravel" tyres.

Been using the 28c slicks for pure road runs and on the Turbo trainer/Zwift.

Just got some 650b wheels though with 1.9 Panaracer GravelKing SK tyres. I'm trying to figure out if I can get away with just the one set of wheels. Guess I'll have to see what the Gravelkings are really like on tarmac first, i'd still need a slick rear tyre/wheel to use on the Turbo though...

There's some "Road Plus" tyres coming out now, WTB Horizon etc might be worth a look.

I do... three sets if you include the wheelset that came with it.

Specialized Sequoia Elite (last Cyclescheme payment just paid!) wheelset weighs a ton and I dropped several hundred grams on each wheel by buying some DT Swiss R24's; had a limited choice as at the time there were few wheelsets that offered 12mm at the front.

Put Panaracer GravelKing SK 35's on them, tubeless, and found that I was enjoying the bike so much that I bought the same wheelset again and have Mavic Yksion Elite Allroad tyres on them, tubeless again.

I'm in the process of building a second set.

One will be 700x 19mm internal (cheap maddux rims) with 32mm tyres and a dynamo front hub for commuting with guards in the winter.

The other is stans crest and 38-42c cross tyres for fun stuff in the summer.

Not entirely convinced it'll work out though, might just get a cheap commuter and put the first wheelset and guards on that, otherwise the guards make it too much of a PITA to actually  change regularly.

I do. I have an Open Up that I run a set of hunts with 28mm gp4000’s on and a set of 650 wheels that I run horizons on. 700c for club runs, 650b for back lane exploring. Love it!

I thought the whole point of "Road plus" was that by using a wider,  larger volume 650b semi-slick that basically has the same OD as a 700x25ish tyre you had similar rolling resistance with a bit more cushioning for potholes and bridalways, thus negating the need for two wheel sets (or indeed two bikes)...

I'd at least wait until you've ridden the current wheels/tyres on the road in the dry before buying more wheels.

Personally I just have a "winter" and "summer" pair of tyres, summer = 40mm wide with a minimal bastard file tread (which can cope with a bit of mud if necessary and roll OK on tarmac), winter = 32mm knobblies for a bit more mud clearance and bite, both run on the same 622mm rims (but I do also have a proper road bike too)...

One set of wheels with decent road tyres so I can use my bike as a winter trainer and keep up with the club run.

One set with 40mm gravel kings ready for the Reiver and gravelly rides generally. Also got a third set with 40mm nanos. Obviously some hoarding tendencies going on there.

I’m just considering this, at the moment I have a set of 700c with racing ralph’s tubeless On.

i have just purchased a 2nd pair of 700 x 18’s to put some 25c tyres on.

My thinking is selling my giant defy disc and run a gravel / road bike.

intrested in others who have done similar.

I have 650b wheels and use them with Thunder Burts, Compass 38mm and 48mm tyres. Currently the 48s are on. The bike rolls nicely with them and has loads of grip and the high volume takes out a lot of road vibration. I rode Tuscany Roads (600km bikepacking) with the 38s which was good but the 48s work better with my gearing so they're favoured currently.

I am slightly tempted to get some medium deep 700c wheels but it's only because I'd quite like some rather than any real need as the 650 wheels are pretty versatile and seem to suit the riding I do with that bike.

I'm in the opposite position to the OP. I've got a vaya with 700c wheels and was wondering whether to get a set of 650b ones :).

I do already have a second set of 700c wheels which are currently on my Kaffenback and these are actually my best set (hand built by Malcolm at the CycleClinic). I have swopped them over before, however the Kaff is only a 9 speed set up so I also need to put a 10sp on when moving these to the vaya. If I put bigger tyres on the good wheels when on the Vaya, I have to swap them back for narrower ones when I use the Kaff, so it's all a bit of a pain.

I could simplify things by making the Kaff 10spd (or making the Vaya 9spd) or just not use the Kaff...or buy a cheap set ..or...

AS you can tell. I can't make decisions.

Currently 2 pairs 700c/29er on my Camino Ti. Pro2/Open pro with 28mm gatorskins & old pair Hope hoops, Stans 355 rims with WTB Nano 40c gravel tyres. Will soon be 3 pairs as have a pair 650b Arch Hope hoops to try with Fast tracks or WTB byways when it drys a bit.

Yep, got Ksyrium Pros with road tyres on and Ksyrium Allroads with G-Ones on for my Tripster. Roads I commute on are quite shitty in the winter, so I tend to use the Allroads and swap to the Pros in summer. Also use the Allroads for gravel type rides (obviously).

I do..

One set of Hope/crests, running SPesh Trigger pro's @ 40c

ONe set of Hope/Mavic Open Pro's running Schwalbe pro one's @ about 23c.

Quick swap for road or backlanes/gravel. Same disks, both 10 speed, equal use gets the chain/cassette to play ball too!

I did plan to originally.

Had 2 700c wheelsets, one with 42mm G Ones and the other with 28mm road tyres (can’t remember which!)

All changed when I got 650b wheels & WTB Horizon tyres. I don’t see the need anymore. It’s maybe 1 or 2 mph slower over 50 miles than my road bike is & other than thick mud or really wet chalky bits it’s fine off road.

I do. I have two pairs of Kinesis Crosslight CX's with the same discs on each. One pair has G-Ones and an 11-40 cassette, the other Durano's and an 11-28 cassette. Quick changes with zero faff apart from whipping the mudguards off.

<edited for added forum dog shittery>

I dont. I thought I would but find it easier to take my old old defy out on pure road rides mostly. I'm a tight git though!!

So my current wheels are Hope pro 4’s and if I get a second set with a different hub I’m into some fettling every time I change ?

Mebbies. For the discs, use those little shim jobbies to space the discs out so they're the same for each wheelset. There's a chance your rear derailleur will need minor tweekage for pukka shifting but that's but a few seconds of fiddling.

I can honestly say that my wheels swap straight over with no adjustments needed. Maybe im just lucky.

Mattbee- interesting what you say about the WTB Horizon tyres, I'll have to have a proper look at those. A set of 650b "do it all " tyres would be ideal.

Some do, some don't. Luck and good fortune is involved for those that do (assuming different makes).

Perhaps I should put some dry mileage in on the byways and as mattbee stated maybe look at the horizons, I don’t mind swapping tyres takes all of about 20 mins

I considered a second wheelset for road duties, the aim being to avoid faff.

Avoiding faff is not achieved if every time I swapped I had to remove and reinstall chain and cassette, readjust rear mech and realign calipers.

Especially conscious that it only takes one overtightening of a caliper bolt to write-off your frame.

I'm going to do this, just looking at wheelsets at the mo. Thinking about a pair from  DCR Wheels, then running 28mm Hutchinson Sectors tubeless. I'm using 35mm Schwalbe G-Ones but want something for long road rides.

Ive got 2 sets for mine, currently running 38c Hyper Voyagers on some aksiums and a set of Conti Nordic Spikes on the cheap wheels that came with the bike.

Ive tried running slick touring tyres on it in the past (Schwalbe land cruisers) and the difference between them and the Voyagers is night and day. I wouldn’t write off the difference in rolling resistance between reasonably fast cx tyres and proper road tyres.

Avoiding faff is not achieved if every time I swapped I had to remove and reinstall chain and cassette, readjust rear mech and realign calipers

We'll you don't need to do that if you get the same Wheelset x2 and duplicate discs and cassette. The chain doesn't need to come off when you change the wheels over. As above, use those little shims to get the discs in the same places between the two wheel-sets and no adjustments necessary there either.

There might be very minor tweekage required of the rear derailleur but that should be sorted in 5mins tops.

Having written that, swapping stuff over is rapid enough if you've the time and/or inclination. I haven't hence the second set.

Just re-read this thread. I'd definately give the Byways a good bit of mileage in more "normal " conditions before deciding.

I do.

I also have a chain for each set.

Already thinking about a set of 650b for running bigger rubber off road.

I have two wheel sets for my. CX race bike one with Challenge Grifos for dryer courses and one with Limus for mud , both tubs. Thinking about building a third set  with tubeless as a training set.

@downhillfast I think I’ll do that and save the cash for some Bikepacking kit and if impressed with 650b I’ll grab a set of horizons 😁

yep do that.....typically 35mm for gravel and then some slick 25mm for 100% road events - not had a road bike for a few years but sometimes will do a road challenge event and need a little help

used a number of wheelsets and never had any problems with having to reset calipers which is probably just luck i guess - occasionally a tweek of inline adjuster to get smooth changes as cassettes not identical - use a chain checker on a regular basis and retire chain so don't get any uneven wear issues with the cassettes

Especially conscious that it only takes one overtightening of a caliper bolt to write-off your frame.

I think you're being a little paranoid on that front - even if you were cack-handed enough to strip the thread on the caliper mount, you could always get it helicoiled.

So my current wheels are Hope pro 4’s and if I get a second set with a different hub I’m into some fettling every time I change ?

I'm running a set of Crest 29ers and a set of Kinesis cross thingees - completely different hubs, but I've found I just need to realign the rear caliper slightly (I've never managed to strip the bolts and I think you'd need the touch of a clumsy gorilla to manage it tbh) and adjust the rear mech by around a turn of tension on the cable and it all works fine. Takes around five minutes or less. I guess I could space out the rotor on whichever hub places it further inboard, but I really can't be bothered for the sake of a two-minute adjustment.

In an ideal world, it'd be identical hubs, but it works as is and is a heck of a lot easier and quicker than swapping a set of tubeless tyres. I guess the worst case would be a scenario where you had to fiddle with the limit screws on the rear mech as well as the cable tension, but my experience of quite a few hubs is that it doesn't happen very often.

I'd go for it unless you're a mechanical idiot.

As per badlywireddog

Two sets of ksyriums bought used.

Cross: clement mx tyres, 12-32 nine speed and HUP spacer

Road: G One Speed tubeless tyres, 11-25 10 speed

Don't even have to adjust the shifting, or brake settings

Yes.

In summer the light wheelset has the 28mm road tyres on, and heavier wheelset wears the cx tyres.

In Cx season: light wheelset cx tyres, and heavier wheelset 28mm road tyres.

I've got 3 wheelsets for my Tripster..
2 700c ones (road and 40c gravel) and a 650b set.

The bike is such a good gravel/CX/road/touring bike, that it covers all my needs with teh 2 700c wheels.. the 650b set was just for fun!

DrP

Right just bit the bullet!!

Bought another set of hope pro4 hubs to have a set of 700c wheels built up , will be able to run the same cassette so no realignment of calipers needed or fettling of rear derailleur just a nice straight swap.

I have a new set of Vitoria hypers for them and if the notion takes me I can get a nice fast set of road tyres

Should cover all bases😀

When I had a CX bike I used it as a winter road bike and as cx, I had 2 sets of wheels which were easy to change between (canti brakes not disc) but taking off / putting the full length mudguards for road use was a faff so the CX wheels didn't get much use in the winter. I don't think there are any proper mudguards that are quick release?

This just popped up in my fb feed...

https://www.alpkit.com/bundles/orbit-with-free-volution-wheelsets

If you find that disc/caliper alignment is just slightly off when swapping wheels, a quick bodge is to figure out which side it's rubbing on and physically push the disc to that side to retract the pad.  Then apply the brakes and the pads should re-centre.  If that doesn't work, apply the brake whilst still holding this disc pushed over.

Don't worry, there's no risk of permanently bending the disc whilst its still in the caliper, and if you're paranoid about contamination, wear gloves.

slightly realign the front brake caliper

https://www.syntace.com/index.cfm?pid=3&pk=757

these are great.

Thomthumb

Nice link for the spacers.

They're the kiddies.

Shimano rotors come with double hole retention things, I'm using these between rotor and hub to space out one of my fronts. I'm running 650bx2.0 superstar set with grippyish tyres and selco 700x38 with marathon Supremes.The two sets don't quite line up, last set of Shimano lined up exactly with my superstars.