Would anybody care to recommend me some road bike wheels?
Must be:
Caliper - not disc
Not carbon
Not much over 1500g for the pair unless they’re exceptionally nice
Able to run tubes. Tubeless compatible is not essential - not actually bothered about tubeless for the road bike
Budget ideally not over £400.
Can be bought and delivered or collected within the next few days. North West area. I’m very conscious of the essential travel restrictions. I’d have to think long and hard and most probably wouldn’t travel anyway
I’ve sold the carbon wheels from my only road bike so I’m quite keen to get some as soon as possible.
Is the standard answer : Mavic kysirium and put up with the weight?
Thanks in advance
In a recommend what you've got style, Fulcrum Racing 3s
Hunt race aero
Have a look at the cero wheels at cycle division. I have had some of their aluminium disc wheels on my road bike for a few thousand miles and they have been great.
Can't see anything about current situation and delivery on the website so you might have to check that.
Hunt Race Aero Wide or Fulcrum Racing 3's would be my choice from experience... The Hunts are probably a touch faster, the Fulcrum's a little stiffer.
Able to run tubes. Tubeless compatible is not essential – not actually bothered about tubeless for the road bike
Don't rule it out, it really is very good, and most road wheel upgrades will give you tubeless compatibility from now on anyway.
Campagnolo Zonda. Hundreds of good reviews on Wiggle, Chainreactioncycles and various other sites. Tried and trusted.
JRA lark light. Tick all the boxes and you get some choices in options.
Aren't Zondas and the Fulcrums basically the same wheels?
Hunt or JRA Lark specced as appropriate to fit your needs.
Aren’t Zondas and the Fulcrums basically the same wheels?
Yes.
Don’t discount superstar wheels. I’m still running 2 sets of the older arc rims on superstar branded hubs tubeless on 2 road bikes they have been faultless. Think the new wheels have better hubs etc.
Reading the OP, 'can be delivered in a few days' unfortunately the most of the Hunts in the OPs price range are out of stock until May, which is a shame as that's what I would have recommended.
Thank you for the suggestions.
I hovered over the Zonda wheels for a long time but I've had Fulcrum Racing 3's before on my Focus Izalco and I loved them so they, reinforced by Mr Nettle's recommendation won the day and they should arrive tomorrow from Wiggle.
Thank you all again.
Well I was gonna extol the virtues of Shimano's RS81 wheels and offer to sell you my lightly used set, as I'm moving to discs.
But I see you are sorted now anyway.
Superstar for me, had probably eight sets across all my bikes.
Ksyrium Elite are around 1500g.
Hunt aero wide, or a similar wheelset (they're all just rebadged rims and hubs) - Cero e.t.c.
I'd avoid Mavics and Fulcrums for the proprietary hubs and narrow rim bed.
Oh, never mind!
Happy riding.
CERO AR24, just less than 1500g and currently bargain price of £169, I paid £189.
or CERO AR30 £279 1376g
I’ve had the AR24’s since 2017 and can’t fault them. Only slightly annoying thing is a noisy freehub
Hunts are all out of stock at minute
Shimano RS700 would have been my choice now they are on sale at £399.99
I've had a few sets of Shimano wheels and they have been super reliable. I've currently got a set of Dura-Ace c35, a set of RS81 C35 and a set of RS500 which were going to be used for the cobbles in Belgium with some Conti GP5000 tubeless tyres.
Mr Nettle’s recommendation won the day
Woo-hoo! What do I win?
Are Mavic wheels relatively stiff? Just wondering how realistic it is for an 80kg rider to buy a 1400g wheelset like a Ksyrium Pro or Hunt 36 Carbon Aero Wide.
Fulcrum 3s have been faultless for me, love how easy it is to adjust and maintain the bearings, noticeably easier spinning with the fingers than any of my cartridge hubs.
I am a big advocate of the Racing 3s. They literally changed my bike. I thought new wheels was all a little snake oil. Oh how wrong I was. Now at the 6000mile mark on them and still going strong. The replacement bearings aren't cheap mind but they last a good while.
One thing I would add to the mix and to think about is your weight. I was looking at some of the Dura Ace and Shimano stuff but as a 90kg rider they said the suggested max weight was 85kg. As such, I opted for the Fulcrums as they were considered to be a stronger wheel and would take my bulk.
As a 90kg rider I had a pair of the CERO AR24 and struggled with the rear wheel snapping a spoke after about a year, replaced properly by a good wheel builder but it kept snapping other spokes. I then had the wheel completely rebuilt with heavier gauge DT spokes but it still wont stay true. The rim is just to weak to take any decent tension. It might be unlucky although I am 90kg I have never struggled with any other wheels. Now running Mavic Ksyrium Elite and they have been perfect so far. From memory they have a weight limit of 110Kg or 120kg where they suggest more regular routine maintenance will be required.
As with many answers above, my experience is that a safe bet is whatever Campag/Fulcrum fits your budget and taste. I also have a pair of Kysrium Pro SL which are 1400g I think, and at almost 80kg I've never considered the stiffness (or lack of) and so far I've had no problems going out of true or breaking spokes. So thumbs up to them too.
Check other sites, but PX have a few Campag and Shim versions of Zondas for £300. Tried and tested rim wheels that are well regarded, far less risky than the newer disc versions.
Take your 400 quid and go on Wheelsmiths site. See what you fancy and call him up and ask for a deal.
Best wheels I've ever used. I have 35mm aero alloy on Dura Ace hubs.
I change my advice on CERO wheels. Riding home yesterday and a spoke broke. Replaced it last night and trued correctly, out again just now and a different spoke snapped.
Now looking at sun £400 wheels myself 😂
The Prime wheels from wiggle get my vote, likely to arrive quick too.