Preferably a set that are lighter than my current ones (Shimano R500) that weigh around 1800g, but can still stand up to the harsh roads where I live.
I'm not a heavyweight by any means, around 70-73kg, so not normally hard on wheels.
I'm also interested in easy hub maintenance and a long rim life.
Oh, and they are for clinchers.
Currently looking at Shimano Ultegra or some of the Pro-Lite ones, but any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
hope pro 3 on open pro.
classic
Shimano Ultegra 6700 on offer at Ribble at the moment.
I got a new set of Mavic Ksyrium elites for 375 at my LBS - rrp is 475.
They are light and bombproof
Off the shelf: Kysrium Elite, downside is £3per spoke, if you break one. Or DT1500 are slightly cheeper, slightly less bling, but the same weight and use DT spokes.
Cheep handbuilts: Sokin/MrRide/Rotaz 288g hubs off ebay (£60 pair), and Open Pro rims (£40 each) and spokes (£15) off RoseBikes (£5 postage). = £160 for about 1700g.
Slightly more expensive handbuilts: Sokin/MrRide/Rotaz 288g hubs off ebay (£60 pair), and Stans Alpha rims (£85 each) and spokes (£15) off RoseBikes (£5 postage). = £240 for <1500g.
Even more expensive handbuilts: Dati hubs off ebay (£120 pair), and Stans Alpha rims (£85 each) and spokes (£15) off RoseBikes (£5 postage). = £300 for 1420g.
KCNC QR's will shift another 50g compared to shimano dura ace for another £40 (xcracer.com).
Obviously that all assumes you can build wheels, it's not hard, but expect to spend most of a day on it if it's your first time, and just follow the guide on sheldon brown's site. Otherwise LBS's charge about £25 per wheel labour, and you'll have to pay full price for the spokes (about double the rose price) so in all about £75 more than the prices above for a pair of wheels.
Thank you for the suggestions, but I'm not really looking to build the wheels up myself. I've do intend to learn at some stage, but not on a decent set of wheels. Therefore I am looking for off-the-shelf wheels.
Thanks.
Try here. I can vouch for him, top ebayist
my mates ultegra wheels are falling apart at the cups/cones. he's not heavy (sub 60kg) and they've been well maintained. i'd steer clear.
hope pro III are heavy for the money.
Just built myself something very similar to these:
http://www.stradawheels.co.uk/shop/velocity-a23-wheelset/
Am liking the 'fat' A23 rims a lot (bit wider than Open Pro etc)
Try here. I can vouch for him, top ebayist
Thanks, but they are even heavier than the wheels I have now. Plus I really don't think I'd trust < £200 carbon wheels on the roads around here.
my mates ultegra wheels are falling apart at the cups/cones.
Define falling apart, you mean loose?
Just gone through this dilemma myself, similar budget (£300 including tyres) but was also looking at going tubeless. Went for the Ultegra 6700s from Planet X (£229) in the end, most reviews seemed favourable, especially regarding running tubeless.
what about these? [url= http://www.pro-lite.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=119&Itemid=58 ]Pro Lite[/url]
RS80's for around 320 off of planet X. Not seen a bad review and mine are faultless and true.
Define falling apart, you mean loose?
the bearings have been greased and adjusted regulary, but after~ 1 year of mostly fairweather riding, the hubs are scrap. The bearings have just been replaced but the coating on the cups has gone and the wheels make a grumbly noise.
^ that happened with my r500's
New cones and balls but the hubs are grooved to sh1t - they were 7 months old....
Solution - buy some Mavics
What are you guys doing to your hubs?
1)Fill with grease,
2)rebuild,
3)nip up cones untill only just lose,
4)tighten locknut untill the play just dissapears (a tiny ammounts taken up by the QR so don't overtighten at this stage),
5) ignore for another 2 years
6) repeat indefinately (got some 80's exage hubs on the tourer still going strong).
I'm going through a similar process of upgrading road wheels, decided to save another £150 and go for Alpha 340's on American Classic hubs (micro 58 front and 205 rear).
Might also make life a little easier if/when I decide to go tubeless in the future...
Just Riding Along - Hope Pro 3 28 spoke on Velocity Aero Heads 2x lacing. £350. A couple of hundred grams lighter than the classic hope hoops with the open pros that are on ebay for about £300.
Shimano RS80's are 1520g per pair and £299 at Planet X.
Or they're also doing the FSA Vision Tri-Max that are the same weight for £249...
Personally the noise of a Hope freewheel annoys me at the slower speeds on a Mountain Bike, on a road bike it would probably make me want to hurt someone!
IRD 30mm aero rims on Novatec Supalites (20, 24 or 28h) for £334 from www.wheelsmith.co.uk and just 1453g according to the website.
Repairable by any competant mechanic and pretty much bombproof...
The thing is, if you buy a set of factory wheels, once the rims are worn out then I guess its in the bin with the whole let. If you get some decent hand buitls with decent hubs, you can just replace the rim once its worn and save yourself a bit of money.
I'd go handbuilt with stans alphas and hubs of your choice (mine: shimano).
The tubeless ride really is as good as tubs IME.
No problems with spares either.
I've been looking at new wheels, to replace my Campag Mirage on Open Sport that are about 7 years old.
I think I've settled on Campag Record rear hub on Open Pro, 32 hole, and Hope Mono 3 on Open Pro, 28 hole for the front. Only thing left to decide: DT competition or revolution spokes?
Should be (just) < 1700g
I have Mavic Kyrsisusryiums Equipes - they were £300.
I do zero maintenance and they have been faultless - riding is commuting and weekend riding around London's many potholes and drain covers.
I had Shimano wheels before that - they may have been R500s - and the difference is marked - faster accelerating and notably stiffer, but then my old wheels were knackered.
1700gm ain't light, no point in revs IMO.
1700gm ain't light, no point in revs IMO.
It's quite light! 🙂
These are for Audax wheels, so have to be quite strong and well sealed. Any suggestions gratefully received!
Stans wheels do not build stiff. Avoid espescially if you audax and you want something durable.
I've had a couple of 340s replaced on warranty. Will never bother using again.
Got a pair of RS80 c24s at Merlin for £285 at the weekend (10% off). First ride tonight, seem decent. Time will tell...
i agree with you tinas. i do wonder whether shimano factory hubs aren't built to the same standards as the other hubs.
The thing is, if you buy a set of factory wheels, once the rims are worn out then I guess its in the bin with the whole let.
or hubs.
Still undecided, but I think I've narrowed it doen to the following:
Shimano RS80 C24
Pro Lite Bracciano
FSA Vision Trimax Pro
Campagnolo Zonda
Any opinions on these?
I went for the rs 80s on planet x. It was either those our some fulcrum 1s. But for the extra money I couldn't justify it. Seem like great wheels. And at 140 quid off it got to be good
They do look a good option, although I have some cheapy Shimano wheels at the moment and fancied something a bit different. However, if they are the best option, then so be it.
The Pro Lites seem to get good reviews too.
I buy wheelsets from China that use Halo hubs, bladed spokes and 38mm carbon clincher rims, ti skewers, unbranded and £380 to you sir.
As for quality, the team lads have been hammering them through winter and all last year on the crap Yorkshire Dales roads and all fine.
I made the choice 18 months ago, didn't look at the FSAs but not sure about their reputation.
In the end I went for the Pro Lite Bracciano as they were £180 from Ribble. Light, fairly aero and spin forever (longer than the Shimano cup and cones). Haven't given them loads of abuse (Ultegra on Open pro for winter) but so far so good.
RS80 get a good write up but they weren't worth more £100 extra at the time, price difference may be less now.
How come you're not considering a set of handbuilts?
Can't seem to find a decent place to get them from. I can't build wheels myself so would need a shop to build them for me.
Any suggestions? The one place I did look, who seemed to specialise in wheel building, were very expensive.
Just Riding Along are about the cheapest I reckon.
Are Open Pro still the go-to handbuilt rim of choice?
Dunno, I got velocity aeroheads cos they're slightly aero and lighter. I think the A23's are supposed to be decent aswell (but a bit heavier than the aeroheads so I didnt bother with them)
They are good but there are lighter.
just had a look on Justridingalong and they seem to have a somewhat limited choice.
Any other suggestions?
I'm a stans alpha and tubeless fan.
