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This might be a bit long winded, but hopefully I'll get some good advice.
I've just bought a second hand Scott Speedster off eBay. I was going out and doing a 14 mile loop after work a few times a week to get some more miles in (on my Genesis CdA).
It's a bit of a lump and a right slog on the road! Tried the Scott tonight and it was like a breath of fresh air! It has Sram Apex shifters and I much prefer these over the Shimano 105 10 speed on the CdA.
I have 2 sets of road wheels and tyres at the moment. The Scott came with Hope Pro4 RS hubs on Stans Alpha 400 tubeless rims with Schwalbe Blizzard 25C tyres.
I have also a set of Fulcrum Quattro LG wheels with Schwalbe Durano 28c tyres. Which are the better wheels? I like the Hope hubs, but the Fulcrum rims look nicer.
It also has some cheaper Shimano calipers on it at the moment (also got a spare full carbon fork with an Ultegra caliper attached). Are the Ultegra calipers OK with Apex shifters?
Riding this bike has also made me want to swap the CdA for a lighter gravel/CX bike!
Personally I'd go for the Hopes and Stans combo. They are slightly heavier (Hopes/Stans 1828g plays Fulcrums 1725g) and the Fulcrums are a smidge wider so numbers says go Fulcrums but I have a thing for Hopes (and they are convertible in terms of axle diameter and width) and I've never had a problem with Stans rims. Both the Durano and Blizzard tyres are heavy but Duranos are pretty indestructible and the extra volume will be more comfortable.
Try both - ride each for a couple of weeks and see which feels better. You'll have to tweak the brake callipers as each wheel set has slightly different rim widths but thats easy.
The ultegra callipers millwork just fine with the Apex brifters.
NB - have Alpha 400s on one bike with novatec hubs (not as nice as hopes) and had Mavic Cosmics on the other bike (not too dissimilar to the Fulcrums) - both were fine so I don't think there is a wrong answer here! Only reason I don't have the Mavics anymore is because I'm a tart and went carbon on that bike.
Thanks for the input infidel, much appreciated.
Think I'll give them both a try then as I'm a bit of tart myself! Like the look of the Fulcrum rims, but like the Hope hubs too!
Tyres are just temporary for now, I'll probably get some nice tyres eventually. The blizzards came with the bike and the Duranos are on the spare set of wheels I had knocking about.
Guess I just need another Ultegra caliper for the back now too then.
If you keep the Alphas they are tubeless compatible so you could run Schwalbe Pro Ones tubeless which are great. Otherwise Continental GP4000 s are pretty great.
Yeah good point, I'd like to try tubeless on the road. Back one is squeaking slightly so I'll have to have a look at that. Give me chance to use the Fulcrums too.
Are the Fulcrum Quattros not more aero? (35mm rim?). I think there was an argument that for the average rider there was more advantage to aero wheels than light wheels. I don't really have an opinion on that (yet...).
I think the Fulcrum wheels are also cup and cone, but with easy adjustments. (no cone spanners, just loosen an allen screw, tighten or loosen cone, tighten allen screw) To me that has always seemed a better system than cartridge bearings, adjustable and serviceable and (theoretically) lower rolling resistance. The last Hope hubs I had weren't particularly free spinning either but that was years ago.
I guess the Hope/Stans wheels will be easier to look after/replace spokes etc. Maybe make those the day-to-day wheels?
I did see a GCN video regarding aero along those lines. I might have a go at the fulcrums tonight after work then. I do like the look of them and they've had more use on a turbo than the road, seems a shame.
Still fiddling about with bits to get a better fit. It feels long when sat on it, but not uncomfortable if that makes sense?