I have been lusting after a pair of Mavic Cosmic Carbone SL and have the chance of a pair at about £650ish. Before splashing the cash, is there anything else I should consider at this sort of price?
The 'must have' criteria....Shimano compatible, clincher,light, stiff.
The attraction of the Mavics is that they are basically an alu wheel with a carbon fairing. For some reason I don't fancy a carbon braking surface.
Giant p-slr1 aeros can be had for £750 now they've dropped the price. Much lighter than the Mavics, with same alloy and carbon fairing. Tubeless ready. The DT hubs are an acquired taste/noise. But they were rated the best aero carbon wheel at the £1000 price point by [url= http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/tech/components/129318/2/1k-deep-section-carbon-wheels-grouptest.html ]Cycling Weekly[/url].
Can't find them at that price tbh. Must keep looking I guess...unless you have a handy link? ;o)
Wiggle are doing the Reynolds Attack wheelsets, reduced from just over £1k to £714. Tempting but a bit over budget.
[url= http://www.wheelsfar.com/new-38mm-clincher-wheels1250g-30g-p-295.html ]Wouldn't look any further[/url] personally.
Can't find them either now 🙁 There was a demo set (now sold) and a new unused pair on ebay last week.
What Njee said, and get a second pair with the change if you're woried about spares/longevity, even if they're crap they'll last 50% of the time surely!
Or even cheeper, stans alpha*, novatec hubs, rev spokes, ~1250g and <£300. But not 'aero', but then the difference is something like 14W between a tri spokes and a 32spokes open-pros (pair) at 25mph. So ~40mm clinchers Vs something vaguely pointy/rounded are going to be bearely nothing (open-pros have aero subtlety of a half brick through a window).
*or h-plus archetypes, velocity A23, take your pic.
I'd always stick with handbuilts. That budget will get you Chris King R45s on Open Pros. I got a pair of 28hole ones for sub-£500 but I got lucky with a pair of brand new hubs on the classifieds
What are the hubs like on those Chinese Wheels? Would you use them or upgrade to DT?
I've got the bitex hubs on my wheelsfar 38mm clinchers.. Super smooth and no issues after 1000 miles.. Google bitex they make loads of hubs(a lot of companies use them and rebrand) allegedly ?
Got a friend selling a pair of ZIPP 303s for £500, Shes's done less than 1k miles on them, and a light ( very light) rider..
I'd be interested to see pix etc. They are Shimano and clincher?
Having said that, reading up they say they are good for 'smaller riders' and small I ain't! Unless of course, 14 stone and 6ft 4 is small nowadays.