I have £500 to spend on a set of race wheels for the road bike. Currently have the Planet-X "B" model wheels. How would you spend my money? Handbuilts, Carbon, Tubulars, Clinchers? I want the wheels for "racing" (more like chasing my mates up the local climb). I weigh 85kg, so need to be stiff but light and perhaps aero??

Any ideas from the STW massive?

tubs for proper racing. planet x carbons?

for rough roads/ crits etc a set of ambrosio chronos on the hub of your choice with sapim CX ray spokes would rock

You can all but rule out carbon for £500, that's not much in road wheel terms.

If you're not actually racing don't get tubs, they are a faff. There aren't too many aero offerings around that price either, as they tend to weigh about 5kg!

Ksyriums are often the default recommendation. I personally prefer Bontrager, Race X Lites are great wheels.

Edit: oh yeah, forgot Planet X, Pro Carbon 50s are good value, but tubs… Also bear in mind carbon rims are pretty sketchy in the wet, they really would have to be a 'dry weather only' wheelset, which ideally means changing pads whenever you change wheels.

Fulcrum Racing 1's

http://www.fulcrumwheels.com/jspfulcrum/productsdetail.jsp?productid=1&varid=37

I can't believe anyone would spend £500 on a set of racing wheels and use clinchers. Would you put re-moulds on a ferrari?

Edit due to edit above 🙂

I can't believe anyone would spend £500 on a set of racing wheels and use clinchers

Put a 1 infront of that and I'd agree, £500 isn't exactly top whack! This isn't for actual racing anyway is it, OP implies not?

Also… if you want a wheelset that's quick uphill, why aero?

I can't believe anyone would spend £500 on a set of racing wheels and use clinchers. Would you put re-moulds on a ferrari?

Strange outlook, are you 65 and own a wool jersey by any chance ?

Quite a few pro teams and certainly a load more lower division teams on clinchers now, tubs are an utter arse ache unless you have a mechanic to do it for you of course.

Merlin cycles are selling the 2009 Fulcrum racing 1 for £499.

Planet X Pro Carbon 50's

http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/WPPXCAR70050/planet-x-pro-carbon-50–wheelset-700c

£435

I've used mine for 'cross this season and they've stood up well.

Recommended

GJP

They are the 2009 ones and not if there isnt any in stock they are not…..

Yeah sorry didn't check the green/red stock box – Doh…

Shimano dura ace?

Carbon rims with aluminium braking surfaces (best of both worlds?)

Tubeless (like tubular, but a whole lot less faff)

I'd recommend Campagnolo Neutron Ultras. 'Road weight' low profile reasonably light and though Campag they do come Shimano.
Outside of budget but I've seen replacements price range from £470 – £600

Campag Eurus.

Some diverse opinions. I have never used tubs but have read enough to worry that they are a total pain in the — (I'm barely getting on with tubeless). "Racing" – well not on a regular basis but will be looking to do the odd sportive, maybe the etape and I may get roped back into triathlon. So that explains the aero (plus they just look damn cool) – although I imagine that unless you go 50mm or above the aero effect is negligable. Planet X carbons look awesome but only tubs. What about Shimano wheels?
Any ideas if I bump up the budget to £800?

Yeah Dura Ace 7850 Carbon Laminates were going to be my suggestion. However… the 7850-CLs are not tubeless compatible, and the 7850-SLs aren't the carbon laminate rim.

Tubs are a total faff, even when racing they're not much better, but at least you're not going to be standing at the roadside trying to change a tub in the rain. FFWD F4Rs may be worth a look, I forget what the clincher ones cost, they're a carbon/alu rim, 38mm deep IIRC. Like most wheels of that construction though they're not that light.

The Compags havent been on my radar up until now. Will look at those

I would have to agree that tubs are a faff unless you are crits or road races with service vehicles.

I would steer well clear of deep section aero (i.e above 30mm) for sportives, you dont want to be caught in side winds on the top of a moor somewhere, they can get affected pretty badly.

I've got Fulcrum Racing 1's, they are a fantastic wheel. The bladed spokes make a huge difference to my standard wheels.

Avoid tubs unless racing. They are fast but such a nightmare day to day.

What do you make of the tubeless road wheelsets? Price wise it makes them race day wheels, but they seem pretty heavy. Most of the sets up above with tyres fitted could come in under the wheels only weight.
And I only recently became aware that Campag sold some of their wheels for Shimano. 😳

Actually Nick there is now a tubeless compatible carbon laminate 7850 wheel. £720 retail though so might struggle to get them in budget.

Whilst the Fulcrum Racing 1s appear VERY nice, a replacement spoke kit is something ridiculous like £15. And then you've the faff of fitting it/finding an LBS with the tools. Supposedly f. strong through…

Handbuilts are worth a punt. Some Dura Ace or PMP hums, 28h front, 32h rear with Sapim CX-Ray spokes, Ambrosio Excellights = yummy. Light, strong (if built well, obviously: Paul Hewitt, Wheelsmith, Harry Rowland etc), easier to repair than factory offerings. Sorted!

DA 7850-CLs would be my choice although the American Classic wheelsets (Aero 420 & Sprint 350) are nice to, looks can be a bit marmite though

I stand corrected, still <1400g for <£500, got to be a bargain? Even fulcrum 1's are 1550g? Campag are just ugly, look like something off a £200 decathlon bike.

Actually Nick there is now a tubeless compatible carbon laminate 7850 wheel

Happy to take it back then, those wheels look awesome, the best looking alu clincher IMO, and a great weight to boot. They get my vote!

The FFWD 4R clinchers have an RRP of £900 at the moment. I have a pair that I have barely used, very stiff and do my back in. I much prefer my Kysrium SL Premiums or whatever they are call.

Jimbo

What do we reckon those handbuilts would weigh? I'm thinking they would be pretty strong with some CX Ray spokes?

This is not a spoon – what wheelset <£500<1400grams?

For £600 I would look at some handbuilts from Wheelsmith

http://www.wheelsmith.co.uk/wheelprices.htm

A multitude of hub options to suit budget. For example:

IRD Cadence rims on DT SWiss 240s, CX-Ray spokes in black – £629

Reckon this have to be around 1400g, should be pretty bullet proof and if you break a spoke you just order one from your LBS.

You could go cheaper on the hubs and still get a great set of wheels.

Btw, 30mm is not very deep section. Its 50mm+ you have to worry about cross winds.

Jimbo

How many spokes have you ever broken ? I think this tends to be a bit of a non issue, unless you know what you are doing you will still need a bike shop to replace a standard spoke.

I can think i have probably broken less than 5 spokes in 20 years of riding\racing, most of them on standard Hub\Rim combos for that matter, i have only ever broken one spoke on a set of factoy wheels, and that was an old pair of Campag Eurus.

Neutron Ultras 1470g
And how can you call these ugly, look simple/classic to me.

The american classics are out – just couldnt bring myself to look at those all the time and I'm not overly enthralled with the compags. Handbuilts are back in the frame as are those DA CL's in clincher. That said I have had some issues with shimano wheels in the past, do I need that pain again?

Btw, 30mm is not very deep section. Its 50mm+ you have to worry about cross winds.

Its not very deep, but add in the area if you are using bladed spokes and you can easily get blown around with a 30-50mm rim, i have.

I was looking at the silver Eurus compags online, but the Neutrons above look alright. Nice weight and classic styling, but are parts going to be a massive issue??

Old git – agreed. They are super nice. Just advised a friend of mine to get them for his Serotta Ottrot. Call me picky, but you have to have a campag equiped bike to run campag wheels. IMO anyway 😉

Call me picky, but you have to have a campag equiped bike to run campag wheels

Totally agree, sticking with car analogies… You wouldn't put Lambo wheels on a Ferrari!

Ambrosio Excellights

Is there any advantage of these over Mavic Open Pro? They seem very similar, although 5g heavier than open pro if that makes a difference at all.

Joe

Njee – this is important. Dont want to be making a classic euro trash mistake. Running Sram Rival, so does that make the compags a no go 🙂

*sharp intake of breath*

Hmmm… I think the Campags are out, and it puts a bit of a question mark on the Shimanos. I'd say they're just about passable.

Rolf Prima Aspin SLs?