Australian Cycling Forums - Bicycles Network Australia

I know 'how long's a piece of string?' but;

Currently have R500 Shimano wheelset - done 6000kms and are heavy (circa 1900gms) and I am loosening spokes quite often.

I am not planning to race yet but am keen to get a lighter, better rolling wheelset. I have invested in a pair of Michelin Race2 Pros that knock the socks off my Rubino Pros and that has helped the general feel of the ride.

So - with all of these deals on Mavics, Amercian Classics, Tokens etc - what would a good upgrade wheelset be?

Okay - some parameters / info;

2006 Orbea Udana - 105 with compact cranks (perfect for around here..)

Budget $600 for wheelset - will tfr tubes, tires and cluster across...

Based in Adelaide and live in southern vales (nr Willunga and Sellicks Hills) - road surface average to say the least and I am a small 73kg rider... I tend to spin at 85 - 95 rpm so am pretty gentle on wheels / clusters etc.

Any ideas that fit these parameters is welcomed - I would love to buy $1-2k wheels but really cannot justify it to myself.

$600 would get you in the decent range for wheelsets, especially for your body weight. The options are,

1) Custom wheels (if you know what you want and I am sure there'll be a bunch of recommendations for Velocity Deep V... A bit boring).

2) Factory wheels. I would recommend Fulcrum Racing 3 or even Campagnolo Zonda with Shimano freehub (O/S mail order of course). Mavics are said to be overpriced (what isn't?), but their Ksyrium line do have a good reputation for durability. LBS purchase won't get you anywhere close to that kind of value.

3) eBay. Our Aussie wheel market isn't big and you'll have to be patient. Wheels in excellent condition do pop up every so often. Just the other day, a set of lightly used lightweight TWE wheels came up and went for a song <http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll ... :IT&ih=004>.

In any case, I would not bother to upgrade unless there's a significant weight reduction. With your budget, I think you can get into the 1600-1700g range. But bear in mind, weight isn't everything.
PS. Normal caveats apply for O/S mail order.

If it matters I like my Token C30A's, 30mm deep rims, smooth rolling and are perfect after 650km. The only worry for me is that they are untested but at that price its a bargain as my first upgrade from Shimano 500's.

I got them for $400 but they are going for $380 at Cell.

I didn't even try the Mavic Aksium that came with the bike.

TWE in Sydney. Have a look on the internet for Two Wheel Enterprises at Taren Point. Builds great wheels at a great price and will send thrm to you to boot!

Cheers for the ideas folks - I called TWE; very helpful and obviously a keen professional wheelbuilder. I will use him when I need a pair of race wheels in a year or so...

Looked at some of the other options and went for the Cell Bike deal on the Token C30a wheelset. Saved a fair bit compared to LBS prices in Adelaide....

All I need now is for the shimano versions to be in stock ...

Gregs wrote:Cheers for the ideas folks - I called TWE; very helpful and obviously a keen professional wheelbuilder. I will use him when I need a pair of race wheels in a year or so...

Looked at some of the other options and went for the Cell Bike deal on the Token C30a wheelset. Saved a fair bit compared to LBS prices in Adelaide....

All I need now is for the shimano versions to be in stock ...

Are you in Adelaide? If so, I can build you a pair of amateur built wheels. The DeepVs for my Jamis are still round ... especially seeing I'm riding the bent but I'm always happy to have a go for someone else (be warned, I've only built a total of three wheel sets so I'm no expert). Of course, you'd have to disappoint Cell, but it's a lot more fun choosing the bits for YOUR wheels, not just taking what a factory offers.

Richard

Thanks all for the ideas (including the local offer of a custom build...)..

I have a new pair of shiny, light and very stiff Token C30a wheels to set up for the upcoming Savings and Loans Coast to Coast...

Here's to a more responsive ride and less loosened spokes..

Cheers

Gregs

dumb question but need to ask

going to upgrade v/soon, and the bike comes with the entry level shimanos. LBS suggested the mavic aksium but iirc, these are fairly heavy (reliable?) wheels.

Should i bother upgrading during the buy, or ride the entry rims and upgrade later?

May as well keep the factory rims for a while and see how you go.....they aren't all that flash, but the aksiums aren't really an upgrade

I'd save your cash and upgrade later personally unless your weight will be a problem for the wheels that come on it (and better to look elsewhere if thats the case). I've got Aksiums on mine, not had a problem with them in just over 6,500kms (70-72kgs rider), but theres a few guys on here that have.

I race on mine but they came on a bike I never intended to race on, they are heavy and I could do with upgrading but I need a better bike all round.

what weight are the entry rims suited to? im around 82kgs.

I'd of thought you'd be fine at 82kgs but I've no experience of the wheels so can't be 100%. I wouldn't change them straight away personally, but wait and see how your riding goes and take things from there.

needsapush wrote: I've got Aksiums on mine, not had a problem with them in just over 6,500kms

Spoke to soon broke a spoke

I bought a set ot Ksyrium Elite 2008 wheels ( shimano) last week from Chain Reaction. I saw them today in an Adelaide LBS for $799, I got them for $520 delivered as I spent over $570AUS, it was free shipping. The wheels are awesome

Pete