Need to replace a wheel? Am I getting good advice?

[RobertL]

I just had my bike serviced at my local LBS. The mechanic there told me that he was worried about the very uneven spoke tension on my rear wheel. He said that they tightened and trued it as best they could, but that the wheel will need to be replaced before too long.

The wheels are Mavic Aksium, with a fair number of kms on them. The rear hub was serviced about 6 months ago (by them) but apart from that they are as original.

Does that sound like good advice? I have never heard anything like this before, so I want to check it with the BNA expertise.


Also, I mentioned upgrading the wheel set, and they recommended Fulcrum Racing 3s. What's the opinion on them?

[Derny Driver]

Its good advice. Aksiums are a basic wheelset. If you have had good use out of them, they've done their job.
You'll find plenty of advice about what to replace them with. I bought Fulcrum 3s for my son and am very happy with them. They are his best race wheels. Light and reliable. Never had an issue with them. They are exactly the same as the top Fulcrum model except for having normal bearings instead of ceramic. And Im not a fan of ceramics anyway. They cost less than half the price of Fulcrum 1s / Zeroes. All the Fulcrums have no spoke holes so that eliminates annoying spoke hole punctures and rim tape hassles. I got mine new for $500 at a local bike shop. Shop around. Dont buy 2-way fit. Just normal wheels.
Of course there are lots of other good replacement options. Posters after me will tell you about them. But you asked about Fulcrum 3s and I recommend them for sure.

[find_bruce]

I like building my own wheels - its a lovely repetitive task for quiet contemplation on a Sunday afternoon. I am not & never will have the experience of a professional - the better I build a wheel, the less of them I build.

Trying to true a wheel with uneven tensions is an exercise in frustration. What I did was go back to basics - completely de-tension every spoke, check the rim is sound, then re-tension the wheel, slowly & methodically, keeping the wheel round & true. This was one of the first wheels I built & it is still going great.

But I enjoy building wheels. From an economic perspective, the cost of paying someone else to re-build a wheel is rarely worth it, especially if it gives you the opportunity to scratch the upgrade itch

[10speedsemiracer]

If you've had good mileage and overall experience with the Aksiums, you could do a lot worse than a new set. I think they're a good wheelset for the price. If you were looking at an upgrade and spending significant $s, get a set built (or build yourself)...this way you can build to suit you and your riding experience (high spoke count bombproof or light /aero).

[RobertL]

Update. Just picked up a set of Campag Zonda C17s. I will install them tonight and see how they go.

[CKinnard]

From memory, Zonda's are much the same as Fulcrum Racing 3's (the former are campy specific, and 3's shimano)

IMHO, 3's don't last long if you weigh over 80kg. I had a pair fail (spoke breakages) when a 60km from home. And know a several similar failures for guys over 80kg.

[RobertL]

OK - a quick update. I took the wheels home last night, swapped over cassette, tyres etc, adjusted the brakes for the wider rims and went for a brief ride up and down my street - mainly to make sure that I had done everything right.

My initial feeling from that little ride was that the initial brake bite was much more pronounced on the new rims. I couldn't really tell anything else though (except that my mechanic-ing seemed to be up to scratch).

This morning I went for a training ride - hard paceline riding at the local crit track. To be honest, I had a dog of a session and struggled the whole way. I don't think that I can blame the wheels...

I'd like to say that the wheels feel lighter, stiffer, spinnier and all that - but to be honest I'm struggling to notice a difference. I think that I need a few decent rides which include some hills to really be able to tell.

IMHO, 3's don't last long if you weigh over 80kg. I had a pair fail (spoke breakages) when a 60km from home. And know a several similar failures for guys over 80kg.

Hmm - the Campys and Fulcrums are all rated for riders up to 109kg. I hope that they are right because I am well over 80kg.