New Wheels

Mavic open pro's.

kidtaurus said:

I am looking to upgrade my wheels soon and need some suggestions. I am looking for a wheel that is first durable, but still lighter than my current alexrims R450. I see a lot of pot holes, irregularites and such on the roads. Any input is greatly appreciated.

Could you tell us more about your current wheels,,,... what you like and don't like about them.
How much do they weigh... with or without skewers?
What tires do you use? (include size)
How much do you weigh?
How much weight savings are you looking for?
What is your budget?

It sounds like your road conditions don't call for light weight wheels and skinny tires.

The rims I have now aren't bad at all. I have hit some potholes and such, and they are still straight. I just think think they are heavy and I could find something thats just as durable but are lighter. I would prefer a little weight, over less durablity as I use this to commute to school and back. The rims I have now are Alex R450 alloy double-walled rims, 700c 28H radial front/32H 2X rear,Ritchey Road Comp hubs, 14g stainless steel spokes.
Tires:25x700c Continental Ultra GatorSkin.
I weigh about 150 lbs.
I wanna be able to feel some weight savings, so I what I am saying is enough to notice.
I would like to keep it under $300 for the set as college consumes most of my money.
I hope this can help, thanks again for all your input.

kidtaurus said:

The rims I have now aren't bad at all. I have hit some potholes and such, and they are still straight. I just think think they are heavy and I could find something thats just as durable but are lighter. I would prefer a little weight, over less durablity as I use this to commute to school and back. The rims I have now are Alex R450 alloy double-walled rims, 700c 28H radial front/32H 2X rear,Ritchey Road Comp hubs, 14g stainless steel spokes.
Tires:25x700c Continental Ultra GatorSkin.
I weigh about 150 lbs.
I wanna be able to feel some weight savings, so I what I am saying is enough to notice.
I would like to keep it under $300 for the set as college consumes most of my money.
I hope this can help, thanks again for all your input.

Use DT Revolution or Sapim Laser 14/17 spokes front and left rear. They only save about 1 gram per spoke but the higher frequency of the "ring" makes them feel lighter.
Use Velocity Aerohead rims with the OC rim in the rear. These are very tough rims for their weight. Since they don't have eyelets I would use standard plated DT or Sapim nipples. You can use 28 spokes in front again, but I would use two cross pattern for more durability with the 28 spokes in front.
Use Ultegra hubs as they are hard to beat for durability and value.
This package will be under $300. However, when you put the wheels on a scale I doubt that you will see more than 200 grams difference.... especially because I don't know the weights of your existing set up.
I would also consider using Avocet Carbon 12 tires when your Continentals wear out. They would feel a little faster than Continental Gator Skins. I would stay with 25 width or even go up to 28 width if they fit.

I would suggest Mavic or Ambrosio rims, with Campagnolo hubs in your price range. Cannot go wrong, and you will get superior performance and great reliability. 😎

daveornee said:

Use DT Revolution or Sapim Laser 14/17 spokes front and left rear. They only save about 1 gram per spoke but the higher frequency of the "ring" makes them feel lighter.

The butted spokes are also going to give the wheels a bit more spring without giving up any strength. That should help on rough roads.

daveornee said:

Use DT Revolution or Sapim Laser 14/17 spokes front and left rear. They only save about 1 gram per spoke but the higher frequency of the "ring" makes them feel lighter.
Use Velocity Aerohead rims with the OC rim in the rear. These are very tough rims for their weight. Since they don't have eyelets I would use standard plated DT or Sapim nipples. You can use 28 spokes in front again, but I would use two cross pattern for more durability with the 28 spokes in front.
Use Ultegra hubs as they are hard to beat for durability and value.
This package will be under $300. However, when you put the wheels on a scale I doubt that you will see more than 200 grams difference.... especially because I don't know the weights of your existing set up.
I would also consider using Avocet Carbon 12 tires when your Continentals wear out. They would feel a little faster than Continental Gator Skins. I would stay with 25 width or even go up to 28 width if they fit.

This is a great combination and worth consideration. If you want to take it one step further in terms of performance and weight, look into DT Hugi hubs (240's) with these rims and spokes. Wheelset will weigh less than 1500 gms and be so sweet. Cost? Around $550.

55/Rad