New wheels

jabike said:

As a 200+ pounder who is rather hard on wheels, I am getting tired of constantly truing wheels using low spoke count wheels. I am looking for a set of wheels that will hold up for daily riding over railroad tracks and bumps along the city streets. I am thinking of Mavic Open Pro 36 spoke rims and Campy Chorus hubs. I can then save my low spoke count wheels when performance becomes an issue. Any suggestions?

cxp 33 might be a better rim.

jabike said:

As a 200+ pounder who is rather hard on wheels, I am getting tired of constantly truing wheels using low spoke count wheels. I am looking for a set of wheels that will hold up for daily riding over railroad tracks and bumps along the city streets. I am thinking of Mavic Open Pro 36 spoke rims and Campy Chorus hubs. I can then save my low spoke count wheels when performance becomes an issue. Any suggestions?

Velocity makes some Chorus compatible hubbed wheels. They are handbuilt and you can get 36/36 spokes in the fusion rim (medium V) or you can use the Deep V wheelset.

Very strong rims and nicely tensioned. I got my set for $230. If you want training wheels consider those because I know how expensive a chorus rear hub can be.

A Deep V or medium V rim (like mavic CXP33) is going to be a lot stronger than a lightweight Mavic open pro.

jabike said:

As a 200+ pounder who is rather hard on wheels, I am getting tired of constantly truing wheels using low spoke count wheels. I am looking for a set of wheels that will hold up for daily riding over railroad tracks and bumps along the city streets. I am thinking of Mavic Open Pro 36 spoke rims and Campy Chorus hubs. I can then save my low spoke count wheels when performance becomes an issue. Any suggestions?

Besides the rim strength, getting tires as fat as you can fit will also help. Besides CXP33, Velocity Fusion and Deep V; you can also consider velcoity Dyad if you can mount 28 mm tires.
I think Velocity Aerohead with Aerohead OC in rear properly built and with wide tires will also handle your weight.

boudreaux said:

cxp 33 might be a better rim.

Thanks, Boudreax. It gets confusing. Some have said that the cxp 22 is a more heavy duty rim. Some say the cxp 33 is ideal. Still others say the open pro. It's hard to tell from any comparisons which is the best for a stiff, heavy duty training rim. I have also considered some of the velocity rims mentioned, but I have had better luck when I have had the wheels built locally. I will probably go with the cxp 33.

jabike said:

Thanks, Boudreax. It gets confusing. Some have said that the cxp 22 is a more heavy duty rim. Some say the cxp 33 is ideal. Still others say the open pro. It's hard to tell from any comparisons which is the best for a stiff, heavy duty training rim. I have also considered some of the velocity rims mentioned, but I have had better luck when I have had the wheels built locally. I will probably go with the cxp 33.

There is probably nothing wrong with a cxp22.I got some built around ultegra hubs. They are typically found on OEM wheels,and I don't recall seeing them sold as a separate item. Probably also heavier than 33s.I have never heard a gripe about 33s and big guys if properly built.

As a larger rider I have had similar problems with wheels over the years (I fluctuate between 200-215lbs through the year). I have had at least two sets with the Open Pro with no major problems except like you say, they needed constant trueing (and they were 32 spoke). I tacoed a rear wheel in a crash and had it rebuilt with a CXP33 and it stayed (still is) true... could it have been the wheelbuilder? Maybe, but they were all done by "professionals" while the CXP was built at my LBS.

For what it is worth, I have been riding almost soley on a pair of Campy Nucleaons (now called neutrons) for about 3 years with absolutely no problems. Here in Brazil the roads are absolutely terible and I can't even tell you how many times I have smacked them hard in an unseen hole without trouble so far. Many of my regular rides include large sections on hard-packed dirt roads as well with very bad whoops. These are the most robust wheels I have ever owned, and they are supposed to be lightweight for clinchers. I don't know if spoke count is really all that matters...

The way I look at it, there's no downside to more spokes. I wouldn't want a rear wheel with fewer than 36 spokes, no matter what they say (if I were that worried about weight, I could shed a few pounds first).

I weigh about 210 lbs and commute and ride in potholed (New York City) streets. I ride aggressively and hit bumps and fly freely off 1/2 foot curbs if need be. My wheels stay true and neither of my wheels is very expensive:

Front: Mavic CXP 21 with 32 spokes.

Rear: Ritchey Cross Sport Vantage with 36 spokes.

A use thin tires (700 X 23mm) and keep them hard, around 100 PSI. I also keep the spoke tension higher than most people (I think). While I do like a hard ride, I insist on steel frames and I have a carbon fiber fork, both of which provide softness (and I imagine take some force off the wheels).

It works for me.

My only advice would be to make sure you keep your wheels very true. I find the that tighter spoke tension helps for this (I don't measure tension, but given a "standard" wheel, I generally tighten all spokes between a half turn and a full turn). Use a truing stand (best expensive tool I ever bought). A true wheel stays true. I'm picky about this. I true my wheels as soon as they become slightly out of true, probably about once or twice a year at most.

Also make sure you use good-quality spokes. I bought my rear wheel pre-built. I then proceeded to pop spokes on it while riding (but could easily ride home in part because there were still 35 spokes left). After another spoke broke a week later, I respoked the wheel with standard good-quality bike-store spokes. I don't know kind of spokes the wheel came with, but I haven't had a problem since.

I haven't had a problem with my wheels yet( I weigh 145 Pounds). I have Bontrager Selects on my 1500 and they are great, I use Bontrager Race Lite 700x23c Tires.

boudreaux said:

There is probably nothing wrong with a cxp22.I got some built around ultegra hubs. They are typically found on OEM wheels,and I don't recall seeing them sold as a separate item. Probably also heavier than 33s.I have never heard a gripe about 33s and big guys if properly built.

The 22 is 20 grams heavier than the 33. Not bad considering they're about $25 cheaper. I got mine from Cambria.

artmichalek said:

The 22 is 20 grams heavier than the 33. Not bad considering they're about $25 cheaper. I got mine from Cambria.

Weight of the rim is not the only consideration in it's strength. Mavic MA-3 weighs the same 470 grams as CXP-22. However, even Mavic rates it a 15% "weaker". My experience with MA-3 shows it is in deed weaker than Mavic's other road rims.
If you want a Mavic rim that is shown and rated tougher, go with the A719. A719 looks like an OpenPro on Steroids.
A719 is only 60 grams more than CXP-22, but it is more expensive and designed with 28+ mm wide tires in mind.
The quality of the build and all the materials involved make a difference. The size of the tire does make a significant difference as well... as mentioned in my earlier posting.
How big a tire are you using?
How large will your frame/fork/brakes allow?

jabike said:

Thanks, Boudreax. It gets confusing. Some have said that the cxp 22 is a more heavy duty rim. Some say the cxp 33 is ideal. Still others say the open pro. It's hard to tell from any comparisons which is the best for a stiff, heavy duty training rim. I have also considered some of the velocity rims mentioned, but I have had better luck when I have had the wheels built locally. I will probably go with the cxp 33.

If build quality is crucial to you.. A guy in Atlanta(Marietta) i think..John Tovani..this guy is the best wheel builder ive seen. If you need contact info i can probably dig it up.

yayaya said:

If build quality is crucial to you.. A guy in Atlanta(Marietta) i think..John Tovani..this guy is the best wheel builder ive seen. If you need contact info i can probably dig it up.

I think I just ordered a set of wheels from the same guy. Kovachi, I think, and he is in Marietta. After talking to him for quite awhile, he suggested that he thinks he could still come up with some cxp30 rims and 36 spoke chorus hubs to build some wheels that he says should be about bombproof.

jabike said:

I think I just ordered a set of wheels from the same guy. Kovachi, I think, and he is in Marietta. After talking to him for quite awhile, he suggested that he thinks he could still come up with some cxp30 rims and 36 spoke chorus hubs to build some wheels that he says should be about bombproof.

Yeah thats the guy! Kovachi