Factory-built wheels - which are good?

Sean M. Cunningham said:

Hello,

I'm just finishing up my first road bike build, and I'm looking for
wheels. It's a 1999 Trek 2500 frame with shimano 105 all around, and a
9-speed rear cassette.

I had thought about having a set made at the LBS, but I'm working on a
tight budget, and I may have to wait a while before I can get a set of
custom wheels.

I need something that's fairly durable and will stay true riding on
potholed, buckled Buffalo roads. Nashbar has a few wheelsets under $100,
but I'm not sure how they'll stand up.

They're $150, but I was looking at the Shimano R500 set at Nashbar.
However, I'm concerned about the durability of the radial front wheel
given the rough pavement in my area. There are also a few cheaper sets,
and they all seem to use the Shimano 2200 hub. Would any of these fit my
requirements?

If you have any experience with any of these wheelsets, please let me
know.

I'd spend an extra $25 and get the Open Pro/105 set. The cheaper wheels
might be OK, the Mavics are socketed and hold up pretty well. The weight
is the same as the Shimano, and you have a reliable 32 spoke 3x pattern
with brass nipples. Whatever you buy, if you go the factory-built route,
make sure you get the tension up and stress-relieve the spokes. These
are the important parts of build quality. Read about this at Sheldon
Brown's site or the bike FAQ.

Peter Cole said:

Sean M. Cunningham wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I'm just finishing up my first road bike build, and I'm looking for
wheels. It's a 1999 Trek 2500 frame with shimano 105 all around, and
a 9-speed rear cassette.

I had thought about having a set made at the LBS, but I'm working on
a tight budget, and I may have to wait a while before I can get a
set of custom wheels.

I need something that's fairly durable and will stay true riding on
potholed, buckled Buffalo roads. Nashbar has a few wheelsets under
$100, but I'm not sure how they'll stand up.

They're $150, but I was looking at the Shimano R500 set at Nashbar.
However, I'm concerned about the durability of the radial front wheel
given the rough pavement in my area. There are also a few cheaper
sets, and they all seem to use the Shimano 2200 hub. Would any of
these fit my requirements?

If you have any experience with any of these wheelsets, please let me
know.

I'd spend an extra $25 and get the Open Pro/105 set. The cheaper
wheels might be OK, the Mavics are socketed and hold up pretty well.
The weight is the same as the Shimano, and you have a reliable 32
spoke 3x pattern with brass nipples. Whatever you buy, if you go the
factory-built route, make sure you get the tension up and
stress-relieve the spokes. These are the important parts of build
quality. Read about this at Sheldon Brown's site or the bike FAQ.

This is good advice. If stress-relieved and tensioned properly by a good local
wheelbuilder, these wheels are as good as any, at a fraction of the price.
Value-wise, prebuilt with retensioning is the way to go. Most shops will do
this for about $30. If they won't do it cheerfully or without denigrating your
mail order choice, find another shop.

If you don't want to spend for Open Pros, the CXP rims are cheaper and seem to
hold up well too. Actually I don't think the rim is all that important (but
choose silver or painted over color/hard anodized). "Double butted" spokes are
probably well worth spending extra for though, moreso than a better rim.
They're more elastic in the middle, and therefore less prone to breaking at the
elbow. However, the butted spokes usually only come with the more expensive
rims.

Matt O.

Sean M. Cunningham said:

Hello,

I'm just finishing up my first road bike build, and I'm looking for
wheels. It's a 1999 Trek 2500 frame with shimano 105 all around, and a
9-speed rear cassette.

I had thought about having a set made at the LBS, but I'm working on a
tight budget, and I may have to wait a while before I can get a set of
custom wheels.

I need something that's fairly durable and will stay true riding on
potholed, buckled Buffalo roads. Nashbar has a few wheelsets under $100,
but I'm not sure how they'll stand up.

They're $150, but I was looking at the Shimano R500 set at Nashbar.
However, I'm concerned about the durability of the radial front wheel
given the rough pavement in my area.

The 105s are OK, if not particularly light - I assume this price is for
the 2004 design with the crossover spokes? Don't worry about the front
one being radial; it's designed for it. Like a lot of these wheels,
there's more weight in the rim than normal which is a Bad Thing because
it's the fastest-spinning part of the wheel and therefore takes more
effort to get it up to speed.

You could knock up some handbuilt wheels for a similar price, but you'd
have to build them yourself in the bike frame because a jig would be
abother $50 at least. I did this a few times and never had any problems
with the wheels needing retruing [1], but my standards were somewhat
laxer in those days - now I tinker until everything is within 0.5mm,
although I don't ride any faster as a result ;-)

[1] actually, a rear MTB wheel I built for a friend did eventually get
bent, but that was in a crash which broke his arm, snapped a bar end and
put a large dent in his nice Ti frame, so I consider honour was saved.

In article
<[email hidden]
u>,

Sean M. Cunningham said:

Hello,

I'm just finishing up my first road bike build, and I'm looking for
wheels. It's a 1999 Trek 2500 frame with shimano 105 all around, and a
9-speed rear cassette.

I had thought about having a set made at the LBS, but I'm working on a
tight budget, and I may have to wait a while before I can get a set of
custom wheels.

I need something that's fairly durable and will stay true riding on
potholed, buckled Buffalo roads. Nashbar has a few wheelsets under $100,
but I'm not sure how they'll stand up.

They're $150, but I was looking at the Shimano R500 set at Nashbar.
However, I'm concerned about the durability of the radial front wheel
given the rough pavement in my area. There are also a few cheaper sets,
and they all seem to use the Shimano 2200 hub. Would any of these fit my
requirements?

If you have any experience with any of these wheelsets, please let me
know.

Thanks!
---
Sean Cunningham
[email hidden]

Whatever wheels you get, and however else you proceed, consider
seriously learning to true and to build your own wheels.

--
Michael Press

Sean M. Cunningham said:

Hello,

I'm just finishing up my first road bike build, and I'm looking for
wheels. It's a 1999 Trek 2500 frame with shimano 105 all around, and a
9-speed rear cassette.

I had thought about having a set made at the LBS, but I'm working on a
tight budget, and I may have to wait a while before I can get a set of
custom wheels.

I need something that's fairly durable and will stay true riding on
potholed, buckled Buffalo roads. Nashbar has a few wheelsets under $100,
but I'm not sure how they'll stand up.

They're $150, but I was looking at the Shimano R500 set at Nashbar.
However, I'm concerned about the durability of the radial front wheel
given the rough pavement in my area. There are also a few cheaper sets,
and they all seem to use the Shimano 2200 hub. Would any of these fit my
requirements?

If you have any experience with any of these wheelsets, please let me
know.

Thanks!
---
Sean Cunningham
[email hidden]

What is wrong with what you have?
How much do you weigh?
What size tires do you run?
What is the largest size tires you can run?
What kind of riding are you planning? (racing, commuting, recreational rides... including Century rides, etc)

Different riders will always have diffferent experiences with wheels. Quality of the components and build will make a difference. Some of the advice you get here may help, but some may guide you in the wrong direction.

Sean M. Cunningham said:

Hello,

I'm just finishing up my first road bike build, and I'm looking for
wheels. It's a 1999 Trek 2500 frame with shimano 105 all around, and

a

Quoted message said:

9-speed rear cassette.

I had thought about having a set made at the LBS, but I'm working on

a

Quoted message said:

tight budget, and I may have to wait a while before I can get a set

of

Quoted message said:

custom wheels.

I need something that's fairly durable and will stay true riding on
potholed, buckled Buffalo roads. Nashbar has a few wheelsets under

$100,

Quoted message said:

but I'm not sure how they'll stand up.

They're $150, but I was looking at the Shimano R500 set at Nashbar.
However, I'm concerned about the durability of the radial front wheel
given the rough pavement in my area. There are also a few cheaper

sets,

Quoted message said:

and they all seem to use the Shimano 2200 hub. Would any of these fit

my

Quoted message said:

requirements?

If you have any experience with any of these wheelsets, please let me
know.

Thanks!
---
Sean Cunningham
[email hidden]

If you have a decent wheelbuilder locally, buy a 'standard' set of
wherels, like with cross 3, OpenPro, shimano hub, type wheel, sold
often by MO at VERY low prices. Have the wheelbuilder, tension, round,
true, dish and STRESS REIEVE. Most of these wheels have great
components with pisspoor builds.

Sean M. Cunningham said:

Hello,

I'm just finishing up my first road bike build, and I'm looking for
wheels. It's a 1999 Trek 2500 frame with shimano 105 all around, and a
9-speed rear cassette.

They're $150, but I was looking at the Shimano R500 set at Nashbar.
However, I'm concerned about the durability of the radial front wheel
given the rough pavement in my area. There are also a few cheaper sets,
and they all seem to use the Shimano 2200 hub. Would any of these fit my
requirements?

I ride my R500 wheels off road on my CX bike; not enough miles on them
to comment on durability, but they're as straight as the day I bought
them and I weigh 200lb. The best way to protect your wheels is to use
wide enough tyres; I'm on 700x37c Conti SportContacts, which obviously
won't fit your frame, but if the roads are as rough as you say I'd try
to squeeze some 28s in there.

Kinky Cowboy*

*Batteries not included
May contain traces of nuts
Your milage may vary

"Sean M. Cunningham" <[email hidden]> writes:

Which Factory Wheels are Good? None.

If you want to enjoy carrying custom spokes, if you want to enjoy
paying $200 for a rim, if you want to enjoy hubs that you have to send
out for service, if you want to enjoy spending $600 every 2 years for
wheels, then by all means, buy some factory-made wheels.

If not, then consider using the wheels that came stock on my 1998 TREK
2300 : Shimano Ultegra hubs, MAVIC CXP-22 rims. These rims are
incredibly strong (I weigh 235), and the CXP-33's are similarly
strong. If you're a risk taker than Ultegra/Open Pro wheel sets go on
sale all the time for less than $200, and are a relative bargain.

- Don Gillies
San Diego, CA

Ok

Heres my thoughts

Factory built wheels would be ok if

- built with DT spokes or something of similar quality. If they have a
little N on the spoke head, these are chung nan spokes and are prone to
breaking. Lots of companies use them though
- 32 or 36.. avoid anything else. Why it easier and cheaper to get a 32 or
36 hole rim. Even if it is a high end rim, theres usually a cheap knock off
of it. FYI folks ALEX rims makes stuff for MAVIC..

- Even a crappy front wheel takes a s--t kicking. Consider maybe just a
custom rear for the time being.. you could probably even get a used set in
good shape cheap..

polly