Good Mid-Price Road Wheels?

Andrew Swan <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Any suggestions for a good wheelset in my price range (and where to buy them)? I don't have hubs
yet so am happy to buy pre-built wheels (and I have no wheel building skills myself).

May be a tad more than you were hoping to spend, but you could mailorder a pair of 105 or Ultegra
hubs (~$200-300) and lace them to Mavic Open Pro rims ($119 ea from phantom cycles). Allowing $120
for spokes, that comes to around $560 to $660... These will be plenty light and will last for ages,
and as an added bonus, you get to learn how to lace your own wheels.

Quoted message said:

and an annual Audax ride (130-200km).

Are you doing the Alpine Classic on Aust Day? I've booked in for the 200, and am really looking
forward to it (though with some trepidation, I must admit).

Regards,

Suzy

Suzy Jackson:

Quoted message said:

May be a tad more than you were hoping to spend, but you could mailorder a pair of 105 or Ultegra
hubs (~$200-300) and lace them to Mavic Open Pro rims ($119 ea from phantom cycles). Allowing $120
for spokes, that comes to around $560 to $660... These will be plenty light and will last for
ages, and as an added bonus, you get to learn how to lace your own wheels.

I assume these are typical prices for locally-sourced components. The total's a mighty steep price
for self-built wheels. I have yet to see a satisfactory explanation why bicycle components are
priced like precious metals in Australia.

Suzy Jackson said:

Andrew Swan <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Any suggestions for a good wheelset in my price range (and where to buy them)? I don't have hubs
yet so am happy to buy pre-built wheels (and I have no wheel building skills myself).

May be a tad more than you were hoping to spend, but you could mailorder a pair of 105 or Ultegra
hubs (~$200-300) and lace them to Mavic Open Pro rims ($119 ea from phantom cycles). Allowing $120
for spokes, that comes to around $560 to $660... These will be plenty light and will last for
ages, and as an added bonus, you get to learn how to lace your own wheels.

Quoted message said:

and an annual Audax ride (130-200km).

Are you doing the Alpine Classic on Aust Day? I've booked in for the 200, and am really looking
forward to it (though with some trepidation, I must admit).

Regards,

Suzy

You were right about $560 being more'n I wanted to spend! :-) What do you think about Rolf
Vector Comps?

Surely you can't learn how to build wheels just by getting some rims, spokes, hubs, and a spoke key,
and going for it (much as that sounds fun)? Isn't wheel building some arcane art handed down in
secret cabalistic ceremonies requiring the deaths of a few innocent chickens and a chalk pentagram?
And wouldn't I at least need a truing stand (assuming using the forks with the brake blocks as a
guide is only a rough approach)? How/where did *you* learn to build wheels?

Yes, I'm doing the 130km Alpine ride this year - did the 100km last time, working my way up to the
200km gradually!

&roo

"Suzy Jackson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Andrew Swan <[email hidden]> wrote in message

news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Any suggestions for a good wheelset in my price range (and where to buy them)? I don't have hubs
yet so am happy to buy pre-built wheels (and I have no wheel building skills myself).

May be a tad more than you were hoping to spend, but you could mailorder a pair of 105 or Ultegra
hubs (~$200-300) and lace them to Mavic Open Pro rims ($119 ea from phantom cycles). Allowing $120
for spokes, that comes to around $560 to $660... These will be plenty light and will last for
ages, and as an added bonus, you get to learn how to lace your own wheels.

Quoted message said:

and an annual Audax ride (130-200km).

Are you doing the Alpine Classic on Aust Day? I've booked in for the 200, and am really looking
forward to it (though with some trepidation, I must admit).

Regards,

Suzy

I am up for the 200km, I just pray for good weather. I rode it 2 years ago and it is a tough course,
particularly when you are climbing Buffalo at around 12kmph and you realise that it is ~26km long,
hmmm....... 2hours plus uphill. Oh yeah, but won't you feel good on the descent!

Good Luck

Kevin

K&C Russell wrote: <snip>

Quoted message said:

I am up for the 200km, I just pray for good weather. I rode it 2 years ago and it is a tough
course, particularly when you are climbing Buffalo at around 12kmph and you realise that it is
~26km long, hmmm....... 2hours plus uphill. Oh yeah, but won't you feel good on the descent!

Good Luck

Kevin

I did that descent in 2002 when riding the 100km course, and while it's great fun to descend for
20km, my neck was pretty stiff and sore by the end of it (I have a road bike and usually descend in
the drops for better braking/aero).

12km/h isn't bad - I think I averaged 10. I hear Falls Creek is much the same sort of climb, a very
consistent slope (something to do with snow/ice in winter).

&roo

Andrew Swan <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

You were right about $560 being more'n I wanted to spend! :-) What do you think about Rolf
Vector Comps?

I've never used them, so can't really comment. I'm a bit of a "32 spoke 3 cross" Nazi, truth be
told. The lowest spoke count I have in a wheel are my old 28 spoke time trialling singles (complete
with 7 speed screw on freewheel).

Quoted message said:

Surely you can't learn how to build wheels just by getting some rims, spokes, hubs, and a spoke
key, and going for it (much as that sounds fun)? Isn't wheel building some arcane art handed down
in secret cabalistic ceremonies requiring the deaths of a few innocent chickens and a chalk
pentagram? And wouldn't I at least need a truing stand (assuming using the forks with the brake
blocks as a guide is only a rough approach)? How/where did *you* learn to build wheels?

Now that we have the internet, you can use "virtual chickens". I did my first set of wheels using
the bike as a truing stand, holding a permanent marker on the stay so that it would touch the high
spots. It's a bit more fiddly than using a proper stand, but the result is just as good.

These days I have a truing stand complete with dial guage, so I can tell you how bad my wheels are
to an accuracy of 1/100th of a millimetre. You're more than welcome to borrow it, if you decide to
do your own. I'm also happy to provide lots of confusing, contradictory advice!

Quoted message said:

Yes, I'm doing the 130km Alpine ride this year - did the 100km last time, working my way up to the
200km gradually!

Fantastic. I look forward to seeing you at Bright.

Cheers,

Suzy

Suzy Jackson said:

Andrew Swan <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

You were right about $560 being more'n I wanted to spend! :-) What do you think about Rolf
Vector Comps?

I've never used them, so can't really comment. I'm a bit of a "32 spoke 3 cross" Nazi, truth be
told. The lowest spoke count I have in a wheel are my old 28 spoke time trialling singles
(complete with 7 speed screw on freewheel).

Quoted message said:

Surely you can't learn how to build wheels just by getting some rims, spokes, hubs, and a spoke
key, and going for it (much as that sounds fun)? Isn't wheel building some arcane art handed down
in secret cabalistic ceremonies requiring the deaths of a few innocent chickens and a chalk
pentagram? And wouldn't I at least need a truing stand (assuming using the forks with the brake
blocks as a guide is only a rough approach)? How/where did *you* learn to build wheels?

Now that we have the internet, you can use "virtual chickens". I did my first set of wheels using
the bike as a truing stand, holding a permanent marker on the stay so that it would touch the high
spots. It's a bit more fiddly than using a proper stand, but the result is just as good.

These days I have a truing stand complete with dial guage, so I can tell you how bad my wheels are
to an accuracy of 1/100th of a millimetre. You're more than welcome to borrow it, if you decide to
do your own. I'm also happy to provide lots of confusing, contradictory advice!

Quoted message said:

Yes, I'm doing the 130km Alpine ride this year - did the 100km last time, working my way up to the
200km gradually!

Fantastic. I look forward to seeing you at Bright.

Cheers,

Suzy

Now you've done it. Next I'll be asking you how to convert my old road bike to a fixie.

&roo

Andrew Swan <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Hi All,

I'm building me a new road bike with a total budget of around $2k. I've already spent about $1450
on frame (alum), forks (carbon), headset, groupset (Ultegra triple), and bars, leaving me about
$550 for wheels, stem, and seatpost (the saddle and Look pedals and are coming from my existing
road bike).

Any suggestions for a good wheelset in my price range (and where to buy them)? I don't have hubs
yet so am happy to buy pre-built wheels (and I have no wheel building skills myself). In the
absence of any better ideas I was going to buy a set of Shimano WH-R540's on eBay for around $330.
Can I do better on price or performance within my budget?

If it helps or matters, my riding consists of shortish races (20-30km), longer training/social
rides (60-100km), and an annual Audax ride (130-200km). I am 187cm and currently weigh 87kg (on my
way down to about 82kg).

Dunno where you live, but Bicycle Superstore down at Docklands in Melb yesterday were selling a
brand new pair of Mavic Cosmos, with tyres, tubes and 9 speed Shimano cassette for $ 500.

Quoted message said:

TIA,

&roo

Andrew Swan <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Hi All,

I'm building me a new road bike with a total budget of around $2k. I've already spent about $1450
on frame (alum), forks (carbon), headset, groupset (Ultegra triple), and bars, leaving me about
$550 for wheels, stem, and seatpost (the saddle and Look pedals and are coming from my existing
road bike).

Any suggestions for a good wheelset in my price range (and where to buy them)? I don't have hubs
yet so am happy to buy pre-built wheels (and I have no wheel building skills myself). In the
absence of any better ideas I was going to buy a set of Shimano WH-R540's on eBay for around $330.
Can I do better on price or performance within my budget?

If it helps or matters, my riding consists of shortish races (20-30km), longer training/social
rides (60-100km), and an annual Audax ride (130-200km). I am 187cm and currently weigh 87kg (on my
way down to about 82kg).

Dunno where you live, but Bicycle Superstore down at Docklands in Melb yesterday were selling a
brand new pair of Mavic Cosmos, with tyres, tubes and 9 speed Shimano cassette for $ 500.

Quoted message said:

TIA,

&roo

rickster said:

Andrew Swan <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Dunno where you live, but Bicycle Superstore down at Docklands in Melb yesterday were selling a
brand new pair of Mavic Cosmos, with tyres, tubes and 9 speed Shimano cassette for $ 500.

Quoted message said:

TIA,

&roo

I live in Sydney.

Couldn't see Bicycle Superstore on bicycles.net.aushops.htmlOpen ↗ - do they have an
online shop?

Are the Cosmos a good model of Mavic or merely OK? How would they compare to the Shimanos?

What gearing and groupset was the cassette?

TIA,

&roo

Andrew Swan <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

[snip

Quoted message said:

I live in Sydney.

Couldn't see Bicycle Superstore on bicycles.net.aushops.htmlOpen ↗ - do they have an
online shop?

try bicyclesuperstore.com.aubicyclesuperstore.com.auOpen ↗ but there is not much on it.

Quoted message said:

Are the Cosmos a good model of Mavic or merely OK? How would they compare to the Shimanos?

IMO all MAVIC wheels are good. The equivalent Shimano wheels would be those [censored] WH540/535. Wheels
built on say 105 hubs, good rims/spokes etc would be probaly just as good

Quoted message said:

What gearing and groupset was the cassette?

I didn't look to closely. The Bicycle Superstore were sponsoring a team in the Bay Series, and I
think these where wheels prepared as spares for the team, but never used

There is a guy on OZ ebay who is selling Mavic Cosmos from the UK for AU $ 475 (which includes
delivery).

Hello Andrew,

I've got a pair of Mavic Cosmos wheels and I'm very happy with them.

I was tossing up between a pair of Mavic Open Pro's with Ultegra hubs and the Cosmos. My bikestore
advised both were excellent choices but the Cosmos were alittle stiffer (IMHO).

They respond very well when I decide to put my foot down. I do a fair bit of climbing and I've found
them great for that. Some friends have pointed out they are not "aero" enough for crits etc...But
hey you can't have everything. Basically they leave my Cxp21 with Sora hubs for dead!

I'd recommend them.

Andrew Swan said:

rickster said:

Andrew Swan <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Dunno where you live, but Bicycle Superstore down at Docklands in Melb yesterday were selling a
brand new pair of Mavic Cosmos, with tyres, tubes and 9 speed Shimano cassette for $ 500.

Quoted message said:

TIA,

&roo

I live in Sydney.

Couldn't see Bicycle Superstore on bicycles.net.aushops.htmlOpen ↗ - do they have an
online shop?

Are the Cosmos a good model of Mavic or merely OK? How would they compare to the Shimanos?

What gearing and groupset was the cassette?

TIA,

&roo

rickster:

Quoted message said:

IMO all MAVIC wheels are good.

This is my finding also, for both heavier duty MTB and road rims. Mavics are some of the easiest to
build with, seemingly with the best homogeneity in structure (despite machined brake tracks).
Trueness *and* even spoke tension (often mutually exclusive on many rims) are relatively easily
accomplished at high spoke tension.

For a recommendation on [censored] rims, try Sun Ringle. Its Rhyno Lite (MTB) and CR-18 (road) rims have
poor quality control.

Bluenose <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Hello Andrew,

I've got a pair of Mavic Cosmos wheels and I'm very happy with them.

I was tossing up between a pair of Mavic Open Pro's with Ultegra hubs and the Cosmos. My bikestore
advised both were excellent choices but the Cosmos were alittle stiffer (IMHO).

They respond very well when I decide to put my foot down. I do a fair bit of climbing and I've
found them great for that. Some friends have pointed out they are not "aero" enough for crits
etc...But hey you can't have everything. Basically they leave my Cxp21 with Sora hubs for dead!

I'd recommend them.

I'll second that. I've got a pair that I use for racing and training, and I've probably done 50,000
km on them. I had to take the rear wheel to a shop once for them to tighten up everything, but
considering the number of kilometres they've done they haven't needed much truing.

I don't think that they are that stiff though - I've had a couple of wheel changes in crits and got
an "upgrade" to a Ksyrium, and they're noticeably stiffer. However, I like the lack of stiffness as
it softens riding over cobbles.

I reckon they're good value for money, and they have certainly passed the Heffron Park test.

cheers, Jeff

i bought a set of 540's off ebay for $310 and they have been fantastic so far (450 500 k's a week, 3 months so far). I weigh about 84kg and usually destroy rims in 2-3 months and these have shown no sign of any deviation from the straight and narrow.

byron27 <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

i bought a set of 540's off ebay for $310 and they have been fantastic so far (450 500 k's a week,
3 months so far). I weigh about 84kg and usually destroy rims in 2-3 months and these have shown
no sign of any deviation from the straight and narrow.

Well, really, IME, you've done quite well with them.

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by byron27
i bought a set of 540's off ebay for $310 and they have been fantastic so far (450 500 k's a week, 3 months so far). I weigh about 84kg and usually destroy rims in 2-3 months and these have shown no sign of any deviation from the straight and narrow.

There is something odd here. Why do your rims fail? Barring accidents or carelessness, which I hope doesn't occur "usually", rims should last until the brake pads wear the sides of the rim dangerously thin. This should take many tens of thousands of kilometres. A front wheel I was using this morning is still servicable after more than 120,000 km, although the side walls are thin. Front wheels take most of the brake wear.

Tell us why your wheels are no good.

John Retchford

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by John Retchford
There is something odd here. Why do your rims fail? Barring accidents or carelessness, which I hope doesn't occur "usually", rims should last until the brake pads wear the sides of the rim dangerously thin. This should take many tens of thousands of kilometres. A front wheel I was using this morning is still servicable after more than 120,000 km, although the side walls are thin. Front wheels take most of the brake wear.

Tell us why your wheels are no good.

John Retchford

Barring accidents or carelessness, which I hope doesn't occur "usually", rims should last until the brake pads wear the sides of the rim dangerously thin.

I dont think this is the only reason rims fail. The reason my rims have failed are usually due to spokes being pulled out from the rim wall, or cracks forming around the spoke eyelets. I have only ever lost 2 rims to side wall cracking. You ask why they fail?, thats the million dollar question (or rather the amount it has cost me to buy new rims over the years) and if i knew the answer i would buy rims that dont fail. I worked as a bike courier for 8 years so im guessing 8-9 hours of riding a day, up and down curbs, 5 days a week may have something to do with it. Maybe there is no failproof rim. Im sure if you rode your bike that much your wheel build would fail long before your rim walls split. Even with shimano 535's, the hub would collapse due to curb hopping. You may say that these wheels werent created for that purpose, but when it comes down to it, if a wheel can put up with hours of abuse a day, it will last longer for the average punter.

that is why the rims were no good. They cost me money because i was off the road and couldnt work.

byron27:

Quoted message said:

The reason my rims have failed are usually due to spokes being pulled out from the rim wall, or
cracks forming around the spoke eyelets. I have only ever lost 2 rims to side wall cracking. You
ask why they fail?, thats the million dollar question (or rather the amount it has cost me to buy
new rims over the years) and if i knew the answer i would buy rims that dont fail.

This usually happens because the spokes have been tensioned too highly for the type of rim. Rims
with metal eyelets are more durable than those without (ie just bare holes), but even then care must
be taken not to overtension these.

Quoted message said:

I worked as a bike courier for 8 years so im guessing 8-9 hours of riding a day, up and down
curbs, 5 days a week may have something to do with it.

These shouldn't, if the wheel has been appropriately tensioned.

Quoted message said:

Maybe there is no failproof rim. Im sure if you rode your bike that much your wheel build would
fail long before your rim walls split.

Not necessarily.

Quoted message said:

Even with shimano 535's, the hub would collapse due to curb hopping.

The spokes and rim will fail before the hub will, unless the hub has been overtightened.

Quoted message said:

that is why the rims were no good. They cost me money because i was off the road and couldnt work.

It's more likely that the wheel build was no good.