Heavy Rider wheelsets

Brendo said:

I'm investigating a custom frame for my larger self, and thought while
I'm at it, why not look at a wheelset that will be better suited to my
weighty backside.

I'm 6'4", weigh 112kg, and currently running on a set of ALX-280's.
The have a 20spoke front and 24 spoke back setup, and came with the
GTR Series 2 (2006) that I bought. I've only done around 800km on
them, and so far no trouble, but I'm thinking that they are probably a
bit lightweight for me. Rather than spend heaps of time fixing spokes
and truing wheels, why not get something STURDY.

Any suggestions? And can I just pick the parts (rim, spokes, hubs) and
get my LBS to build them? Note, I am not a weight weenie. Why bother
about 500grams when I can drop 40 times that from my guts!

I've had great success with Shimano 105 hubs, DT swiss 14 guage spokes
and Mavic open pro rims and I'm heavy. If you're in a hurry, a friend
who's around 110kg rides around on Easton 'Circuit 2' wheels and has
put around 15,000 into them with no dramas. These are off the shelf,
and RRP is somewhere around $900 from memory.

quote='Bleve'On Apr 17 said:

I'm investigating a custom frame for my larger self, and thought while
I'm at it, why not look at a wheelset that will be better suited to my
weighty backside.

I'm 6'4", weigh 112kg, and currently running on a set of ALX-280's.
The have a 20spoke front and 24 spoke back setup, and came with the
GTR Series 2 (2006) that I bought. I've only done around 800km on
them, and so far no trouble, but I'm thinking that they are probably a
bit lightweight for me. Rather than spend heaps of time fixing spokes
and truing wheels, why not get something STURDY.

Any suggestions? And can I just pick the parts (rim, spokes, hubs) and
get my LBS to build them? Note, I am not a weight weenie. Why bother
about 500grams when I can drop 40 times that from my guts!

I've had great success with Shimano 105 hubs, DT swiss 14 guage spokes
and Mavic open pro rims and I'm heavy. If you're in a hurry, a friend
who's around 110kg rides around on Easton 'Circuit 2' wheels and has
put around 15,000 into them with no dramas. These are off the shelf,
and RRP is somewhere around $900 from memory.[/QUOTE]There are some good bomb proof wheels out there stock as well as built up to suit.

Racing is one thing where it is often a personal thing or hopefully a sponsor's offering) but every day training and long rides are where rock solid reliability when away from support are top of mind.

I went for two variations, firstly stock with some training wheels for R1, I went Campag Vento G3 ( the Black 05 Model), and less than $400 at the time, they now have done close to 12,000 on them without a blemish, or a moments concern, still true and rock solid.

The other set, for built up training wheels for the R2 Roadie, I paid $550 total, for these I sourced some FIR 32 hole Zeniths mated to Campag Record hubs with DT spokes and again approx 10,000klms so far and I expect these to outlive me and that bike.

I guess something that also helps and isnt much talked about is how each rider handles the bumps and absorbs the rough ruts, getting the butt off the seat rather than bottom out with the bum on seat and full impact through the wheel... this is often destructive to a lot of stock wheels and causes many a spoke failure and/or a bent rim.

Other observation is that many of the stock wheels with smaller lighter bikes are in themselves very lightly built and although they may look pretty swish with aero spokes and flash wheel profiles, submit to failure on the first rut or hard jolt.

Reckon you are on the right track tho...get strong wheels and the foundation is set for safer riding and less hassles when away from support.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I've had great success with Shimano 105 hubs, DT swiss 14 guage spokes
and Mavic open pro rims and I'm heavy. If you're in a hurry, a friend
who's around 110kg rides around on Easton 'Circuit 2' wheels and has
put around 15,000 into them with no dramas. These are off the shelf,
and RRP is somewhere around $900 from memory.

I had anticipated paying much less than $900, probably around half
that.

I'm not looking for top of the line lightweight racing wheels, but
honest low maintenance ones. I don't race (or at least haven't yet)
and just want to be able to ride 50-80km on a weekend and nothave to
worry about things breaking. I realise it is impossible for 'NOTHING'
to go wrong, but I'd like to lower the possibility as much as I can,
within the price.

Brendo

Brendo said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I've had great success with Shimano 105 hubs, DT swiss 14 guage spokes
and Mavic open pro rims and I'm heavy. If you're in a hurry, a friend
who's around 110kg rides around on Easton 'Circuit 2' wheels and has
put around 15,000 into them with no dramas. These are off the shelf,
and RRP is somewhere around $900 from memory.

I had anticipated paying much less than $900, probably around half
that.

I'm not looking for top of the line lightweight racing wheels, but
honest low maintenance ones. I don't race (or at least haven't yet)
and just want to be able to ride 50-80km on a weekend and nothave to
worry about things breaking. I realise it is impossible for 'NOTHING'
to go wrong, but I'd like to lower the possibility as much as I can,
within the price.

Brendo

I'll add my experience to the other posts. I too am a heavy
rider (was over 100kg, now less) and was popping spokes on
rear wheels with monotonous regularity. Then I got a set of
Campagnolo Sciroccos. They've been fantastic, nudging 10,000kms
on those (about four rear tires). They're lighter and stiffer
than my non-factory wheels, the hubs still run smooth with
no adjustment. Wheels are still true. There is some surface
rust on cones and spacers. These aren't my racing wheels but
you could race on them - they're not that heavy.

Sciroccos sit above Ventos in the Campag line up. I have the
sciroccos, zondas and eurus - all great wheels although I notice
the zondas feel a bit more flexy than the other two.

For solid, reliable performance, I've been very happy with the
sciroccos and would buy them again although the new model has a
different specs to mine.

Cheers,
DeF.

--
e-mail: d.farrow@your finger.murdoch.edu.au
To reply, you'll have to remove your finger.

rooman said:

I went for two variations, firstly stock with some training wheels for R1, I went Campag Vento G3 ( the Black 05 Model), and less than $400 at the time, they now have done close to 12,000 on them without a blemish, or a moments concern, still true and rock solid.

Just to add my experience to the spectrum.

I have been between 87-90kgs so on the lower levels of the big rider scale.

I had a set of 04 Vento's and the freewheel hub died with 5,000 k and the whole rim sh@t itself after 7000k.

Mavic open pro on american classic hub: hub sh@t itself after 4000k. Rim was rock solid.

That said i have never found a rear wheel that hasnt eventually died a violent death between my rear stays...

Personally i would shoot for an open pro on shimano or campy hubs. Or maybe a box section on either of those hubs. Probably cost more like 600 bucks though for a set built up. Geez, if you were in Perth you could have my old Vento front wheel and just get a rear one built up.

Not sure if there are bomb proof wheelsets for 400 bucks???

rooman said:

Bleve said:

Brendo said:

I'm investigating a custom frame for my larger self, and thought

while

Quoted message said:

I'm at it, why not look at a wheelset that will be better suited to

my

Quoted message said:

weighty backside.

I am way heavier than 112KG (but less so than b4) and I have been riding
a Basic hybrid style bike, a Shogun Metro AT of about 7 years vintage, I
left the front wheel standard. But to get the benefit of the cassette
style hub as opposed to a freewheel one I had the wheel rebuilt with DT
alpine swiss spokes (36). I don't know whether they did a good job
tensioning up the wheel because I have broken 4 spokes in about 4000k.
Of course I don't discount they broke because I'm a fat man.

One advantage of a lot of spokes is that the loss of one has not made
the bike unrideable. ie the wheel didn't buckle enough to rub on
anything except a brakepad a bit.

I kept the same cheapo rim.

I can say that none of the spokes broke at a time of severe stress like
a pothole or climbing a hill. They just snapped when riding along on a
smooth flat surface. I think spokes break as a result of fatigue
resulting from improper tensioning of the wheel, because I know real
featherweights who break spokes too. Just less often then me, sigh.
I fixed the spoke within 5 -10kms so as to not distress the remaining
ones needlessly.

So I wouldn't go nuts trying to build a flash wheel just get a good
wheelbuilder to do it properly.

Wilfred

Do a search for 'heavy rider wheels' or somesuch on
rec.bicycles.tech . This has been discussed a lot from time to time
and there is plenty of advice there.

donga

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

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I've had great success with Shimano 105 hubs, DT swiss 14 guage spokes
and Mavic open pro rims and I'm heavy. If you're in a hurry, a friend
who's around 110kg rides around on Easton 'Circuit 2' wheels and has
put around 15,000 into them with no dramas. These are off the shelf,
and RRP is somewhere around $900 from memory.

I had anticipated paying much less than $900, probably around half
that.

I'm not looking for top of the line lightweight racing wheels, but
honest low maintenance ones. I don't race (or at least haven't yet)
and just want to be able to ride 50-80km on a weekend and nothave to
worry about things breaking. I realise it is impossible for 'NOTHING'
to go wrong, but I'd like to lower the possibility as much as I can,
within the price.

Rims that are fairly deep are generally pretty strong.......for a strong
wheel that won't break the bank you might want to look at getting a set of
Velocity Rims (maybe the Deep V) with 32 holes and then get them laced up
with a decent set of 14g straight gauge spokes (can't go wrong with DT) to a
set of say Ultegra or Centaur hubs (depending on where your preferences
lay). The most important part is to get the wheels laced up by a reputable
wheelbuilder......I'm sure if you tell us where you are located that you
will be able to get a few recommendations.

Also might want to check these out if you are looking for pre-built wheels
for $450

http://www.bikepro.com.au/Product/1143721919531-0790/category/453/Velocity

Gags

*disclaimer* - I am not associated with bikepro in any way

DeepV rims 32h with 14/15/14 spokes and Ultegra our Dura ace hubs should be bombproof.

We use DeepV's on both our 700c and 26" tandems and have had no problems. When touring our rolling weight is a bit over 200kg

Cheers

Geoff

geoffs said:

DeepV rims 32h with 14/15/14 spokes and Ultegra our Dura ace hubs should be bombproof.

We use DeepV's on both our 700c and 26" tandems and have had no problems. When touring our rolling weight is a bit over 200kg

Cheers

Geoff

interesting you and gags both should think that...I did too... but I thought about it, the more rigid rim puts a more stress through the spokes and nipples...the rim might cope but the spokes may not on rough ground...

take the Paris-Roubaix, and note that Boonen for example did forego his usual deep V rims for a low profile box section Ambrosio "classic" rim with 32 H & Sapim spokes for that very reason. Hoste, Cancellara and O'Grady used the same set up I believe, and that is pretty much what a large group of the teams went for..."( Ambrosio Nemesis rims, almost a standard among the teams - the same rims were spotted on Fabian Cancellara's machine at the hotel next door. Hoste's wheels were 32 spoke, three-crossed, hand laced wheels tied to black Campagnolo Record Hubs) ".

so you need a compromise of flexibility, strength, and build integrity to get the "bomb proof" wheel...

I still think the rider's approach to bumps and rough bits is vital... and that can help many a lighter wheel live longer.

My Vento's and FIR are low profile, and I also have a set of old Ambrosio ExceLights on Record hubs which are superb, but an 8 speed on the back limits them to my either the R3 trainer or the Hybrid "postie bike" for the odd jaunt to the shops...

hmmm maybe there is too much gear in my life...have to make life simple and give more stuff to Dom's "Team Cycling Fiji".

Gags said:

"Brendo" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

> I've had great success with Shimano 105 hubs, DT swiss 14 guage spokes
> and Mavic open pro rims and I'm heavy. If you're in a hurry, a friend
> who's around 110kg rides around on Easton 'Circuit 2' wheels and has
> put around 15,000 into them with no dramas. These are off the shelf,
> and RRP is somewhere around $900 from memory.

Quoted message said:

I had anticipated paying much less than $900, probably around half
that.

Quoted message said:

I'm not looking for top of the line lightweight racing wheels, but
honest low maintenance ones. I don't race (or at least haven't yet)
and just want to be able to ride 50-80km on a weekend and nothave to
worry about things breaking. I realise it is impossible for 'NOTHING'
to go wrong, but I'd like to lower the possibility as much as I can,
within the price.

Rims that are fairly deep are generally pretty strong.......for a strong
wheel that won't break the bank you might want to look at getting a set of
Velocity Rims (maybe the Deep V) with 32 holes and then get them laced up
with a decent set of 14g straight gauge spokes (can't go wrong with DT) to a
set of say Ultegra or Centaur hubs (depending on where your preferences
lay). The most important part is to get the wheels laced up by a reputable
wheelbuilder......I'm sure if you tell us where you are located that you
will be able to get a few recommendations.

Also might want to check these out if you are looking for pre-built wheels
for $450

http://www.bikepro.com.au/Product/1143721919531-0790/category/453/Vel...

Gags

*disclaimer* - I am not associated with bikepro in any way

Thanks Gags.

I saw those Velocity on the net today.

I'm in Rockingham, WA.

Another question, possible a stupid one - Do you buy the rim and hub
with the spoke holes already in them?

Brendo

In aus.bicycle on Tue, 17 Apr 2007 08:16:02 GMT

Wilfred said:

One advantage of a lot of spokes is that the loss of one has not made
the bike unrideable. ie the wheel didn't buckle enough to rub on
anything except a brakepad a bit.

I kept the same cheapo rim.

Well I've only done about 4500km on the bent, but the weight of the
bike, plus the weight of the commuting kit, plus the weight of the Zebee
(which is rather a lot more than either) haven't hurt the cheapo Alex
rims which are still going strong.

I don't ride it off kerbing, but I do ride it at speed on the rough as
guts bits of the Cooks River path, and on rough roads and over
potholes and such. No sign of broken spokes at all.

Zebee

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

Quoted message said:

Another question, possible a stupid one - Do you buy the rim and hub
with the spoke holes already in them?

Both the rim and hub will already come pre drilled.......you just have to
make sure that you get the same amount of holes in each of them so that they
can be laced up together. Any decent bike shop should be able to tell you
what length spokes you will need and there are also a few spoke length
calculators kicking around on the web that allow you to enter the model of
rim and hub that you are using and it will tell you what length spokes to
use......especially important on the back wheel as the spokes on the cluster
side need to be shorter in order to allow for the dish of the wheel to
result in the rim being central when fitted on the bike.

Gags

Gags said:

"Brendo" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Another question, possible a stupid one - Do you buy the rim and hub
with the spoke holes already in them?

Both the rim and hub will already come pre drilled.......you just have to
make sure that you get the same amount of holes in each of them so that they
can be laced up together. Any decent bike shop should be able to tell you
what length spokes you will need and there are also a few spoke length
calculators kicking around on the web that allow you to enter the model of
rim and hub that you are using and it will tell you what length spokes to
use......especially important on the back wheel as the spokes on the cluster
side need to be shorter in order to allow for the dish of the wheel to
result in the rim being central when fitted on the bike.

Gags

Okay then, another stupid question...

Does, say, a Shimano 105 hub, and a Velocity rim, come in a variety
of spoke variations?

Brendo

rooman said:

Quoted message said:

Geoffinteresting you and gags both should think that...I did too... but I

thought about it, the more rigid rim puts a more stress through the
spokes and nipples...the rim might cope but the spokes may not on rough
ground...

My Velocity Dyads are extremely riigid. The 32 spokes are lowly
stressed and thoroughly agricultural. I've had the rare broken spoke
over the years but its always hard to tell. The solid rim spreads the
stress across all the spokes?

quote='Brendo'On Apr 17 said:

"Brendo" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Another question, possible a stupid one - Do you buy the rim and hub
with the spoke holes already in them?

Both the rim and hub will already come pre drilled.......you just have to
make sure that you get the same amount of holes in each of them so that they
can be laced up together. Any decent bike shop should be able to tell you
what length spokes you will need and there are also a few spoke length
calculators kicking around on the web that allow you to enter the model of
rim and hub that you are using and it will tell you what length spokes to
use......especially important on the back wheel as the spokes on the cluster
side need to be shorter in order to allow for the dish of the wheel to
result in the rim being central when fitted on the bike.

Gags

Okay then, another stupid question...

Does, say, a Shimano 105 hub, and a Velocity rim, come in a variety
of spoke variations?

Brendo[/QUOTE]

This is not a stupid question. The answer is yes, so you'll have to specify the number of holes you want in the hub and rim. I have home made 32h wheels using CXP33 rims, Ultegra hubs and DT double butted spokes, laced two cross. I think the rear wheel will outlast me, but the front rim is almost worn through after about 15,000km of all weather road riding. I ranged 75-80kg for most of the time. You might want to go up to 36 spokes laced three cross for even more strength.

I think the total cost was near $600, but you could get cheaper rims and 105 hubs should cost a little less.

Good luck with it...

Ritch

ritcho said:

This is not a stupid question. The answer is yes, so you'll have to specify the number of holes you want in the hub and rim. I have home made 32h wheels using CXP33 rims, Ultegra hubs and DT double butted spokes, laced two cross. I think the rear wheel will outlast me, but the front rim is almost worn through after about 15,000km of all weather road riding. I ranged 75-80kg for most of the time. You might want to go up to 36 spokes laced three cross for even more strength.

I think the total cost was near $600, but you could get cheaper rims and 105 hubs should cost a little less.

Good luck with it...

Ritch

yep, you can source Velocity rims alone.

I got some of their DeepV Pro singles rims to be built up for track training and could specifiy my spoke hole wish which I mated to my own sourced High Flange hubs and flat spoke spec. These are great for smooth surfaces and offer good aerodynamics. All up with build cost from Adam at Hampton Cycles came out at around $600.

Also have some stock Velocity Fusion 32H road rims which are a semi V profile with radial spoking on the FH and Cross laced on the RH. These are a bit heavy ( and thus dont get used much except for back up of the back ups) but certainly havnt caused a concern except a few spokes did loosen a little.

Brendo said:

I'm investigating a custom frame for my larger self, and thought while
I'm at it, why not look at a wheelset that will be better suited to my
weighty backside.

I'm 6'4", weigh 112kg, and currently running on a set of ALX-280's.
The have a 20spoke front and 24 spoke back setup, and came with the
GTR Series 2 (2006) that I bought. I've only done around 800km on
them, and so far no trouble, but I'm thinking that they are probably a
bit lightweight for me. Rather than spend heaps of time fixing spokes
and truing wheels, why not get something STURDY.

Any suggestions? And can I just pick the parts (rim, spokes, hubs) and
get my LBS to build them? Note, I am not a weight weenie. Why bother
about 500grams when I can drop 40 times that from my guts!

Brendo

Dude,

I'm almost eactly the same height and weight as you, just an inch shorter and 2 kgs lighter.

My Scott road bike (I bought for X-Mass last lear) came with an ordinary set of R550s (shimano). I upgraded to Ultegra hubs and Open Pro rims (32 holes). So far, 4300 km later over some rough roads and a couple of slams into potholes etc. - not a mm out of true.

Can't go past them, and they should be almost in your price range (may need to go a bit higher - but worth it)

Scotty

Zebee Johnstone said:

Well I've only done about 4500km on the bent, but the weight of the
bike, plus the weight of the commuting kit, plus the weight of the Zebee
(which is rather a lot more than either) haven't hurt the cheapo Alex
rims which are still going strong.

ISTR (and could well be wrong) that your bike has 26" (or even 20"😉 wheels
though. MTB wheels are a bit wider and stronger than road wheels. That
said, most of the Alex rims I've seen opt for strength and weight, and
seem to last pretty well.

--
Dave Hughes | [email hidden]
If you're not part of the solution, you're part of
the precipitate - Steven Wright