Bombproof rims??

[Emp]

Hi,I wish to hear the reviews from you guys who had used very nice wheels.My wheels always need tuning of the spokes after about 400km ride. Is that normal? I mean I heard mavic rim is very tough.They don't need to tune that much right? Because after I send it to be tuned manually,when it came back,I found out the tension of the spokes on the rim is not uniform anymore which mean when the wheel is spinning the spokes looks moving abit in and out(the rims were alright). Will that cause them to reduce aero? Do you guys have the same prob and if not then what tough wheels are you guys using?

 

[Peter@vecchios]

Hi,I wish to hear the reviews from you guys who had used very nice wheels.My wheels always need tuning of the spokes after about 400km ride. Is that normal? I mean I heard mavic rim is very tough.They don't need to tune that much right? Because after I send it to be tuned manually,when it came back,I found out the tension of the spokes on the rim is not uniform anymore which mean when the wheel is spinning the spokes looks moving abit in and out(the rims were alright). Will that cause them to reduce aero? Do you guys have the same prob and if not then what tough wheels are you guys using?

Most of time wheels won't stay true is poor choice of components for the rider's needs or a poor build or both.

WAY to much emphasis placed on trying to save a 100 grams on a wheelset. wheels, like the bike, are there to 'get you there'. Proper choice of a suitable rim, reliable hub and adequate spokes, built well.

Tell us about you and your riding, the wheels you have and whether or not you are tough on things or ride in crappy, rough conditions. Also include your weight.

 

[531Aussie]

yeah, what he ^ said.

Also, as far as bomb-proof goes, probably the toughest rims are any ~30mm-deep ones with 28 or more spokes. Also, steel axles and hub bodies hold up a bit better and longer than aluminium

 

[Peter@vecchios]

yeah, what he ^ said.

Also, as far as bomb-proof goes, probably the toughest rims are any ~30mm-deep ones with 28 or more spokes. Also, steel axles and hub bodies hold up a bit better and longer than aluminium

32 or 36 would be my choice. We put only small people on 28h rear wheels. 4 spokes weigh 28 grams, 8 weigh 56.... 2 ounces but much stronger wheel.

A heavy rim like a Velocity Deep V or DT 1.2, 36 spokes and the wheelset 'may' be 200-300 grams heavier that a lighter set. .5 of a pound on a potentially .1 of a ton riding package(200 pounds). Small price to pay for not being stranded.

 

[allgoodppl]

Yes, parts selection is important. If spokes repeatedly keep becoming loose, perhaps the choice of spokes/nipples with rims is not the best. Good quality parts will have good tolerances and keep their fits. Lacing pattern is important depending on rider weight, riding conditions and style, etc.

Having said that, I ride only MAVIC wheels (Ksyrium SL) because I have had excellent performance and reliability with them racing criteriums, riding centuries, riding in the French Alps, and on plain old crappy roads. I know they can be pricey, but the wheels are what connect you to the road, and are IMHO quite important!

 

[531Aussie]

32 or 36 would be my choice......

Actually, I agree, but I just didn't wanna sound overly conservative!

I couldn't agree more about wheel weight (and component/bike weight, for that matter). The relatively recent fanaticism over wheel weight drive me nuts. People spending heaps more bucks just to cut wheel weight by 200 or 300g per pair is silly.

 

[Fujiman]

Yes, parts selection is important. If spokes repeatedly keep becoming loose, perhaps the choice of spokes/nipples with rims is not the best. Good quality parts will have good tolerances and keep their fits. Lacing pattern is important depending on rider weight, riding conditions and style, etc.

Having said that, I ride only MAVIC wheels (Ksyrium SL) because I have had excellent performance and reliability with them racing criteriums, riding centuries, riding in the French Alps, and on plain old crappy roads. I know they can be pricey, but the wheels are what connect you to the road, and are IMHO quite important!

I have put 1000 miles on a set of Mavic (Ksyrium SL) that I bought used with about 500 miles on them, so far they are still true(knocking on wood as I type ) and I ride on some very crapy roads at times and I weight in at 190 lbs. Not saying they are for everyone but so far mine seem to be holding up.

 

[Emp]

I am about 53kg and I am using the 30mm deep Xero XR-1 laminated carbon clincher. When I goes for long distance of course there's bumpy road and some lil potholes. The ride is smooth. It is not bothering me at all. Just that after the ride when I am washing my bike I always check the bike. After about 400km+ the rim start to sway abit when I spin it(not very much). The wheels weight about 1680grams. It got 16 front spokes and 20 rear spokes. The spoke is not loose alot but just that the rim is abit swaying left and right when spinning. Actually I am a guy who focus like to focus on balance. So I always look for my LBS guy to tune it for me. So is there any nice recommended brand of wheelsets which can minimize this problem??

 

[daveornee]

I am about 53kg and I am using the 30mm deep Xero XR-1 laminated carbon clincher. When I goes for long distance of course there's bumpy road and some lil potholes. The ride is smooth. It is not bothering me at all. Just that after the ride when I am washing my bike I always check the bike. After about 400km+ the rim start to sway abit when I spin it(not very much). The wheels weight about 1680grams. It got 16 front spokes and 20 rear spokes. The spoke is not loose alot but just that the rim is abit swaying left and right when spinning. Actually I am a guy who focus like to focus on balance. So I always look for my LBS guy to tune it for me. So is there any nice recommended brand of wheelsets which can minimize this problem??

What does your LBS say?
What is the amount of lateral and radial variance in 1/10's of a mm?
What is the amount of variance in spoke tension in kgf?
Is the lamination of carbon fiber stable?

What brands are available to you?
16 spokes front and 20 spokes rear is not many spokes even for a 53 kg rider.
Why not try a conventional 32 spoke wheel set built with Shimano, DT, or Campagnolo hubs, Velocity Fusion or DT R1.1 rims, and quality (Sapim, DT, etc) 14/15 DB spokes for right rear & 14/17DB spokes front and left rear?
Once the spokes have been bedded-in, the build should be stable until you wear out or damage the rims. Quality build will include bedding in the spokes such that riding won't change the true in a measurable amount. 0.5 mm variation from true is the industry standard. 10% variance in spoke tension is the industry standard. Many hand built wheels are twice as precise as those industry standards.

 

[Peter@vecchios]

I am about 53kg and I am using the 30mm deep Xero XR-1 laminated carbon clincher. When I goes for long distance of course there's bumpy road and some lil potholes. The ride is smooth. It is not bothering me at all. Just that after the ride when I am washing my bike I always check the bike. After about 400km+ the rim start to sway abit when I spin it(not very much). The wheels weight about 1680grams. It got 16 front spokes and 20 rear spokes. The spoke is not loose alot but just that the rim is abit swaying left and right when spinning. Actually I am a guy who focus like to focus on balance. So I always look for my LBS guy to tune it for me. So is there any nice recommended brand of wheelsets which can minimize this problem??

1680 and only 16/20 spokes means pretty heavy rims. These 'should' stay pretty true with a rider weight of only 53kg(about 117 pounds). Have your LBS true them and check tension.

IMO, the way to a reliable and not heavy wheelset is using good hubs, rims and sufficient spokes to support the rims choosen. Saving 100 grams using less spokes and then using a rim that is 200 grams heavier than another is only visually appealing. For you I would recommend finding a great local wheelbuilder and have them design a wheelset specifically for you and your needs.