Lightest wheels for ur bucks



nurul

New Member
Jan 4, 2004
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Right now, what are the lightest wheels u have found in ur LBS for ur buck (NOT INCLUDING SKEWERS).For low profile wheels I reckon the new Mavic Elite 2009 at 1550g (real) are the ones to get at a bargain €430. In terms of mid to high profile wheels I reckon the HED JET 50mm which are unchanged since about 2007 at 1630g are hard to beat at @890. What have u found?? :cool:
 
nurul said:
Right now, what are the lightest wheels u have found in ur LBS for ur buck (NOT INCLUDING SKEWERS).For low profile wheels I reckon the new Mavic Elite 2009 at 1550g (real) are the ones to get at a bargain €430. In terms of mid to high profile wheels I reckon the HED JET 50mm which are unchanged since about 2007 at 1630g are hard to beat at @890. What have u found?? :cool:

DT hubs, Velocity Aerohead rims..1450 grams about the same $ as the Mavic POS. Velocity Fusion rims, about 1550 grams-same $.
 
nurul said:
Right now..... :cool:
Man, I think you belong on the Weight Weenie Forum.
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http://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=3

You've gotta get off this thing about wheel weight, coz it's BS. A few hundred grams (or even much more) is nothing across two ~63.3cm rims, two hubs, and a bunch of spokes.

I once went from a pair of Open Pros to a pair of DT RR1.2s, and the DTs felt as though "spun up quicker", possibly coz they're a bit stiffer, even though the DT rims are ~170g heavier each, ALL at the rim! Most light wheels cut weight from the hubs and spokes, so, even if 'spinning up' was true, less weight on hubs and spokes won't make any difference.

Do yourself a favour: get something a bit heavier, coz you'll save a heap of money, then laugh at your buddies when their uber-light and expensive bling wheels start popping spokes on your training ride.
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531Aussie said:
Man, I think you belong on the Weight Weenie Forum.
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http://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=3

You've gotta get off this thing about wheel weight, coz it's BS. A few hundred grams (or even much more) is nothing across two ~63.3cm rims, two hubs, and a bunch of spokes.

I once went from a pair of Open Pros to a pair of DT RR1.2s, and the DTs felt as though "spun up quicker", possibly coz they're a bit stiffer, even though the DT rims are ~170g heavier each, ALL at the rim! Most light wheels cut weight from the hubs and spokes, so, even if 'spinning up' was true, less weight on hubs and spokes won't make any difference.

Do yourself a favour: get something a bit heavier, coz you'll save a heap of money, then laugh at your buddies when their uber-light and expensive bling wheels start popping spokes on your training ride.
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Nothing wrong with Open Pro, 32 spokes and Dura-Ace hubs....

Rolls quick, light enough and bullet proof.
 
Peter@vecchios said:
DT hubs, Velocity Aerohead rims..1450 grams about the same $ as the Mavic POS. Velocity Fusion rims, about 1550 grams-same $.
I'm digging the Aerohead OC rims, 32 spoke (Sapim) laced to a PT SL Hub. Nice and stiff - way stiffer than the almost similarly weighing American Classic 420 and in "pimpin' red" too. What now beeyatches - Swampdawg in da howse! ;)

But, in all seriousness, when it comes to 95% of your riding, you don't need fancy schmancy uber light wheels. Reasonably light, well built and reliable wheels are where it's at - the kind that are fun to ride but will get you home every day. Besides, there's something cool about old school stainless spokes when they're clean 'n shiny.
 
531Aussie said:
Man, I think you belong on the Weight Weenie Forum.
thumb.gif


http://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=3

You've gotta get off this thing about wheel weight, coz it's BS. A few hundred grams (or even much more) is nothing across two ~63.3cm rims, two hubs, and a bunch of spokes.

I once went from a pair of Open Pros to a pair of DT RR1.2s, and the DTs felt as though "spun up quicker", possibly coz they're a bit stiffer, even though the DT rims are ~170g heavier each, ALL at the rim! Most light wheels cut weight from the hubs and spokes, so, even if 'spinning up' was true, less weight on hubs and spokes won't make any difference.

Do yourself a favour: get something a bit heavier, coz you'll save a heap of money, then laugh at your buddies when their uber-light and expensive bling wheels start popping spokes on your training ride.
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Agree wheel weight is way overrated. The energy required to spin-up road bike wheels is very small to begin with: any differences between the quality wheels we're talking about will be miniscule compared to the work needed to accelerate the bike and rider down the road.

Aerohead OC rims have a good rep with builders here too. A buddy who weighs ~95kg just had his rebuilt at 20K miles after front spokes started popping on him. The LBS shop that did the rebuild assured him that the rims were fine to reuse, as were his Ultegra hubs. A new set of spokes and a careful build was all he needed.
 
dhk2 said:
Aerohead OC rims have a good rep with builders here too. A buddy who weighs ~95kg just had his rebuilt at 20K miles after front spokes started popping on him. The LBS shop that did the rebuild assured him that the rims were fine to reuse, as were his Ultegra hubs. A new set of spokes and a careful build was all he needed.

While velocity make cheap and solid rims, and you can build them to be very strong, i reckon they are ugly to build with. Compared to a Mavic Open Pro or DT R1.1/R1.2; they are not all that true 'pre-build'. Seen more than a few Velocity's that have hops in them particularly at the join. These are difficult to remove completely and depend on severity with singles can make it difficult to remove a bump. For track wheels that means that you have to sacrifice PSI to accomodate the hop.

Also, they often have large amounts of the aluminum shavings from the drillings still inside the rim hollow.

Give me an Open Pro or R1.1/R1.2 in double eyelit please. Or any of the Edge Composite rims if you want to go deep.
 
parawolf said:
Nothing wrong with Open Pro, 32 spokes and Dura-Ace hubs....
.
ya know, that reminds me: I should give the old Open Pros another shot.

I decided about five or six years ago that they weren't stiff enough for a fat (87kg) masher like me :p -- and that I preferred the 'immovability' of 30mm-deep (alu) rims with about 50 spokes -- so I made the Open Pros 'fronts only', and sacrificed them on my basher bikes. Maybe I should give them another chance; at least it'll cut nearly half a kilo off one of my bikes, but they're probably even less aero than my 30mm-deep, 32-spoke wheels :)

It's funny how we 'strongly' make our mind up about something, then realize a few years later that we may've been dead wrong :p
 
parawolf said:
with singles can make it difficult to remove a bump. .
.
Hey, Aussie, they won't know what you're talking about :D

He means 'toooboolars' :)
 
dhk2 said:
The energy required to spin-up road bike wheels is very small to begin with: any differences between the quality wheels we're talking about will be miniscule compared to the work needed to accelerate the bike and rider down the road.
exactamundo! That's why it's bollocks :p
 
Of course, the math and science say that the difference in acceleration between a light set and a heavy set (heavier by 2 kg, with the weight difference at the rim) is pathetically small, but that science stuff just can't be right.
 
parawolf said:
While velocity make cheap and solid rims, and you can build them to be very strong, i reckon they are ugly to build with. Compared to a Mavic Open Pro or DT R1.1/R1.2; they are not all that true 'pre-build'. Seen more than a few Velocity's that have hops in them particularly at the join. These are difficult to remove completely and depend on severity with singles can make it difficult to remove a bump. For track wheels that means that you have to sacrifice PSI to accomodate the hop.

Also, they often have large amounts of the aluminum shavings from the drillings still inside the rim hollow.

Give me an Open Pro or R1.1/R1.2 in double eyelit please. Or any of the Edge Composite rims if you want to go deep.
parawolf, that's good input to consider when selecting rims. Haven't really inspected any bare rims closely as I've never build my own wheels, but trueness and lack of hop do seem to be important characteristics. The wheels I've had built years ago were just with the cheaper Mavic MA-40 and MA-3 rims. They worked fine, but with straight-14ga spokes suppose they would be described today boat anchors.

531, thanks for the "aussie-speak" lesson, had no idea what "singles" were. Actually, not sure about "bollocks" either....but I can guess at that one :)
 
What do you guys think of these wheels?

http://www.excelsports.com/new.asp?page=8&description=Air%2DLite+Tubular+Wheelset+Gold&vendorCode=EXCEL&major=1&minor=24

I don't know anything about tubulars, but I'm curious about them. I'm thinking of getting a set to see how they ride...but I am concerned that I will start hearing a popping sound on acount of my girth on these 1400g wheels (I'm at around 195lbs)

I use Williams system30 wheels right now. They're less than $500, are light (~1540) and seem very durable so far. I'm over the weight limit, but this hasn't been a problem in about 1000 miles...the bike sure seems peppy with new shoes.
 
benkoostra said:
What do you guys think of these wheels?

http://www.excelsports.com/new.asp?page=8&description=Air%2DLite+Tubular+Wheelset+Gold&vendorCode=EXCEL&major=1&minor=24

I don't know anything about tubulars, but I'm curious about them. I'm thinking of getting a set to see how they ride...but I am concerned that I will start hearing a popping sound on acount of my girth on these 1400g wheels (I'm at around 195lbs)

I use Williams system30 wheels right now. They're less than $500, are light (~1540) and seem very durable so far. I'm over the weight limit, but this hasn't been a problem in about 1000 miles...the bike sure seems peppy with new shoes.
They'd be fine... i'm 182lbs; and doing training/racing on lighter rims than those. Also my race Zipp 404's are tubular and have lower spoke count too. You should not have a problem with those wheels for every day use (assuming they are true, spoke tension is balance, blah blah).
 
benkoostra said:
What do you guys think of these wheels?

http://www.excelsports.com/new.asp?page=8&description=Air%2DLite+Tubular+Wheelset+Gold&vendorCode=EXCEL&major=1&minor=24

I don't know anything about tubulars, but I'm curious about them. I'm thinking of getting a set to see how they ride...but I am concerned that I will start hearing a popping sound on acount of my girth on these 1400g wheels (I'm at around 195lbs)

I use Williams system30 wheels right now. They're less than $500, are light (~1540) and seem very durable so far. I'm over the weight limit, but this hasn't been a problem in about 1000 miles...the bike sure seems peppy with new shoes.

I wouldn't recommend Revolution spokes in the rear AND aluminum nipples for anyone. 195 pounds and these wheels are not for you. 32h, Revs front, 14/15 rear, also 32h, brass nipps all around, laced 3 cross. About 1500 grams. Rememeber these rims weigh about 380 grams, VERY light. Don't make the '3 strikes and you are out' mistake. Light rims, thin spokes, too few spokes.
 
I agree. When I started I was 15 and 52kgs. Now I am max 70kgs and I can still ride what I want but I freak out when I see big dudes on light stuff. Am no engineer but I am sure more weight limits should be placed on mega light kit. 90g stem and 175g bars just don't go with big riders. Wheels included. at about 68-9kg I still ride aluminium deda zero100 bar/stem (250g/150g). I even have a 225g polished silver Centaur seatpost on the six13 in case stuff gets rough. In short if u are big, then think big!!
 
Back to the question of good weight/cost ratios. Take a look at the Reynolds Solitude. I believe they can be found for about $330US and claimed weight about 1590 gm (actually I see that for 2009 they're claiming ~1525) I have a set of Alta Race, which is the predecessor and which many say are essentially the same wheel. The above 1590 weight is actual for my Alta Races and what used to be claimed for the Solitudes. They've been very durable and roll nice for me. Sometimes you can also find NIS Alta Races (same as Alta Aero Comp, not the same as Alta Comp) for around $280 US.
 

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