Mavic Open Pro or hand built?

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

Quoted message said:

I'm a 215lbs ex-MTB rider getting into road riding. I have a Specialized
Allez Elite with the stock Alex ALX-295 23 rims with the stock 23 tires. I
can't find any spec info on these rims (what tube sizes can be used?),
but
I read that they suck. At my weight I think I should go up to 25 or 28 and
with a better rim. I am thinking Mavic Open Pro. Now, being that I cannot
find any Open Pro pre-built wheelsets (online or LBS) I'm wondering if I
should just get the Open Pro rims and have a local spoke them or .....
what?

Oh, and anyone know any wheel builders in the New Jersey area? Thanks.
---
Splat

I'm not a big fan of Open Pro for big riders. I've had much better luck
with Velocity Fusion, or to go light but tough and dependable, try Velocity
AeroHead (OC in the rear). Oh, by the way, I build wheels and am happy to
set you up with a great set of "Clydesdale" wheels that will keep you
rolling, fast, for the long haul. . .

Give me an e-mail shout if you want to discuss the options. . .

[email hidden]

John
BFWG
Hand-built wheels for
Bicycles and Wheelchairs

Splat said:

I'm a 215lbs ex-MTB rider getting into road riding. I have a Specialized
Allez Elite with the stock Alex ALX-295 23 rims with the stock 23 tires. I
can't find any spec info on these rims (what tube sizes can be used?), but
I read that they suck. At my weight I think I should go up to 25 or 28 and
with a better rim. I am thinking Mavic Open Pro. Now, being that I cannot
find any Open Pro pre-built wheelsets (online or LBS) I'm wondering if I
should just get the Open Pro rims and have a local spoke them or ..... what?

Oh, and anyone know any wheel builders in the New Jersey area? Thanks.
---
Splat

Got $278.85?

New Custom Ultegra Velocity Deep V 32H Wheels
delivered insured to your door. They will keep you riding and you will forget about anything Mavic.

cgi.ebay.comeBayISAPI.dllOpen ↗

Splat said:

I have a Specialized
Allez Elite with the stock Alex ALX-295 23 rims with the stock 23 tires. I
can't find any spec info on these rims (what tube sizes can be used?),
but I read that they suck. At my weight I think I should go up to 25 or 28
and with a better rim.

Go up to 28s if they fit.

The Alex rims are perfectly fine. Here's the deal, everybody moans about
Alex rims--but Alex rims are almost always machine built onto cheap hubs.
Last dedicated city bike I had had tens of thousands of miles on cheap
Alex rims. Yes I had to true the rims a couple times over that period
because of major urban abuse, but not more than a mm off over a couple
years. Reason they were so decent? I bought the bike at a great shop in
Chicago that stress relieved, tightened, and trued the machine built
wheels that came on the bike.

Might want to try that first. Pay fifty or so to have the stock wheels
tuned by a pro, and they should last a long time.

I am thinking Mavic Open Pro. Now, being that I

Quoted message said:

cannot find any Open Pro pre-built wheelsets (online or LBS) I'm wondering
if I should just get the Open Pro rims and have a local spoke them or
..... what?

Open Pros are great, you can get machine built wheels on line. with them,
but they're still gonna need to be finished by a pro.

I forget if those Alex's are low spoke count--that COULD make a
difference--but I've seen them specced on a $3000 Roubaix bike--so they
ain't "cheap" or overly fragile.

Splat said:

I'm a 215lbs ex-MTB rider getting into road riding. I have a Specialized
Allez Elite with the stock Alex ALX-295 23 rims with the stock 23 tires. I
can't find any spec info on these rims (what tube sizes can be used?), but
I read that they suck. At my weight I think I should go up to 25 or 28 and
with a better rim. I am thinking Mavic Open Pro. Now, being that I cannot
find any Open Pro pre-built wheelsets (online or LBS) I'm wondering if I
should just get the Open Pro rims and have a local spoke them or ..... what?

Oh, and anyone know any wheel builders in the New Jersey area? Thanks.
---
Splat

I don't know why you're having trouble locating them, Open Pro wheels
are among the most common pre-built (Nashbar/Performance/Supergo,
Colorado Cyclist, etc.).

I haven't had problems with the set I bought several years ago, and I'm
6'10"/235.

Factory-built wheels usually need to be stress-relieved and tensioned,
as they are often built a bit too loose. That only requires a spoke
wrench and a little time (maybe an hour for a pair). Jobst Brandt's book
"The Bicycle Wheel" describes this and much more -- around $25 at Amazon
and many bike shops.

Splat said:

I'm a 215lbs ex-MTB rider getting into road riding. I have a Specialized
Allez Elite with the stock Alex ALX-295 23 rims with the stock 23 tires. I
can't find any spec info on these rims (what tube sizes can be used?), but
I read that they suck. At my weight I think I should go up to 25 or 28 and
with a better rim. I am thinking Mavic Open Pro. Now, being that I cannot
find any Open Pro pre-built wheelsets (online or LBS) I'm wondering if I
should just get the Open Pro rims and have a local spoke them or ..... what?

Oh, and anyone know any wheel builders in the New Jersey area? Thanks.
---
Splat

Most mailorder, like Excel or Colorado Cyclist make wheels with OpenPro
rims. as do 'local' shops like mine, who will send them to ya BUT are
the wheels true?

If they are, just get a bigger tire. A 25c or even 28c is a great idea.
Mopre relaible, better [rotection for your rims, more comfy ride.

But yer LBS can't get an OpenPro rim? yeegads, the shape of bike shops
today. No rims, no wheelbuilders, sad...

http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile_combo.cfm?SKU=19253&estore_ID=&subcategory_ID=5321&CFID=52703046&CFTOKEN=76732712

$199.00 Search Google for a $20 off $150 coupon.

Quoted message said:

I'm a 215lbs ex-MTB rider getting into road riding. I have a Specialized
Allez Elite with the stock Alex ALX-295 23 rims with the stock 23 tires. I
can't find any spec info on these rims (what tube sizes can be used?), but
I read that they suck. At my weight I think I should go up to 25 or 28 and
with a better rim. I am thinking Mavic Open Pro. Now, being that I cannot
find any Open Pro pre-built wheelsets (online or LBS) I'm wondering if I
should just get the Open Pro rims and have a local spoke them or ..... what?

Oh, and anyone know any wheel builders in the New Jersey area? Thanks.
---
Splat

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

Quoted message said:

Oh, yes, Peter, "there is no bike shop like mine, no bike shop like mine
(refrain)".

And Campagnolo does no wrong (even if they admit it).

Robin Hubert

I believe that your message might have been a candidate for the write, hold
for 24 hours, reread, then decide to sent or not category.

I am sure that there is some history between you and Peter, and he has a
well known "hand built wheels & Campy components bias", but I think that he
has been a wonderful resource for this group over many years and I would be
extremely sad to see him leave.

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Frank Drackman said:

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

Quoted message said:

Oh, yes, Peter, "there is no bike shop like mine, no bike shop like mine
(refrain)".

And Campagnolo does no wrong (even if they admit it).

Robin Hubert

I believe that your message might have been a candidate for the write, hold
for 24 hours, reread, then decide to sent or not category.

I am sure that there is some history between you and Peter, and he has a
well known "hand built wheels & Campy components bias", but I think that he
has been a wonderful resource for this group over many years and I would be
extremely sad to see him leave.

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Fair enough, but the honesty and politics don't mix too well.
Did you read my "pompous ass" comment?

Robin Hubert

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

Quoted message said:

Frank Drackman said:

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

Quoted message said:

Oh, yes, Peter, "there is no bike shop like mine, no bike shop like mine
(refrain)".

And Campagnolo does no wrong (even if they admit it).

Robin Hubert

I believe that your message might have been a candidate for the write,
hold for 24 hours, reread, then decide to sent or not category.

I am sure that there is some history between you and Peter, and he has a
well known "hand built wheels & Campy components bias", but I think that
he has been a wonderful resource for this group over many years and I
would be extremely sad to see him leave. ----== Posted via
Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==----
http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+
Newsgroups
----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption
=----

Fair enough, but the honesty and politics don't mix too well.
Did you read my "pompous ass" comment?

I did not see the pompous ass comment

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The Quiet Man said:

http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile_combo.cfm?SKU=19253&estore_ID=&subcategory_ID=5321&CFID=52703046&CFTOKEN=76732712

$199.00 Search Google for a $20 off $150 coupon.

BUT make sure a good wheelbuilder trues, rounds, tensions, dishes and
stress relieves these..

maxo said:

Peter Cole said:

Quoted message said:

And a truing stand...

You definitely don't need a truing stand.

OK, you can true the wheel placed in a spare fork that's mounted upside
down in a hole on your work bench with a c-clamp and a playing card to
judge alignment. :P

Or flip the bike upside down, which is what I do for quick adjustments.

But if you're thinking of paying $300 for a new set of wheels...what's a
fifty dollar consumer grade truing stand in the grand scheme?

I just hang the bike from the saddle nose with a rope from the garage
ceiling, or, in nice weather, use the rack on the back of my van. I use
the brake pads to gauge trueness and eyeball the dish (I usually mount a
tire). I've done perhaps a dozen pairs of wheels this way over the past
few years. FWIW, I've never paid anything like $300 for a set of wheels.
My most expensive set was $215 shipped, which included Mavic Open Pro
rims, DT spokes, Ultegra hubs, 9-sp cassette, tubes and tires (Supergo).
Most of the other sets were $100 or less. I'm a frugal Yankee.

I'm sure a truing stand is nice, as is a tensiometer, work stand and
lots of other doo-dads -- they're just not necessary. Frugality in my
world is more about simplification than money.

Robin Hubert said:

Oh, yes, Peter, "there is no bike shop like mine, no bike shop like mine
(refrain)".

And Campagnolo does no wrong (even if they admit it).

Robin Hubert

That axe sharp enough yet?

App

App said:

Robin Hubert said:

Oh, yes, Peter, "there is no bike shop like mine, no bike shop like mine
(refrain)".

And Campagnolo does no wrong (even if they admit it).

Robin Hubert

That axe sharp enough yet?

App

Grind.

Robin

Robin Hubert wrote:
yer LBS can't get an OpenPro rim? yeegads, the shape of bike shops

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

today. No rims, no wheelbuilders, sad...

Oh, yes, Peter, "there is no bike shop like mine, no bike shop like mine
(refrain)".

And Campagnolo does no wrong (even if they admit it).

Robin Hubert

Yes, I did get your email, but something on the NG would be nice.

Take yer pack off.

Robin Hubert wrote:

Gee I got your email before I went to the NG...having a bad day(week,
month, year)?

I can't wait till I venture to the other topics. Ya know an apology,
then more pissing really doesn't make it 'ok'.