What would you buy?

[HammerHead]

I'm willing to spend around $1,200 on a new wheelset. I race crits only. There are so many different choices out there I think I've just confused myself , so I'd like to hear some of your thoughts.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

thanks.

 

[BikingBrian]

Wow, that's a nice little budget for wheels!! Well, I think there are 2 camps of thought you can go with on this: don't spend a whole lot on something that may very well get trashed....or, go all out! If it were me....I would get a handbuilt set of Zipp clincher rims (404s), built up with Dura Ace or Record hubs, 24 or 28, 2x in the front, and 3x in the rear (28 or 32).
Rationale: strong, durable wheels that can be rebuilt if necessary, with proven hubs, yet the wheels will be aero because of the rims. As for spoke choices, that would depend on: your weight, expected road surfaces, can you true your own wheels? For example, I am not good at truing wheels and don't have someone nearby I trust, so I would just stick with round spokes. Otherwise, aero spokes....however, a pain in the butt if they get out of true and start turning, effectively becoming paddles in the wind instead of aero. I had this happen with a rear Cosmic Carbon....admittedly after 3 years of hard racing, but still something to consider.

 

[capwater]

Rolf Vigors, about $800. Super fast wheel with 35mm deep aero V rim. Use the rest for tires and chesesteaks.

 

[bobbyOCR]

Pro-Lite Gavias. They are an incredibly stiff wheel. I was lucky enough to test ride a pair around a crit circuit and they are fast.

On the handbuilt suggestion. Also a great idea. Othe rims include Corima Aero clinchers, Gigantex rims and some others. White industry hubs are superb I hear.

 

[HammerHead]

Thanks for the input. The Rolfs look nice. Any idea about the lateral stiffness of those wheels? The Pro-lites also look really nice, both at a great price.

I've been thinking I want something aero and stiff. I'm a "sit in and wait for sprint rider", not so much of an "attack until I make everyone bleed then get away" rider. My sprint is way better (relatively) then my FT. Based on that, I've been assuming that stiffness would be important for a wheelset for me. I weigh 150lb, so i'm not a huge rider.

What I'm not sure about is what should be my priorities with picking a wheelset - stiffness, aero, weight. From what I've seen, I can't have all three for my budget. And unless I want to go tubular, which I don't want to do. So for crit riding for a sprinter, which of those three should I focus on for a wheelset?

Any experience with the Williams Cycling Wheels? They have a 50mm full carbon clincher, claimed weight of 1550, for under a thousand bucks.

 

[sideshow_bob]

What I'm not sure about is what should be my priorities with picking a wheelset - stiffness, aero, weight. From what I've seen, I can't have all three for my budget. And unless I want to go tubular, which I don't want to do. So for crit riding for a sprinter, which of those three should I focus on for a wheelset?

If you are racing only crits, as you've said, and also you sit in waiting for the sprint, the aero wheels are a general waste of time as you'll always be in a bunch/paceline. Weight is also going to be pretty much a non factor in terms of performance.

Stiffness on the other hand is fairly important and becomes more important the more technical the circuit becomes. You tend to drive out of a lot of corners etc, many times on the hammer, then there is the sprint finish. All of which a nice stiff set of wheels is going to provide you some benefit.

As someone else said repairability should be a factor. In crit racing it's a given that you will break spokes and occassionally worse. So right away I'd discount anything that uses exotic special order spokes that the LBS doesn't hold in stock (unless you want ot order some and keep on hand). At 150 though you're pretty light and I'd think a alot of decent wheels out there will qualify as adequately stiff (perhaps not the case if you were 200 say).

So I'd look at both custom and off the shelf. Probably a mid profile rim 25-30mm in aluminium. Whichever you choose, you'll get a lot of change from $1200. Personally I predominantly crit race in a set of Alex Crostini 1.1/1.2 rims which are a 28mm profile (from memory) the rear is OCR to give a bit of added stiffness, aerolite spokes laced 24/28 with Quando hubs. They are about 1500g, very stiff (for me at 73kg), and all the parts are replaceable should it be needed.

--brett