Wheels for a meathead---advice

[ogopa]

I run 220# (100kg) and need advice on wheels. I ride about 100 miles a week on chip-sealed roads. I have ridden Aerospokes and liked them a great deal, but I prefer a 23c wide wheel to a 20. I do not care if the wheels weigh a ton, I just want them to stay true, and Ksyriums are a tad out of the price range. Anyone know of a reasonably priced bombproof tank wheel? Suggestions?

 

[byron27]

i have been about ~90-95kg and to be honest, i couldnt find any wheel that was bombproof once you get over a certain weight!. I found that rigida rims stood up quite well as did mavic cxp30s (not sure if they still make these). If possible, buy a couple of CXP30's, get some good hubs and find a good wheel builder in your area. He will take a look at you and know how strong he needs to make them. If weight isnt an issue, get 36 hole rims and big, fat guage spokes. see how you go then

 

[DesertRider]

Originally posted by byron27
i have been about ~90-95kg and to be honest, i couldnt find any wheel that was bombproof once you get over a certain weight!. I found that rigida rims stood up quite well as did mavic cxp30s (not sure if they still make these). If possible, buy a couple of CXP30's, get some good hubs and find a good wheel builder in your area. He will take a look at you and know how strong he needs to make them. If weight isnt an issue, get 36 hole rims and big, fat guage spokes. see how you go then

Yes! I built a pair of 24 spoke CXP30's onto D/A hubs using Wheelsmith bladed. Radial front. Radial non-drive/two cross drive rear. Have not had to touch them since building them(1998). Put several thousand mi on them till 2001. I was 240lbs when I started riding again last year. Still no problems and they weigh less than my old D/A 36 spoke MA40's.

 

[armchair_spacem]

Originally posted by Ogopa
I run 220# (100kg) and need advice on wheels. I ride about 100 miles a week on chip-sealed roads. I have ridden Aerospokes and liked them a great deal, but I prefer a 23c wide wheel to a 20. I do not care if the wheels weigh a ton, I just want them to stay true, and Ksyriums are a tad out of the price range. Anyone know of a reasonably priced bombproof tank wheel? Suggestions?

I posted this under another thread, with the magic of cut-and-paste here goes:
I'm just a tad OVER your weight class - I have 32 hole mavic CXP33s with straight 15g stainless spokes, laced to Campag chorus hubs and triple crossed. CXP33s in 32 or 36 hole are the rim of choice for (us) really fat dudes. My wheels are absolutely bombproof and still pretty slick. I'd love a set of super slick wheels like ksyriums or eurus, but I'd rather be sure of what's under me for the time being.

 

[daveornee]

Originally posted by Ogopa
I run 220# (100kg) and need advice on wheels. I ride about 100 miles a week on chip-sealed roads. I have ridden Aerospokes and liked them a great deal, but I prefer a 23c wide wheel to a 20. I do not care if the wheels weigh a ton, I just want them to stay true, and Ksyriums are a tad out of the price range. Anyone know of a reasonably priced bombproof tank wheel? Suggestions?

Mavic T520, T519, or their latest A719 shown at URL:
http://www.mavic.com/servlet/srt/mavic/asph-prod_fiche?product.id=64&lg=uk
These are very strong rims and meet your width criteria as well.
I would use DT or Sapim double butted spokes. I would go with 36 spokes built 3 cross.
Bontrager Fairlane with the OSB (Offset Spoke Bed) provides a strong and durable rim. They are not quite as wide and don't have the double eyelets that Mavic has.
Velocity Dyad is also a rim in this category. It does not use any eyelets.
I am currently using the Dyads on our touring tandem. They have over 8,000 miles without needing any truing. Our combined weight is about twice, when you factor in the additional mass of the tandem.
I have used the Bontrager Fairlanes on my touring bicycle for over 6,000 miles without needing to be trued.
The wheel builder you use will help you with a quality build and proper component selection.

 

[dhk]

Armchair: Just curious, but why 15ga spokes for a bombproof wheel? I've had my 32 spoke hubs rebuilt a couple of times, and went with straight 14 ga for strength which is what the two seperate wheelbuilders recommended. The rear MA-3 rim finally cracked on me last year, but have never broken a spoke.

Dan

 

[DesertRider]

With the materials and technology today, it just isn't necessary to have more than 28 spokes on the road, with 100% reliability, regardless of ones weight. But I'm sure there will be a dozen more posts calling for 32+.

 

[daveornee]

Originally posted by Ogopa
I run 220# (100kg) and need advice on wheels. I ride about 100 miles a week on chip-sealed roads. I have ridden Aerospokes and liked them a great deal, but I prefer a 23c wide wheel to a 20. I do not care if the wheels weigh a ton, I just want them to stay true, and Ksyriums are a tad out of the price range. Anyone know of a reasonably priced bombproof tank wheel? Suggestions?

Sheldon Brown just had another fine article published in Adventure Cyclist November/December 2003 edition; Mechanical Advantage - Hubs, Spokes, and Rims.
It covers some very good information and evokes thoughtful consideration. Tire width needs to to be part of the consideration of rim width selection.
He makes so many great points that I can't even begin to condense it here. I suggest you get the magazine and read the article before you decide on your wheels.

 

[jordon198]

Along the same line, I weigh 200 lbs now, hoping to get down to about 180 by the time I buy a new road bike. At what weight ( me the rider ) do you not really need to worry about special wheels that can handle extra weight?

 

[byron27]

Originally posted by jordon198
Along the same line, I weigh 200 lbs now, hoping to get down to about 180 by the time I buy a new road bike. At what weight ( me the rider ) do you not really need to worry about special wheels that can handle extra weight?

Well, i guess it depends on a couple of things. Are you quite overweight at the moment or are you naturally built quite big?. I am by no means overweight (at the moment) and am quite lanky (6'4") but i find bike equipment is generally made for the "average" size person. This covers most of their bases but unfortunately doesnt cover those of us a bit outside the norm. Due to this i find i break spokes and pull spokes out of rims based plainly on the flexing of the rear hub and cluster when i change gears and accelerate. If you are considered to be quite a strong rider, strong wheels (and frames) will probably always be an issue.

 

[armchair_spacem]

Originally posted by dhk
Armchair: Just curious, but why 15ga spokes for a bombproof wheel? I've had my 32 spoke hubs rebuilt a couple of times, and went with straight 14 ga for strength which is what the two seperate wheelbuilders recommended. The rear MA-3 rim finally cracked on me last year, but have never broken a spoke.

Dan

Hi Dan
The wheels were pre-loved and came that way. They were originally built by a local wheel-building savant for another fat customer like me - he bought himself a set of Ksyriums when he lost 50lb. I bought them less than a year old from him - I had them retensioned when I bought them, and they've run true for almost a year despite some punishment. Maybe I'll pass them to the next fat guy if and when the time comes...