Wheel recommendations

zorkmundsson

as i said on another thread, some douchebag did me the favour last night of lightening my bog-standard road bike by the weight of one front wheel. going to hit cycleways and hit it hard in the next few days- any recommendations? i'm going to go ahead and assume that there need be no compatability/identicality (?) between front and back wheels?
suppose i'll be looking at spending about €100 on it- for commuting and the odd long spin.
also, does anyone know if it's possible to get those little "speedo" magnets instead of buying a whole new kit? that would be nice.

Hungrycol

Mavic Open Pros with 36 DT spokes and a Tiagra/105 hub. I don't have them but they're supposed to be tough as nails and thats what I'd get next time. Mavic also do a commuter set of wheels called Mavic Speedcity which are supposed to be really good. More expennie though.

Raam

zorkmundsson wrote: »

also, does anyone know if it's possible to get those little "speedo" magnets instead of buying a whole new kit? that would be nice.

You can get replacements.

Membrane

While you're out shopping for a new wheel, get one of those non quick release yokes. QR is virtually pointless for non pro's, and asking for trouble on a bike that is left publicly.

zorkmundsson

http://www.cyclesuperstore.ie/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=89&idproduct=14865

so. what do we think? they sure look purty, and relatively affordable.

the quick release point is a fair one, but it's handy for moving the bike around in a car etc. will deffo give it some thought.

Wheelworx

Aksiums are a really bomb proof wheelset and they do look good too,
you can use allen key skewers instead of qr, almost as quick and allen key set is not too big to carry on the bike.
Rob

blorg

Open Pros are good, I have a 32-spoke rear that has held up very well. Had a 32-spoke CXP33 on the rear before which also held up well until someone drove into it.

QR is very useful, not just for pros. Besides the ease of moving around in a car it is sort of useful for fixing punctures! Carry a small lightweight lock instead and lock the front wheel. Doesn't have to be anything special; after all non-QR is only going to protect against someone lacking a spanner.

zorkmundsson

blorg wrote: »

Open Pros are good, I have a 32-spoke rear that has held up very well. Had a 32-spoke CXP33 on the rear before which also held up well until someone drove into it.

they look good, although you're forgetting the fact that i am a tight bastard.

QR is very useful, not just for pros. Besides the ease of moving around in a car it is sort of useful for fixing punctures! Carry a small lightweight lock instead and lock the front wheel. Doesn't have to be anything special; after all non-QR is only going to protect against someone lacking a spanner.

hadn't thought of that. don't like the idea of getting a puncture while tooling around the back of beyonds and being unable to pop the wheel off. sold!

Membrane

blorg wrote: »

QR is very useful, not just for pros. Besides the ease of moving around in a car it is sort of useful for fixing punctures!

Only if you need to change and carry a spare tyre or tube, which not many utilitarian cyclists do. Mending a puncture with a patch does not require the wheel to be removed, in fact it is more convinient to leave the wheel on the bike.

after all non-QR is only going to protect against someone lacking a spanner.

Wheels are almost always stolen by opportunists with no tools on them. Even those that go out to steal bikes are most unlikely to carry any tools other than a bolt cutter, hacksaw or a crowbar.

blorg

It is generally easier to change the tube; even if mending it is still a lot easier with the wheel off and the tube out (IMHO, I have enough experience with this- only have armadillos on one of my bikes.) I also take my front wheel off often enough (and sometimes back too) whether to put the bike in a boot or the train.

Agreed wheels are stolen by opportunists- hence my suggestion of a small lock. Allen key skewers could be a good alternative.

zorkmundsson

after muchos ringing around, turns out that cyclogical have the aksiums in stock, and will fit them for me. huzzah. will prob invest in a set of armadillo tyres aswell. and a new saddlebag. and a new pump.

joke's on the little douchebag, though. wheel he lifted was a piece of carp, and buckled after two weeks riding. enjoy, phukko.

doozerie

Membrane wrote: »

Only if you need to change and carry a spare tyre or tube, which not many utilitarian cyclists do. Mending a puncture with a patch does not require the wheel to be removed, in fact it is more convinient to leave the wheel on the bike.

I always remove my wheel when I have to repair a puncture, whether to swap the tube or to apply a patch. I find that it saves time and effort as it makes it easier to find the puncture, remove the bead of tightly fitting tyres, find a position for the wheel which makes pumping the tyre less awkward, etc.

Sometimes you can repair a puncture with the wheel still on the bike, but in my experience those occasions are in the minority. Add mudguards into the mix, as I have on my commute bike, and doing anything while the wheel is still on the bike becomes much harder still.

Membrane

doozerie wrote: »

I always remove my wheel when I have to repair a puncture, whether to swap the tube or to apply a patch. I find that it saves time and effort as it makes it easier to find the puncture, remove the bead of tightly fitting tyres, find a position for the wheel which makes pumping the tyre less awkward, etc.

Here's how I do it:

* Take the computers out of their handlebar cradles
* Turn the bike upside down on a soft underground
* Find the offending item by inspecting the outside of the running surface of the tyre (never failed to do so yet)
* Remove the bugger by pulling it out (helped by a push pin tack if needed)
* Use the levers to pop off one side of the tyre over a width of about 30cm
* Pull out the section of the tube
* Find the leak (easy because tyre and tube are still aligned)
* Rough it up a bit with sandpaper
* Put glue on (using the tyre as an umbrella if it rains)
* Wait a few minutes
* Put the patch on
* Re-inflate the tube to a level where it doesn't fold when stuffing it back into the tyre
* Stuff the tube back in
* Grab the tyre and wiggle it about whilst pumping it back up fully
* Turn bike upright again
* Click computers back into their cradles

Job done. No need to crouch or having to use a hand to hold stuff because the spot you are working on is at a comfortable working height with the wheel still on the bike.

doozerie

Membrane wrote:

* Turn the bike upside down on a soft underground

That's fine if you puncture near a grassy area, and have a bike that balances well upside down (depends on angle and shape of saddle, height of saddle, etc.) even as you swing out of one of the wheels. However, in any other situation you may end up with damage to your saddle, handlebar tape, and possibly the stem and brake hoods too. And if the bike falls over it can suffer further damage.

Being able to whip the wheel off in seconds is far better, in my opinion.