Upgrading wheels on Giant Rapid 2

wanderer 22

Hi all,

I'm thinking of upgrading the wheels on my Giant rapid (Currently Giant Sport Road, Double wall with Formula sealed hubs and steel spokes). These seem like a good deal, can anyone tell me firstly : Are they better wheels than the ones I have now? and secondly, would there be any noticeable difference with the new wheels?

Cheers

07Lapierre

colm18 wrote: »

Hi all,

I'm thinking of upgrading the wheels on my Giant rapid (Currently Giant Sport Road, Double wall with Formula sealed hubs and steel spokes). These seem like a good deal, can anyone tell me firstly : Are they better wheels than the ones I have now? and secondly, would there be any noticeable difference with the new wheels?

Cheers

Why? Whats wrong with the wheels on your Bike?

markcroninbsc

They look like a fairly good deal alright. I wouldnt think there would be a massively noticable ride difference really tho. Probably a slightly better quality wheel tho.
I think the most noticable difference between two sets of wheels (unless your talking completely different types of wheels, deep section or whatever) is the tyres. A good set of tyres will cost ya about 25-35 euro a piece and pumped upto the 100 110 psi will make a massive difference compared with the standard tyre a giant bike comes with.

Good deal tho. (you'd still need to buy a new block, tyres and tubes so thats another 100ish)

no skewers in the pictures and no description, i wouldnt think they'd sell them without would they? hardly. that'd be another 20 euro ish tho if they did.

wanderer 22

07Lapierre wrote: »

Why? Whats wrong with the wheels on your Bike?

I like shiny things

to be honest nothing wrong as such with the wheels, I've just seen a few reviews of the bike recommending a wheel upgrade to improve ride quality. I think I might just go for a new set of tyres instead as mark says, the kenda kriterium I have now seem pretty prone to flats.

Thanks for the replies

07Lapierre

colm18 wrote: »

I like shiny things

to be honest nothing wrong as such with the wheels, I've just seen a few reviews of the bike recommending a wheel upgrade to improve ride quality. I think I might just go for a new set of tyres instead as mark says, the kenda kriterium I have now seem pretty prone to flats.

Thanks for the replies

Me too! Get a pair of these Will they improve your cycling? Probably not, but they look cool!

markcroninbsc

colm18 wrote: »

I like shiny things

to be honest nothing wrong as such with the wheels, I've just seen a few reviews of the bike recommending a wheel upgrade to improve ride quality. I think I might just go for a new set of tyres instead as mark says, the kenda kriterium I have now seem pretty prone to flats.

Thanks for the replies

Hey i didnt mean just buy new tyres, i meant go for the new wheels, buy the best tyres you can get, and any money you've left over spend on extra yellow parts for your bike (all bikes should have something yellow on them)

wanderer 22

haha, thanks- I'll have the coolest Giant Rapid around!

wanderer 22

markcroninbsc wrote: »

Hey i didnt mean just buy new tyres, i meant go for the new wheels, buy the best tyres you can get, and any money you've left over spend on extra yellow parts for your bike (all bikes should have something yellow on them)

Ah i see. When you say I'd need to buy a new block what do you mean? Brake blocks?

markcroninbsc

colm18 wrote: »

haha, thanks- I'll have the coolest Giant Rapid around!

Ah we call it a block (us still livin in the 80's) i think they call it a cassette now. the gears on the back wheel. (sometimes if you've alot of miles done and you get a new block you need a new chain too). If your throwin away the old wheels you could just swap over the block, but id advise keepin the old wheels too, its always handy to have a spare wheel. nothin as bad as goin out to the shed on a cold sunday mornin and seein the wheel flat and havin to mend it before ya go out for a spin(you wouldnt have to with a spare wheel).

07Lapierre

markcroninbsc wrote: »

Good deal tho. (you'd still need to buy a new block, tyres and tubes so thats another 100ish)

no skewers in the pictures and no description, i wouldnt think they'd sell them without would they? hardly. that'd be another 20 euro ish tho if they did.

Nope...the cassette/block can be removed from the old wheels and fitted to the new one. Tyres and Tubes? again they can be swapped over. Doesn't mean you can't by new Tyres, but its not necessary.

wanderer 22

I like the sound of having a spare wheel I can quickly swap over...just picked up these tyres , will think about the wheels

http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/TYSCBL/schwalbe-blizzard-sport-tyre--non-folding

markcroninbsc

haha i see a bit of a patern here and i like your style... must be over 40% off the RRP or im not buyin.

colm18 wrote: »

http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/TYSCBL/schwalbe-blizzard-sport-tyre--non-folding

wanderer 22

yeah that's me:D
of course if a shop doubled a products price, then halved it the next day, I'd probably buy it...

markcroninbsc

i always get caught in dunnes and buy the biscuits that have two packets tied together with red tape.
They're usually not buy one get one free ya know. Usually its buy and get one half price. Thats only 25% off.
Still ya dont fee guilty eatin half a packet in one go (it was free)

ednwireland

colm18 wrote: »

Hi all,

can anyone tell me firstly : Are they better wheels than the ones I have now? and secondly, would there be any noticeable difference with the new wheels?

Cheers

a) probably not (assuming your wheels are true and not seized)

b) probably not

c) i bought mavic ksyrium sl's now theres a difference

markcroninbsc

ednwireland wrote: »

a) probably not (assuming your wheels are true and not seized)

b) probably not

c) i bought mavic ksyrium sl's now theres a difference

Ah you wouldnt put ksyrium sl's on a rapid 2 sher there about double the price of the bike itself. I always wanted a pair of them meself. i love that red spoke! even tho it wouldnt suit my bike... i wonder could you swap it out for a yellow one?

ednwireland

markcroninbsc wrote: »

Ah you wouldnt put ksyrium sl's on a rapid 2 sher there about double the price of the bike itself. I always wanted a pair of them meself. i love that red spoke! even tho it wouldnt suit my bike... i wonder could you swap it out for a yellow one?

markcroninbsc

ednwireland wrote: »

I like the pump! haha only jokin. very nice. doesnt answer the question tho. can you get them with a yellow spoke?

wersal gummage

colm18 wrote: »

the kenda kriterium I have now seem pretty prone to flats.

i had those awful yokes as well - i was getting one puncture a week on average (250kms a week ish). Changed them for the gatorskins and haven't had a puncture now in over a year but with less mileage - only maybe 100kms a week these days as i have another bike for the weekends.

kenmc

I'd probaby start with upgrading the handlebars to something like this:

before the wheels.

kenmc

I'd probaby start with upgrading the handlebars to something like this:

before the wheels.

ednwireland

markcroninbsc wrote: »

I like the pump! haha only jokin. very nice. doesnt answer the question tho. can you get them with a yellow spoke?

dont think so, the black ones have a different one though