Quality wheelset at good price

ford2600

Looking for a little help with wheelsets.
Have a pair of Shimano R500 on bike, and the quality isn't great. Have about 3,000 km on them since April and have had to replace a few spokes front and back.

May spare back wheel an older r500 also, about 4 years old and they have been bullet proof.

For reasonable money could lads recommend a good value wheelset with prioity on reliability rather than weight or speed. Don't race, just look to do 7-8 long sportives a year with a little very light touring, with training spins etc.

Weigh 13st on New Years Eve so that would be max load!

CramCycle

Mavic Aksiums from CSS, special offer every couple of weeks for 169euro, no guarantees but great wheels for me.

That said I have r500s on my fixed and they have been perfect for 2 or 3 years despite being bet into Dublins **** back roads and we are approximately the same weight, are you truing them and replacing spokes yourself or are you going to an LBS?

ford2600

Thanks for reply.

If slightly out, true myself but if spoke snaps or badly off they go to LBS.

Don't mind spending up to 300 for better reliability

CramCycle wrote: »

Mavic Aksiums from CSS, special offer every couple of weeks for 169euro, no guarantees but great wheels for me.

That said I have r500s on my fixed and they have been perfect for 2 or 3 years despite being bet into Dublins **** back roads and we are approximately the same weight, are you truing them and replacing spokes yourself or are you going to an LBS?

macnab

Mavic Aksiums seem to be the favoured choice for cheap good value and dependable wheels, I have never used them though.

C3PO

While the Aksiums are a great wheel for training, I would suggest Hope Pro 3 Hubs laced to Mavic Open Pro rims as a worthwhile upgrade - a bit over budget though!

BeepBeep67

I've just ordered Fulcrum Racing 5's for €159 on bike24, they get good reviews as an all-rounder and have aero profile spokes.

Jawgap

Define a 'good price' - you can get Fulcrum 5s for around €200 delivered from Germany. Fulcrum 7s are about 150.

I've 5s on two bikes and I've found them to be excellent - robust and fast.

ford2600

200 for robust and face would fit my definition of "good price". Thank You

Jawgap wrote: »

Define a 'good price' - you can get Fulcrum 5s for around €200 delivered from Germany. Fulcrum 7s are about 150.

I've 5s on two bikes and I've found them to be excellent - robust and fast.

Seaswimmer

Mavic Open Pros, Ultegra Hubs, 36 DT Swiss spokes. Will last forever. Get them hand built. Plenty of people on here will recommend a good local wheelbuilder..

BeepBeep67

They've gone back up to €179 now, but delivery was only €7.50 when I ordered with a cassette. Keep an eye on the site.

mp31

Seaswimmer wrote: »

Mavic Open Pros, Ultegra Hubs, 36 DT Swiss spokes. Will last forever. Get them hand built. Plenty of people on here will recommend a good local wheelbuilder..

What do they weigh and how much do they cost?

Jawgap

Fulcrum 5s currently E159 on bike-discount.de

Fulcrum 7s are E129

letape

Jawgap wrote: »

Fulcrum 5s currently E159 on bike-discount.de

Fulcrum 7s are E129

I too would recommend wheels from the fulcrum range. Fulcrum 7s are a great wheel for the money!

Postit

letape wrote: »

Jawgap wrote: »

Fulcrum 5s currently E159 on bike-discount.de

Fulcrum 7s are E129

I too would recommend wheels from the fulcrum range. Fulcrum 7s are a great wheel for the money!

Are these the ones that make a loud ticking noise when freewheeling?

smacl

Postit wrote: »

Are these the ones that make a loud ticking noise when freewheeling?

Yep, though not that loud. I got a pair of 7s a few months back from Ribble and find them excellent.

Postit

Seaswimmer wrote: »

Mavic Open Pros, Ultegra Hubs, 36 DT Swiss spokes. Will last forever. Get them hand built. Plenty of people on here will recommend a good local wheelbuilder..

Would this be a better alternative to Fulcrum 7 or Mavic Askium?

letape

I have a number of wheels built with record hubs and open pro rims - while I like them (more for the retro feel and look of them) I don't see much advantage of them over pre built wheels like Fulcrums or various campagnolo models.

Personally for an eveyday/commuter bike I'd prefer to buy the Fulcrum 7s. They are cheaper to buy and pretty much bomb proof. They're also lighter and stiffer than the handbuilt wheels will work out.

The only benefit of the open pro/ultegra wheelset is that they are easy to true and replace spokes on when needed.

CramCycle

Postit wrote: »

Are these the ones that make a loud ticking noise when freewheeling?

That's what you want though, so everyone knows you've got a better or more expensive wheel, it was established that the louder the clicking, the more your wheel is worth as the noise is added to make sure people know you have the cash to splash.

colm_gti

CramCycle wrote: »

That's what you want though, so everyone knows you've got a better or more expensive wheel, it was established that the louder the clicking, the more your wheel is worth as the noise is added to make sure people know you have the cash to splash.

They also remind you to stop being lazy and pedal more!

Seaswimmer

letape wrote: »

The only benefit of the open pro/ultegra wheelset is that they are easy to true and replace spokes on when needed.

Ah but the Open Pros dont go out of true or break spokes. Thats my experience with them. I have 8000+ kms on my latest set and they are as true now as the day i got them..

xbox gamer

Rosebikes/Roseversand have the mentioned Open Pro, Ultegra, DT swiss wheels for sale here at €237. I believe they make them themselves. I don't have these or bought wheels from Rose but i thought i'd throw it in the mix.

Might look here for tips to reduce the price a little.

AaronB

I bought a pair of the Fulcrum racing 5 two days ago off bike-discount for 133 since i have a vat no.
Cant wait for them to arrive, but i can not use them until my new cassette arrives. I got a 12-28 to help with the amount of hills i have around here.

Postit

The Fulcrum 5 wheelset on bike-discount is a great price but that loud ticking noise irratates me and I'd rather have silence when freewheeling.

Does anyone have the 2012 Fulcrum 5's? I was told they're quiet/normal. Is that true?

route66

xbox gamer wrote: »

Rosebikes/Roseversand have the mentioned Open Pro, Ultegra, DT swiss wheels for sale here at €237. I believe they make them themselves. I don't have these or bought wheels from Rose but i thought i'd throw it in the mix.

Might look here for tips to reduce the price a little.

Broken link for the wheels - try this: www.roseversand.com/article/road-bike-wheel-set-28700-c-mavic-open-pro--shimano-ultegra/aid:401781

I fitted my new Rose wheels (mentioned in "tips" thread above) last night; they are more basic than the ones mentioned here. I'm no expert, but they appear to be well made and very strong. Not lightweight, but I'm hoping they will last more than the 3-4K kms the original "Concept-SL" branded wheels on my Focus did. And at €137 (link), I can't complain.

But should I have got the Fulcrum 7s as discussed in this thread: link About the same price from Merlin with shipping included ...

jtwoods

Seaswimmer wrote: »

Mavic Open Pros, Ultegra Hubs, 36 DT Swiss spokes. Will last forever. Get them hand built. Plenty of people on here will recommend a good local wheelbuilder..

I have two sets of these (32S) and they are just brilliant - basically bombproof and still pretty light and very quick. I bought them as winter training wheels and now use them for everything. If you are in to deep-section-bling-bling wheels these may not suit you, but they definitely wont let you down.
I got mine built by Parker International but good bike shops should have someone able to build them for you. Try and get a good recommendation though as there is a big difference between well built wheels and badly built ones.

Yi Harr

Not sure if this is against forum rules but I have a set of Planet X Al30s for sale over here if you're interested.

mp31

jtwoods wrote: »

I have two sets of these (32S) and they are just brilliant - basically bombproof and still pretty light and very quick. I bought them as winter training wheels and now use them for everything. If you are in to deep-section-bling-bling wheels these may not suit you, but they definitely wont let you down.
I got mine built by Parker International but good bike shops should have someone able to build them for you. Try and get a good recommendation though as there is a big difference between well built wheels and badly built ones.

Don't suppose you could get the kitchen scales out and let us know what they weigh ...pls

Andalucia

AaronB,

Keep us updated on how you find the fulcrum 5's, thinking I'll chance a set myself, very reasonable price, don't think I can justify the mavic cosmics for around 200euro extra

Surinam

*Disclosure: I am a complete clueless newb*

Would the Fulcrum 5's be compatible with sram apex? One of the websites linked only mentions shimano and the other mentions sram so I'm a bit confused.

My bike came with a bog standard mavic cxp 22 wheelset and I think I'll have to replace them in time (awful reviews online and they seem relatively heavy).

cython

Surinam wrote: »

*Disclosure: I am a complete clueless newb*

Would the Fulcrum 5's be compatible with sram apex? One of the websites linked only mentions shimano and the other mentions sram so I'm a bit confused.

My bike came with a bog standard mavic cxp 22 wheelset and I think I'll have to replace them in time (awful reviews online and they seem relatively heavy).

SRAM and Shimano use the same shape free hub body, so a wheel made for a Shimano cassette should take a SRAM one, and vice versa. You really just want to be careful not to buy a set for campag if you want to use with existing shimano or SRAM kit.

letape

mp31 wrote: »

Don't suppose you could get the kitchen scales out and let us know what they weigh ...pls

As an indication of weight, I have a set of Open Pro CDs built on campagnolo record hubs (current 11 speed ones) with DT Swiss competition spokes and they weigh 1,744 grams (918 + 826) without quick releases. Record hubs weigh 228 and 114.

Surinam

cython wrote: »

SRAM and Shimano use the same shape free hub body, so a wheel made for a Shimano cassette should take a SRAM one, and vice versa. You really just want to be careful not to buy a set for campag if you want to use with existing shimano or SRAM kit.

Thanks!

Also, do all these wheelsets come with semi decent tyres or is it just the rims that are important? I ask because I was thinking of buying gatorskins or a pair of schwalbe ones.

Plastik

99.9999% of the time they don't come with any tyres/tubes.

AaronB

Andalucia wrote: »

AaronB,

Keep us updated on how you find the fulcrum 5's, thinking I'll chance a set myself, very reasonable price, don't think I can justify the mavic cosmics for around 200euro extra

Ya i got mine for 133 so you cant go wrong, but i im still abit too heavy for them i think. I emailed them to confirm but still no answer yet.

I live with some nice bumpy roads, so they'll defo get a good testing and i will let you know how it goes.

mp31

letape wrote: »

As an indication of weight, I have a set of Open Pro CDs built on campagnolo record hubs (current 11 speed ones) with DT Swiss competition spokes and they weigh 1,744 grams (918 + 826) without quick releases. Record hubs weigh 228 and 114.

Thanks for those figures letape.
1,744 grams is approx 50gm less than a pair of Mavic Aksiums - I guess you pay more but also get a much more robust product.

C3PO

Just picked up a new set of wheels from Expert Cycles in Rathfarnham. Hope Pro 3 Hubs, Sapim Spokes and Mavic Open Pro Rims. Should be a really reliable wheel with a nice bit of bling at a great price! And with the added advantage of being hand-built by the legend that is Robin Seymour .... 3 time Olympian and one of the best bike mechanics in the country!!

letape

Very nice wheels C3PO - always good to buy at home when we can too!

BeepBeep67

Postit wrote: »

The Fulcrum 5 wheelset on bike-discount is a great price but that loud ticking noise irratates me and I'd rather have silence when freewheeling.

Does anyone have the 2012 Fulcrum 5's? I was told they're quiet/normal. Is that true?

Got mine yesterday, put together this evening and just a spin up and down the road outside the house, they don't have the ticking noise that my 7's have. Taking them out for an hour in the morning.

royrogers

What about RS80's was thinking of upgrading to these, any opinions on these much appreciated.

Seweryn

royrogers wrote: »

What about RS80's was thinking of upgrading to these, any opinions on these much appreciated.

I was thinking about that set as well and would welcome any comments.