Custom vs Factory Road Bike Wheels?

Fenton l

Hi! I am looking to upgrade my bike wheels. I have a Cube Litening Super Hpc Pro with standard DT Swiss 1.0 RA wheels. I was considering Mavic Ksyrium SLR and Fulcrum Racing Zero Limited Edition. I then came across a second hand pair of Mavic CXP33 wheels, 3x 32 spoke front and rear laced to Shimano Dura Ace 7900 hubs using Sapim CX ray aero spokes and DT swiss pro lock brass nipples. They were built by a reputable wheel builder and cost significantly less than the factory wheels. Does anyone know anything about custom built wheels with good components? Would they be a better wheel to the Mavic and Fulcrum?

micase

I looked at these wheels and in my opinion they are outstanding.Would have bought them myself but I had ordered the parts for a custom wheel build myself.
H Plus Son rims on Dura Ace 7900 hubs. They are a great set of all rounders you could use them for training,sportives and possibly racing.

Beasty

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glassdoc

Check this guy out http://www.wheelsmith.co.uk/ Got a set of Race 23's this year, amazing set of wheels compared to their factory competitors.

Seweryn

glassdoc wrote: »

Check this guy out http://www.wheelsmith.co.uk/ Got a set of Race 23's this year, amazing set of wheels compared to their factory competitors.

Hi,

Any more feedback on the Race23 set?
How did you find the hubs, are they likely to withstand everyday cycling in all conditions? And what wheels did you use before?

sbs2010

glassdoc wrote: »

Check this guy out http://www.wheelsmith.co.uk/ Got a set of Race 23's this year, amazing set of wheels compared to their factory competitors.

+1 on this guy.

Give him a buzz and tell him what you're looking for.

I got talking to him on the phone - told him what kind of bike I had, my weight, the type of cycling I'd be doing - all that kind off stuff and he built me a lovely pair of wheels.

Fenton l

Thanks for your response. Do you think that they would be as good as the mavic or fulcrums?

niceonetom

My take on factory vs custom is this:

Wheels are consumable. They wear out. They break. And if it's a factory wheel that usually means either getting a (usually hard to get and expensive if you can) part like a weird alu spoke or very expensive rim or binning the whole thing.

Handbuilt rims are a lot easier to repair and replace bits. Spokes are cheap because any spoke of the right length will do at a pinch and when the rim does finally show a bit too much wear you can get another and simply have it rebuild onto the hub.

I've just been riding a new pair of wheels (built by a boardsie) - kinlin XC-279 rims on Novatec hubs and, while it's early days yet, they feel as good as my old shimano RS80s. That is to say they feel excellent. The difference is that I can replace a cracked rim for €50 instead of €200 and press in new bearings when that needs doing. I'm will to accept a 50g weight penalty for that.

FWIW I'm a total convert to the wide profile rim. The ride quality on the same tyres at the same pressure is much improved. The Race23 looks like it might be a Pacenti or maybe Archtype rim? Very similar to the Kinlins I'm riding though probably a bit better made. I've also ridden Velocity A23 rims and they're really nice too though they have no aero to speak of and are slightly heavier.

sbs2010

I don't know much about how factory wheels are built but I'd guess that the best ones can only be as good as hand builds from a good builder (assuming the same parts). Though the higher up the price scale you go, I'd imagine the chances of getting a badly built factory wheel goes down dramatically.

Pros to handbuilts - you know it's been hand finished, tested, stressed etc. You can choose your components to a fair degree. You can choose your spoke lacing. You can ask the builders guidance on parts and lacing.

Pros to factory - like for like they a prob a bit cheaper. You can find reviews and weights online. You have a recognisable brand. Probably some parts are found on factory wheels that wouldn't be available to an independant builder.

Fenton l

I made a deal with the guy earlier and have purchased the wheels at a good price. Collection on friday!! :-) I guess I was a little nervous as I have never purchased a pair of custom built wheels, not to mind a second hand pair. He seems like a honest and straight up guy and I feel good about the purchase. He really knows his bike info. So mavic rims, dura ace hubs and sapim cx ray spokes, dt swiss brass nipples with dura ace skewers. Cant wait to collect them, get new tires and head out for a spin...

glassdoc

Seweryn wrote: »

Hi,

Any more feedback on the Race23 set?
How did you find the hubs, are they likely to withstand everyday cycling in all conditions? And what wheels did you use before?

Where do I start?? Got them the week before I did "Race the Ras" charity cycle, 1200kms around the country in May, they amazed the lads running carbon wheels there. My clubmates have Mavic sls & slr wheels, Fulcrum 1's....."The Race 23's are better"....their words, not mine!!
They are light, true, very strong...I have the pleasure of cycling the roads of Donegal:D and they have stood up to it all so far. The freewheel is amazing I would go so far as to say my av. speed is up by maybe 2kms/ph with these compared to the DT Swiss 1900's I had on the bike.
Derek at Wheelsmith is a pleasure to deal with, ring or email all your details and hey presto!!! I have no great experience of carbon wheels or high end aluminium clinchers and don't think I'll need to if these keep performing as they have.....well I don't want to take all the credit:P

Fenton l

Hi Glassdoc! Thanks for your reply. I phoned Derek from Wheelsmith yesterday to speak with him about the wheels. He seems like a really good guy. We spoke about the different wheel options and I got a really good feel for what he does. He could do the race 24 for £470 and did say that they are bomb proof wheels and cheap. I have saved him in my phone. He also spoke about the upgrade to the Chris King hubs which would bring the wheel price to £700 - £800. The main reason I went for the wheels on done deal was the price. They seemed to me like a wheel that would be almost as good as the 24's, but I purchased them for E370, which took the pressure off financially. Derek also spoke about the benefits of his wheels in relation to repairs and value for money. For what is is worth, my next wheel purchase will be from Derek in the future. Might even go for the the Chris King hubs. Thanks for that. I had heard about custom wheels, but now I know where to get them.

glassdoc

Thought about the Chris King hubs but way over my budget at the time......maybe next time:) My clubmates say their next set of wheels will come from wheelsmith too!! Sounds like you're getting a good set of wheels at a good price so best of luck with them, hope they make your Cube even more Lightening:D

Fenton l

Thanks Glassdoc :-) I hope they do, and am sure that they will. Will have to get out more regularly and get the fitness back up though. The best wheels in the world wont help a fella that is on a lazy buzz and out of shape... Later

micase

Best of luck with the new wheels.

Lumen

glassdoc wrote: »

The freewheel is amazing I would go so far as to say my av. speed is up by maybe 2kms/ph with these compared to the DT Swiss 1900's I had on the bike

This is not technically possible just from changing wheels.

ford2600

they amazed the lads running carbon wheels there. My clubmates have Mavic sls & slr wheels, Fulcrum 1's....."The Race 23's are better"....their words, not mine!!

How did they come to this conclusion?

I'm sure you have lovely wheels and best of luck with them but the above comment along with 2km/h increase don't stand up.
Couple of watts being kind I would think

diomed

A few weeks back I got these built by Harry Rowland. I'm a medium height and weight slow (non-) cyclist. I went for bomb-proof.

Hub: Royce Titan Front 36h
Hub: Royce Titan Rear Shimano 36h 130mm
Rims: Mavic Open Pro Silver
Spokes: Sapim Race Spokes
I put Continental GP4000S tyre on them.

My face --->

Harry said delivery would be expensive so I had him send them Royal Mail to deliverme.ie in Newry. They sent them to my door in Dublin for €22 (afaik €22 to anywhere in Ireland).

glassdoc

"my av. speed is up by MAYBE 2kms/ph"


I included "maybe" for a reason!! I wouldn't be an expert, but from the training figures I record, there's a definite improvement in av. speeds etc. since getting the new wheels. Also I started racing on these wheels and have just recieved my A3 licence in the post after 2 races I do know that I am stronger and fitter on the bike this year along with losing about 4kg in body weight;) so it could be over enthusiasm on my part.
I swopped the Race 23's with a few lads in the club on club spins, they could have been just making me feel good about the wheels and not for a minute am I knocking the named factory wheels but I love my new wheels :P

Seweryn

glassdoc wrote: »

I swopped the Race 23's with a few lads in the club on club spins, they could have been just making me feel good about the wheels and not for a minute am I knocking the named factory wheels but I love my new wheels :P

Maybe put it this way - how did the factory wheels feel after you put them on your bike? Do you think the Race23 are better from your point of view rather than your mates?

glassdoc

The factory wheels did feel heavier and just not as lively as the race 23's. I'll put it this way, if I was offered an €800 factory set as a straight swap for the Race 23's I wouldn't take them, just my opinion from my limited experience.