Help wheelset for 500 or less

Delboy007

Hi



I have 10 speed Specialized Fusee E5 wheelset on my bike, and I am sad to say it is time to get a set of wheels. Would anyone know of a set of wheel that would be at the same level as these, would not like to down grade. But the budget I would have is max 500. I am doing 500 to 800Km a month so would what ones that last too. (oh I am 81kg)

CrowdedHouse

Shur I think the Campag Zonda is the official wheelset of the Cyclingt forum

topcat77

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ie/en/shimano-ultegra-6800-road-wheelset/rp-prod109835

Tubeless ready if you decide to go in that direction

http://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/vision-trimax-30-shimano-11s-wheelset-red-white-519933/wg_id-511

I currently ride these and find them a fantastic wheelset

longshanks

I was asking about wheels around that price just last weekend and those vision wheels came highly recommended. Anyone else riding them?

Cee-Jay-Cee

You'll not go far wrong with Zondas but thoseVision wheels would be a good option too and they're slightly (20g) lighter too.

topcat77

And the Vision are tubeless ready and have a wider rim to suit the modern trend for 25mm tyres

Delboy007

Thanks for all the advice was looking at these also, how do u think the would compare to the ones mentioned above

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/campagnolo-zonda-clincher-wheelset/

fat bloke

Delboy007 wrote: »

Thanks for all the advice was looking at these also, how do u think the would compare to the ones mentioned above

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/campagnolo-zonda-clincher-wheelset/

rtmie

As said above Zonda appears to be default answer here. That was my upgrade. Shop around and you will find them for around 320 (4thebike.de is a good starting point).
Some reading material:

http://www.cyclist.co.uk/buying-guides/1178/buyers-guide-wheel-upgrades

crosstownk

Zondas. Yer only man.





Seriously.


And plenty of change left out the €500 for other goodies.

Delboy007

thanks for all the answers, one last silly question is I have Shimano groupset so would putting Campagnolo wheel on a bike that does not have a Campagnolo groupset on it make a diff, or is that just been a bike snob.

Also found these, would I be mad not to get them at that price?


http://www.probikeshop.com/en/ie/zipp-30-clincher-wheelset/94825.html

rtmie

Delboy007 wrote: »

thanks for all the answers, one last silly question is I have Shimano groupset so would putting Campagnolo wheel on a bike that does not have a Campagnolo groupset on it make a diff, or is that just been a bike snob.

Also found these, would I be mad not to get them at that price?


http://www.probikeshop.com/en/ie/zipp-30-clincher-wheelset/94825.html

No issue wrt wheel brand vs groupset brand, but you will need to but the wheels with the appropriate rear wheel fitting for the Shimano vs Campag freewheel, that will be an option when you buy. I have Campag Zonda with Shimano 105. BTW for those who don't like, for aesthetic reasons, using Campag wheels with Shimano group, then thats what Fulcrum wheels are for (also made by Campag and model for model equiv, although often a little more expensive), e.g Fulcrum Racing 3 == Campag Zonda.

fat bloke

Zipps for 500 quid. That's a while lotta label for the price. Go with them and bask in the cafe stop admiring glances

Delboy007

Hi thanks all for the help so I have it between the Campagnolo Zonda Wheelset Clincher or the Fulcrum Racing 3 Wheelset Clincher, I have found out both are made by Campagnolo. 20 between the cost of them that I can find. The below might help anyone that is looking for new wheel in this price range. (if anyone has fond these wheels for cheaper please let me know).



Description of Campagnolo Zonda Wheelset Clincher

Price 370 (with delivery) https://www.bike24.com/1.php?content=8;product=35268;menu=1000,4,123,30;mid[1]=1;mid[114]=1

Price 370 (with delivery) http://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/campagnolo-zonda-wheelset-black-shimano-82975 NOT IN STOCK

Price 407 (with delivery) http://www.wiggle.co.uk/campagnolo-zonda-clincher-wheelset/?referid=affwin&utm_source=affiliate-window&utm_medium=affiliates&utm_campaign=www.boards.ie&utm_term=78888&utm_content=0 NOT IN STOCK

Price 478 (with delivery) http://www.probikeshop.com/en/gb/campagnolo-zonda-clincher-wheelset-2017/125119.html



Review 4/5 http://www.bikeradar.com/road/gear/category/components/wheel-sets/product/review-campagnolo-zonda-14-48295/

Campagnolo s light and super-tight Zondas are great if you rate speed over comfort. Though not toeing the fatter is better line, the rim isn t super-thin so won t unduly pinch fatter tyres.

Highs: Stiff, fast, smoothly reliable

Lows: Might be too stiff for some

The front rim is slightly shallower than the rear, for more responsive, windproof steering. The Mega G3 lacing clumps the bladed spokes together in two driveside/single offside batches, and it s not just cosmetic the rear wheel is seriously stiff with great power transfer.

The Zondas put punch into acceleration and maintain momentum on steep climbs, though the ride is on the firm side. The bearings are smooth and the bombproof steel freehub is available in Campag and Shimano/SRAM formats.



Description of Fulcrum Racing 3 Wheelset Clincher - white/black

Price 390 (with delivery) https://www.bike24.com/1.php?content=8;product=3294;menu=1000,4,123,30;mid[1]=1;mid[114]=1;page=2

Price 397 (with delivery) http://www.wiggle.com/fulcrum-racing-3-clincher-wheelset/ NOT in STOCK

Price 411 (with delivery) http://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/fulcrum-racing-3-black-shimano-8-9-10-11-fach-70215

Price 436 (with delivery) http://www.probikeshop.com/en/gb/fulcrum-racing-3-wheelset-clincher/84835.html

Review 9/10 http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/reviews/wheels/fulcrum-racing-3-wheelset



A milled rim reduces weight and gives the wheel set a high-end finish. The set weigh in at 1,558 grams on our scales, pretty close to the official weight of 1550g.

At the rear of the Fulcrum Racing 3 s is a 2:1 spoke ratio, and an oversized hub flange to enhance stiffness on the drive side. It works, because they are stiffer than we expected for a light set of wheels.

The white hubs didn t stay white for very long, and were a nightmare to clean, something you might want to think about if you like keeping your bike box fresh. Talking of your bike, the white hubs won t suit every bike out there, so riders with a stealth black setup might want to look elsewhere.

The hubs are tough though, despite their delicate looks, and the aero inspired profile helps knock off a tiny amount of drag. It s only a small detail, but it shows how companies are looking at aerodynamics in very small ways now, something that will only become more commonplace as products and technology progresses.

Thanks to that low weight, the wheels picked up speed easily, and once rolling they handled lumps and bumps readily. There was little fuss involved when out on a ride, even the freewheel tick of the hub was subtle enough to suggest that these wheels are humble in their talents.

Climbing was a real treat thanks to the stiffness, and none of your effort feels wasted as you climb. They were a pleasure to ride, and other than our cleaning woes, there isn t anything significantly negative to say.



At 450, these wheels represent a significant investment. It s more than we d recommend paying for winter training wheels (and those white hubs wouldn t last long anyway), so the price sits them at the starting bracket for wheels that might offer a benefit to keen amateur cyclists, riding across various disciplines.


Verdict

For the price, there isn t much that stands out as being significantly better, and their performance will certainly make a notable difference to your ride

OleRodrigo

Fulcrum for Shimano, Campagnolo for Campagnolo.

Campagnolo started Fulcrum in 2004 so that users of Shimano products could have a good quality wheel to use, without ' polluting ' the brand ( according to Campagnolo )

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fulcrum_Wheels

Note: Not sure if Campagnolo posted that wiki entry or did not remove it, but it amounts to the same thing. Each wheel is made in the same factory in Romania. The only difference is style and labeling.

Fulcrum & Campagnolo wheels, same factory :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIGm7pKx3rs

Zondas are a good wheel but look completely wrong on a Shimano bike. Weird spoke pattern aside, they are the same wheel as a Fulcrum 3. Part of the reason , I'm guessing, that they are cheaper is that they have become almost like a meme with bloggers and forum posters all over the internet extolling their virtues (which don't hold up to scrutiny ) Lowering the price only feeds into this curious groupthink effect, as well as offering online retailers an opportunity to draw traffic to their site ( such as swimcyclerun offering them at less than 340). Perhaps there is an element of price fixing by the owners of both brands ? Why is anyone's guess, but both products are theoretically under the control of one company.

OP, Have you though about hand built wheels ? There are some wheel builders making their own hubs and rims ( same shells and bearings as some of the more expensive brands ) but for much cheaper, for example, dcr wheels.Well, technically they are having them built by the same factories that build more established brands and cutting out the middle man. You can replace the parts when they eventually wear and can customize the build to match your bike and style of riding more effectively.

Truth is, when you spend over a certain amount, most wheels will be ' bomb proof '. - even Aksium's are bomb proof up to 30000 km. You can get unlucky with hand built when a wheel builder is rushing through a batch and doesn't tension the wheels correctly but normally they are just as good if not better than factory built. The rest comes down to taste, styling and individual needs ( which aren't the same thing as snobbery )

My pick for under 500 would be dcr rim and hub, 28h X 24h, 23 mm wide rim, hubs have skf bearings and extra sealing for wet weather environments, under 1500 grams, supporting up to 110 kg weight.

http://dcrwheels.co.uk/products/dcr-components/dcr-hubs/

You could even buy the parts yourself and bring to your local wheel builder. Stylish components, bang for buck and supporting the local economy. You wont get that with Zondas