Too heavy for carbon wheels?

Pinch Flat

I have an itch to scratch with a set of carbon wheels for my Storck Aerfast. Comes with stock DT Swiss Spline 32's and after 3 years I fancy an upgrade. I'm a non-racing leisure cyclist - taking on the malin-mizen in September.

Looking at Mavic Cosmic SL 40's - saying they're rated to 120kg for bike and rider. I'm just over 110kg and bike included would bring it in just under the 120kg.

Waste of time or just save my wedge and go for some decent alloys like a set of Mavic Ksyrium Elite - they seem to be well rated for heavier riders.

Eamonnator

My grandmother had the following saying:
Q. For why you scratch?
A. 'cause no one else knows where I itch.

Scratch that itch.

dahat

Rode a simialr set for 3 years between 95-106 kgs with no issues.

Aero is more important than weight but nothing is more important than looking good and a set of 40mm wheels look good.

(I admit this may be bollocks, but is exactly how i am justifying a similar purchasing decision)

paddydriver

OP.. I've come from Ksyrium Elite UST Disc to Cosmic Pro Carbon UST Disc and are very happy. If you are brave enough then think about going tubeless too but just choose your tyres carefully as fitting tubeless on the Cosmic Carbon can be a heartache.. think all the Mavic wheels have been refreshed recently so maybe fitting tubeless has improved; not sure as it may be an issue for certain tyre manufacturers. I'm circa 95kg and the ride quality is great on 28" GP5000 tubeless.

Tony04

Most carbon wheels should be designed for people even heavier than you so you should be grand
That being said most carbon wheels are designed with getting the lowest weight as possible in mind therefore that compromises strength ie less spokes etc. A custom build with a higher spoke count might be the way to go, cheap good quality rims can be sourced from china.

I presume you are looking for rim brakes?

secman

Just ordered a zipp 302 rim brake clinchers wheelset, hopefully land by Friday....

Pinch Flat

Aegir wrote: »

I presume you are looking for rim brakes?

Yes correct. Mavic I know had aluminium on previous versions of the cosmic buy they come with all carbon now.

Also considering Reynolds Ar41 and the new Zipp 303s seem to have weight limited of 120kg. Around the same price points.

dahat

If you do a site search then Unknown Solider has two sets of Cosmic Exlaith deep rim for sale and very lightly if unused I think.

If I wasn’t changing to disc I’d be all over a set of these.

secman

dahat wrote: »

If you do a site search then Unknown Solider has two sets of Cosmic Exlaith deep rim for sale and very lightly if unused I think.

If I wasn’t changing to disc I’d be all over a set of these.

Think those 2 sets he has have the alu braking strip which has been discontinued by Mavic ?

magicbastarder

Pinch Flat wrote: »

I'm just over 110kg and bike included would bring it in just under the 120kg.

you can be absolutely guaranteed that if they state 120, they've been tested as good to considerably higher.

Flaccus

Tony04 wrote: »

Most carbon wheels should be designed for people even heavier than you so you should be grand
That being said most carbon wheels are designed with getting the lowest weight as possible in mind therefore that compromises strength ie less spokes etc. A custom build with a higher spoke count might be the way to go, cheap good quality rims can be sourced from china.

I am over 100KG and bought a hand built pair Enve ses ar disc carbon rims with Chris King hubs. 49mm on front and 55mm rear. Only 24 spokes and nothing has gone wrong yet. They look and sound great and so I didn't care about weight limit or low spoke count. Having said that they are an all road wheel so a bit more robust than your average lightweight carbon rims.

Pinch Flat

Pinch Flat wrote: »

Yes correct. Mavic I know had aluminium on previous versions of the cosmic buy they come with all carbon now.

Also considering Reynolds Ar41 and the new Zipp 303s seem to have weight limited of 120kg. Around the same price points.

Shame, Just Riding Along now do a 28 spoke version of their Mahi Mahi wheels, but only in a disc brake version. The 24 spoke disc and rim brake versions only have a 95kg limit unfortunately.

The Reynolds Ar41 get a good write up in disc version, I presume the rim is equally as good.

Chips Lovell

I'm a big lad too, but even if I was tiny, I wouldn't ride carbon wheels outside of competition. You'll get no benefit from them and they'll just be more expensive to repair or replace if they break.

Tony04

Flaccus wrote: »

I am over 100KG and bought a hand built pair Enve ses ar disc carbon rims with Chris King hubs. 49mm on front and 55mm rear. Only 24 spokes and nothing has gone wrong yet. They look and sound great and so I didn't care about weight limit or low spoke count. Having said that they are an all road wheel so a bit more robust than your average lightweight carbon rims.

What spokes are you using? Its crazy the difference in fatigue life of some spokes.
Custom builds are always nicer imo and usually work out the same price, and you getting a nicer rim nicer hub and if its built well a stronger wheel. Also you not using propietary parts so its cheaper to replace spokes etc.
24 spokes is pretty much standard so it should be well able to withstand the loads of the heaviest riders.
That being said the heavier you are the more you are putting load on the spokes. so the more spokes you have the more they are taking the load and theyll take longer to snap

dahat

secman wrote: »

Think those 2 sets he has have the alu braking strip which has been discontinued by Mavic ?

Nope, they were Exalith braking surface.

Daroxtar

Chips Lovell wrote: »

I'm a big lad too, but even if I was tiny, I wouldn't ride carbon wheels outside of competition. You'll get no benefit from them and they'll just be more expensive to repair or replace if they break.

Nope. Can't agree with you on that.
I have Campag Boras on my good bike and the difference between them and any of the alu rim wheels I have used (shimano rs, Ultegra, mavic Aksium , Cismic Elite and Cosmic Carbone) is huge. They absorb a huge amount of road chatter and feel so much snappier when putting down power.
They also look damn sexy.
That's a load of benefits.
Maybe if I was on Shamal Mille or R-Sys SLRs the difference wouldn't be as noticeable but if I'm spending €1000- 1200 on alloy wheels I'm not really saving much money over carbon in the event of a crash

Eamonnator

My good bike came with Mavic R-sys SLRs. I also have Prime 48mm and Roval 60mm carbon wheels. The Mavics haven't been on the bike in about three years.
I feel better with the carbons. Performance, at my level, is an irrelevance.

Flaccus

Tony04 wrote: »

What spokes are you using? Its crazy the difference in fatigue life of some spokes.
Custom builds are always nicer imo and usually work out the same price, and you getting a nicer rim nicer hub and if its built well a stronger wheel. Also you not using propietary parts so its cheaper to replace spokes etc.
24 spokes is pretty much standard so it should be well able to withstand the loads of the heaviest riders.
That being said the heavier you are the more you are putting load on the spokes. so the more spokes you have the more they are taking the load and theyll take longer to snap

The lbs gets their Enves built up with hub of choice from Saddleback in UK. This guy on the link below does the builds (see 2:10) and he shows how he pretensions the spokes. After a chat with him, went with 4 5AR's, CK hubs and Sapim CX ray spokes. Internal nipples but after a few months both wheels are barely out of true. The builder aims for 0.25mm or less when building them so guess I have a good eye. Plus no sign of any issues on the spokes. Will likely need to adjust hub preload soon and do notice a slight metallic noise from front rim when weight on bars so getting it checked this week. Likely nothing wrong but not taking chances with an expensive wheel (which is one disadvantage).

https://youtu.be/Mty-qpYIoY8

The only minuses besides cost are these white marks which look like scratches but is the bonding agent showing through the carbon that other manufacturers fill in or paint. And tires are a major pain to get on and off. Likely easier when I go tubeless. Currently running 28c inner tubes.

In general the bike rolls smoother and just feels a bit faster now compared to the entry level dtswiss carbons or knot wheels I had before. And those wide 25mm internal rims mean my tires are fairly comfortable blowing out to 31mm.

Pinch Flat

Quick update. Settled for Hunt 36s in the end. Took the bike out for a quick spin this evening. What a transformation. Holding it at 35kph without too much drama. Back of the bike seems so much tighter and power transfer much better. Topped it off with a pair of GP5000s for good measure. All in all a happy camper.

magicbastarder

what was the waiting time for them like?

Pinch Flat

Quick update. Settled for Hunt 36s in the end. Took the bike out for a quick spin this evening. What a transformation. Holding it at 35kph without too much drama. Back of the bike seems so much tighter and power transfer much better. Topped it off with a pair of GP5000s for good measure. All in all a happy camper.

Pinch Flat

Pinch Flat wrote: »

Quick update. Settled for Hunt 36s in the end. Took the bike out for a quick spin this evening. What a transformation. Holding it at 35kph without too much drama. Back of the bike seems so much tighter and power transfer much better. Topped it off with a pair of GP5000s for good measure. All in all a happy camper.

Regardless of the wheels it sounds like the engine is in good order!!!!!

Pinch Flat

Deleted User wrote: »

Regardless of the wheels it sounds like the engine is in good order!!!!!

could do with a bit of a tune up. Spare tyre has to go....

We call them covid tyres here

Pinch Flat

magicbastarder wrote: »

what was the waiting time for them like?

Ordered them 17 May, they arrived by DHL yesterday so a little over two and a half weeks. Hunts website tells you when to expect them when you order, so week 2 in June was spot on. Hunt very good at keeping you updated on build, dispatch and delivery. No complaints.