Factory or Handbuilt

enoonan · 01-04-2011 07:14AM #1

Hello All
I recently asked for advice on a wheelset for around the €300 mark.
Well I have come down to two choices and I cannot decide. Could people give me their opinions.
Option 1: Mavic Ksyriun Equipe wheelset from www.jedi-sports.de for €315 + postage.
Option 2: Handbuilt wheelset: DT RR585 rims, Sapim Race spokes and Miche Primato hubs for €285 + postage from Dave Hunt in UK.
Handbuit or factory?

Thanks in advance

Eoin

07Lapierre · 01-04-2011 08:15AM

Which do you prefer?

enoonan · 01-04-2011 11:52AM

To be honest 07Lapierre I am torn between the two.
The Mavic's have a good reputation on the Irish roads and look impressive but I know from others in the club I am with that if a spoke breaks it could be a while before a new one can be gotten and the wheel fixed.
The handbuilt on the other hand may not look 'ultra cool' but they will be solid and very reliable and if a spoke were to break it can be easily sorted out.

Eoin

tfrancer · 01-04-2011 12:15PM

Depends on such issues as your weight, what you use the bike for etc. How many spokes would the handbuilt wheels have?

enoonan · 01-04-2011 12:21PM

tfrancer,
My weight is currently 95kg(15.5st) but that is work in progress.

The handbuilt wheels will have a 32 spoke count.

I will be using the wheels mostly for Charity cycles, sportives and the 'odd' A4 club race.

Eoin

tfrancer · 01-04-2011 12:30PM

I have both the Krysiums and a pair of 32-spoke handbuilt wheels. I am heavier than yourself and, for the present, I just use the handbuilt wheels. Either should be fine for you, with the Krysiums having the edge perhaps for racing.

Good luck with the weight loss!

smush76 · 01-04-2011 12:55PM

I have no experience of miche hubs and no doubt if recommended they might be a good choice. Although for around the same money you could get a set of hope factory wheels or indeed Dave Hunt can also build you a custom set with them. Ive used hope hubs for the best part of 8 years and they are top quality products . For my money and your intended purpose I would look at these....
http://davehinde.veriovps.co.uk/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=DH&Product_Code=roadhopeopenpro&Category_Code=HopeRoadWheels&Session_ID=740a520f55b84489f643aaeb57387323
more detailed specs here...
http://www.hopetech.com/page.aspx?itemid=SPG92&tab=description
you may be a ble to find them cheaper else where or see what DCR can build a set for.

TinyExplosions · 01-04-2011 01:06PM

I had Miche Track hubs on a pair of open pro's that were fine, never had a problem so I'd not worry about their cassette hubs

enoonan · 01-04-2011 02:14PM

Thanks tfrancer. With the little amount of racing I will be doing I reckon the handbuilt wheels might be the way to go.

Smush76, I had a look at those Hope Pro3 hubs before and they get great reviews. Thanks for the links though.

TinyExplosions, thanks for the vote on the Miche hubs. It was the one component I was a little worried about but I found a heap of reviews on the net about them

Thanks again guys.

Eoin

Moreofthatjazz · 01-04-2011 05:43PM

i had a similar dilemma to yourself there last year... in the end i built primato hubs 32 onto open pro rims... strong wheels, for sure... then last month i got a set of ksyrium equipes (funnily enough) and threw them on the bike, asides from the guilt of not riding wheels i have had a hand in i must say i prefer the equipes... they are roughly the same weight give or take 100g, they spin up to 40kph and hold at that better, though marginally so in normal circumstances, definitely so in a headwind, no contest...
now heres the rub... i dismantled the primato to grease and check the bearings and there had been some water ingress on the drive side seal which left a plated bushing clean of grease and this friction rubbed and lo and behold rusty brown goo... this could just be my hub... the bearings themselves are sealed so they have no real issue, but in a little less than a years work (about 2500k) the bearings are not as free as i would expect... no biggie as it is marginal and i will be keeping an eye on them as they are now on my light tourer, but mayhaps something worth bearing in mind...

enoonan · 01-04-2011 08:07PM

Thanks Moreofthatjazz. More food for thought. Also looking to see how much Hope Pro3 hubs might cost.

Eoin

levitronix · 01-04-2011 09:51PM

I have the dt 585 rims built into a wheelset they re very heavy wheels and you feel every bump in the road up through them but they are bomb proof, i also have ksyrium elites same rim and spoke as the equipe and they re buttery smooth compared to the DT 585 rims. For me the DT rims are my work horse wheels

Side Show Bob · 01-04-2011 10:10PM

There is a guy in Dublin 8 who will build you a set of wheels at a fraction of the price of UK prices, if you want to get in contact with him PM me and with his permission I will forward you his number,

I supplied the parts I had record hubs I bought the rest from CRC he did the build for €30 each.

Moreofthatjazz · 01-05-2011 02:39PM

Just an addendum to add to this post re. the Primato hubs... if you do end up getting them, change the skewers asap... i had noticed they pulled out of the dropouts on the race bike on the rear drive side twice when cornering up hill under fairly serious pressure... i'd replace them with a pair from a set of mavic wheels and never had an issue... i forgot about this until today when i had them back on the tourer was heading up the gap on a hard field test of the touring bike... was riding two abreast with the mrs. and went to accelerate to pull in front to let a car past, i was up on the hoods pulling hard and the skewer pulled out of the dropout... inevitably this ended in me cartwheeling over the bars to land hard and ignominiously in front of the better half, and consequently pancaked the rim... not well pleased at all... as i said if you do end up with the miche hubs, change the skewers...

gman2k · 01-05-2011 03:13PM

A good built up wheelset for not too much money
http://www.ukbikestore.co.uk/product/58/ambr_zenith_hub/ambrosio-zenith-road-hub.html
The Ambrosio Zenith hubs come well recommended by Harry Rowland
http://www.harryrowland.co.uk/7352.html
Laced up to a pair of Open Pro, with €60 for building with SS DB spokes, very good wheelset. Dare I say better than the Dave Hunt?

sy · 02-05-2011 12:09AM

enoonan wrote: »

....
Option 1: Mavic Ksyriun Equipe wheelset from www.jedi-sports.de for €315 + postage.

€271 on Merlin (with VIP discount) and free shipping

gman2k · 02-05-2011 09:12AM

Factory wheels are more 'sexy'. Apart from that, when you need a replacement part for your factory wheel, be prepared for;
A. Wait some time.
B. Very pricey parts.

blorg · 02-05-2011 10:49AM

Factory wheels are fine for an unloaded road bike and MAY well be lighter/stiffer/more aero than a handbuilt set for the same price.

FWIW I have had more issues with my handbuilts than my factory wheels. This is probably down to the use (touring) rather than anything else though.

I've actually had factory wheels repaired easier than another set of handbuilts incidentally (it was easier to get R-SYS spokes than a 28h DT RR1.1 rim.) I don't think it is a big factor if you are doing day cycles in Ireland, good factory wheels are very robust and probably nothing will go wrong with them in the first place that needs fixing.

Both can be good options.

Factory or Handbuilt

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