advice on a new wheel set

[lordjenks]

Ok,
On my allez double 2010 i have some alexrims s500s and i was really looking to uprage the wheels just to make it fly a little quicker, i have tried to find the wieghts but its been near impossible but i know that the r500s are just over 2kg for the two.
so i was looking, budget £250 max really, at some planet x alloys for £100 at 1600g or some fulcrum racing 5s at 1700 at £200.
question is... how much of a weight difference will 300-400g make? do you really think that spending that amount of money is worth it or would i be better spending it on something more worth while?
any ideas guys thanks
will

 

[lukesdad]

Hills is where it will make the difference.

 

[Tim Bennet.]

Well, it's the same old advice, but still valid and is worth repeating if only for those who haven't heard it!

For £250, you will have to go a long way to beat a pair of hand built wheels pairing something like an Mavic OpenPro rim and a groupset hub of your choice, together with some quality spokes and shod with Michelin ProRace tyres.

All this put together by someone who really knows how to build a wheel (such as Paul Hewitt) and you have light, strong, long lasting, reliable wheels that are hard to beat on any grounds by factory wheels costing significantly more.

Hand built wheels are the benchmark at this price point. Chose others only if their unique selling point (style) is more important.

 

[Dave Davenport]

Worth doing imo you should notice quite a difference with a wheelset three or four hundred grams lighter, mainly on the acceleration and when climbing.

 

[Meirion658]

Watching with anticipation as I am in the same boat. The three I am looking at are:
Easton EA50 SL
Fulcrum Racing 5
Mavic Ksyrium Equipe

Which ones ould you choose and why? or please feel free to recommend any other wheel set.

Thanks

 

[AlanW]

Well, it's the same old advice, but still valid and is worth repeating if only for those who haven't heard it!

For £250, you will have to go a long way to beat a pair of hand built wheels pairing something like an Mavic OpenPro rim and a groupset hub of your choice, together with some quality spokes and shod with Michelin ProRace tyres.

All this put together by someone who really knows how to build a wheel (such as Paul Hewitt) and you have light, strong, long lasting, reliable wheels that are hard to beat on any grounds by factory wheels costing significantly more.

Hand built wheels are the benchmark at this price point. Chose others only if their unique selling point (style) is more important.

Agreed.

Unless you are prepared to spend £500+ on a set then handbuilts are the way to go.

 

[accountantpete]

Just to put an alternative view - I have used hand built wheels in the past but now use factory and would never go back as the former are so much better IMHO.

I find that the rims are stronger and lighter and in the really key area of spoke tension the factory builts are spot on. Add to that aero spokes and top class hubs and you have a package that can't be beat £ for £.

On the downside they can be expensive if you have a prang.

A couple of other points - never take the quoted weights as being the actual weight and I'd be looking at paying slightly more for a pair - Ksyrium Elite/Campag Zonda or Fulcrum Racing 3's would be my options.

 

[LazyLoki]

I know it's not really what you asked as you mentioned £250 as your max but for £100 more you can get a set of Shimano RS80 wheels, which I reckon are the best all round wheelset available in this price range.

They have the exact same carbon laminate rims are the more expensive Dura Ace 7850CL wheels - only difference is they have Ultegra quality hubs rather than DA. Actual weight comes in at around 1575g a pair.

What people are saying about handbuilts is all well and good but at the end of the day, unless you have the kit and knowledge to build the wheels yourself, you're looking at paying at least £50 for someone to build them for you. With your budget that leaves £200 for rims and hubs and buying them separately is always going to be more expensive than as part of a built wheels set.

 

[PpPete]

you're looking at paying at least £50 for someone to build them for you.

.

Not necessarily. If you go with Open Pros, regular Shimano hubs, double-butted spokes, I'll make them up for £20.

But then - I don't have a reputation like Paul Hewitt....
although you could ask Pubrunner what he thinks of the ones I made for him.