Budget wheel thoughts and weights again (I know it comes up a lot)...

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MrOz

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...but I am getting confused. On my posh (hoho) bike I have Fulcrum Racing Quattros, and the previous bike had Mavic Aksiums. I just got a bargainous Colnago woohoo which has its own-brand (rebadged FSA) Artemis wheels. The rep for all of these is "heavy and slow", but I can't say the engine is any different. It seems that none of these could be considered superior to the others. I'd like to get something better but on a limited budget.

According to the interweb these all come in c. 1800g for the pair, and I'm trying to work out how much I have to spend to get something superior and presumably lighter. Cosmic Elites and Campag Sciroccos look coooool but are 1770g; is 100g really worth spending a few hundred quid on?

How much lighter does one have to go to really feel the difference? Realistically can you do it for under £300?
 
Don't take this the wrong way but would it be easier to loose 100g from the rider for less cost
 
Good afternoon,

I have two bikes and three wheel sets and a few months ago I weighed them as they are or would be on the bike, with tyres, tubes and cassettes.

RS10 - 2.77kg - 10 speed/Rubino Pros
Exage/Mavic - 3.0 kg - 7 speed/tyres with a pretty blue band. :-)
DP12/Sora - 3.61 - 8 Speed/Continental Ultrasports

This seems to suggest that there is a pretty big difference between raw wheel weights and total wheel weight as we ride the bike.

I appreciate that cassettes are close to the axle and their weight is less important in acceleration calculations as their rotational distance/acceleration is trivial compared to tyre and rim.

But, turn the bike upside down and spin the wheels using your fingers close to the cassette/hub and you will find just how little force is needed to accelerate the wheel. :-)

Bye

Ian
 

DCLane

Found in the Yorkshire hills ...
100g lighter is irrelevant however stiffness and rim depth does make a difference.

If you're looking for decent budget wheels have a look at Superstar Components: https://www.superstarcomponents.com/en/shop/road/road-wheels/road-2024-hole-lightweight-wheels/
For £200-300 you'll get a decent set of wheels between 1450 and 1600g depending upon rim depth.

Beyond that for £300 you're looking second-hand. I'm shortly to advertise a 10 speed set of American Classic carbon 58mm wheels and I will probably only get £150 for them with tyres and cassette, although these are 1850g.

Keep looking and you never know what you'll find: my son's got a set of Mavic Ksyrium Exaliths that are 1250g which we picked up within your budget.
 
OP
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MrOz

MrOz

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Don't take this the wrong way but would it be easier to loose 100g from the rider for less cost

Lost 25000g in the last year actually :smile: but tbh it's not so much about sheer weight reduction as feeling my lovely new bike is shod with something a tad more worthy, if you see what I mean...
 

Will Spin

Über Member
Lighter wheels probably means lighter rims, which means thinner rims, so if your bike has rim brakes, be prepared for rim wear reaching the limit earlier. Also lighter wheels may mean fewer spokes so possibly less comfort and lower wheel strength. As far as wheel weight having any noticeable effect on acceleration is concerned this is a fallacy, try accelerating the wheel when the bike is in the stand and you will find it only takes one finger to spin the wheel up, then try accelerating the whole bike plus rider with one finger! The best bang for bucks in my view is in tyres, try some faster tyres before spending money on wheels.
 

vickster

Legendary Member
Lost 25000g in the last year actually :smile: but tbh it's not so much about sheer weight reduction as feeling my lovely new bike is shod with something a tad more worthy, if you see what I mean...
Just put the wheels from the posh bike on there assuming you can...you can't ride both at the same time...see if it feels better?
 

vickster

Legendary Member
That'd be 25Kg then
Which is nearly 4 stone so v good work :okay:
 

gbb

Legendary Member
Location
Peterborough
In the end it's relatively simple...consider it like this. You want new wheels...how much are you prepared to spend, THAT is the defining question, then find the lightest, stiffest, whatever, at that price point.
 
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