Rims, Wheels, Repairs, What to Do?

[MacB]

Hit a pothole really hard on the night ride. Didn't see it and my whole lardy weight was in saddle and going about 18mph, nearly threw me off bike! Instant rear deflation and spoke gone, nursed it to Whitstable and popped in to bike shop. They couldn't re-true as rim was cracked/ruptured around a spoke hole. These are the standard Giant branded IOU 333 rims that came with bike, 28 spoke, I have had a lot of issues with spokes on the rear. So what to do?:-

leave as is - just true up as best I can and run wheel until unuseable

get a replacement rim

get new wheelset - don't know anything about wheels, my handbuilt ones on the other bikes are Mavic A719 touring rims but want lighter/more aero for this bike. Think it might be smart to aim for a 32hole rim, maybe something like the Mavic CXP33? Should I just go for a complete new wheelset? Factory or handbuilt? Should I be looking as cheap as poss or take this opportunity to upgrade the wheelset? I could re-use the existing wheels on another frame. I'm a bit lardy and will always have a tendency to mash it, so super lightweight stuff need not apply. Oh yeah would need to be Shimano/SRAM 9 speed compliant.

Bit rambling as usual, believe it or not I have cut a lot from my first draft, but would appreciate any help on this one.

 

[Young Un]

If you want a wheelset that will long outlife any other part of the bike, then go for Mavic Open Pros, handbuilt by a wheelbuilder who knows what he is doing.

If you want something more lightweight (not lightweight enough for you to be worrying about them - askiums are fairly standard for cyclo-cross bikes), more aero, then go for something like Mavic Askiums.

 

[MacB]

thanks, so Open pro, handbuilt, seem to fit the bill, now where to get them made?

 

[Young Un]

thanks, so Open pro, handbuilt, seem to fit the bill, now where to get them made?

Well I could recomend Echelon Cycles, Pershore, but I suspect that is too far away for you to get to. How about asking around in your club? Or within your local group of cycling mates and see if they can recomend you some wheelbuilders.

 

[MacB]

Well I could recomend Echelon Cycles, Pershore, but I suspect that is too far away for you to get to. How about asking around in your club? Or within your local group of cycling mates and see if they can recomend you some wheelbuilders.

kind of what I'm doing really, my cycling club/mates is Cyclechat, will also ask LBS when they're open on Monday.

 

[Globalti]

Ribble Cycles are selling Aksiums for around £115 a pair now, reduced from £190. They are pretty good wheels.

 

[PpPete]

Aksiums £130 at Ribble when I looked just now.

Al - you have PM

 

[MacB]

yep, looked at the Aksiums but 24/20 rear/front spoke counts leave me a little concerned

 

[potsy]

yep, looked at the Aksiums but 24/20 rear/front spoke counts leave me a little concerned

Hi MacB,does the spoke count concern you because of your weight?
Only ask 'cause I just got some new wheels on my Secteur and they too are low spoke count 16/20 I think. Should I be worried do you think? Not tried the bike since I got them Friday due to golf commitments/weather.

 

[Young Un]

Open Pros; As I keep being told by one of my mates, every pro when they head off to belgium will have a pair of Open Pros built onto some decent spokes as a great pair of training wheels, or even race wheels if there are heavy winds etc. If they weren't good, the up and coming pro's wouldn't be using them!

 

[Ian H]

You don't need a wheelset, yoou need a rear wheel. If you're heavy, then more spokes/ stronger rim is sensible for the back wheel. But why didn't you see the pothole? Do you need to invest in some better lighting?

I have (carelessly) hit some pretty big holes in my time - even enough to twist the bars down - but never bent a rim. That's at 74kg, 100psi and 25mm.

 

[MacB]

Looks like Open Pro handbuilt, by PorkyPete, is the way I'm going, will be a 36 spoke count and rear wheel only for now.

No idea how I didn't see the pothole, had both front lights on, and the Fenix L2D on full power, others riding with me can testify that I certainly wasn't lacking for light. I think I just wasn't paying attention, was riding with the front group for the first time that night. New bars meant I was paying more attention to ride position and feedback, so probably down to operator error. I also feel like I've been kicked by a mule, in the butt and lower back.

Weightwise I'm about 215lbs at moment so far from light and I do like to do longer distances on my weekend bike. I would worry about a lower spoke count wheel and the potential for getting a repair sorted out on the road. One or two spokes going on a 36 holer and I'll still be able to get where I need to, hopefully. One going on a 24 spoke wheel and I'm borked.

 

[Ian H]

I really like DT's triple butted spokes. They're 13 gauge at the hub end which means a properly snug fit, whereas 14g is a loose fit in modern hubs. They're called Alpine III I believe. Virtually indestructible and not noteably different in weight or look from double-butted.

 

[PpPete]

Not tried the Alpine triple butted. I like the idea but 75p each ?

I'm hard on wheels but I've yet to break a regular double-butted ACI Alpina - 19p each last time I bought any. That's a big £ difference over a pair of 36 spoke wheels.

 

[Ian H]

SJS show them at £3.99 for 6, which probably means you could find them cheaper elsewhere. If you need them they're not a huge cost, if you don't they're a waste of money.