Upgrading Cannondale Optimo wheels

[Twilkes]

Looking to see what is a worthwhile upgrade for the RD30 wheels on this bike. I'm 95kg so need something fairly sturdy but the lighter the better else there's not much point in moving away from the stock ones.

It comes with 36 spoke rear and 32 front, should I stick with that?

Disc brakes, if that makes a difference.

Is it ever cheap to build your own from scratch? Budget is £100 to maybe £200 at a push if it's worth it.

 

[Cycleops]

If you think the hubs might be heavy or not particularly wonderful but the rims are okay you could lace in some better hubs which would give you a budget upgrade and a bit of wheel building experience. Also means you can stick with the 32/36 configuration.

 

[Twilkes]

Yeah I did wonder about salvaging some bits, but I wouldn't really know what made a good hub/rim/spokes, I assumed they would all be equally good/bad on an OEM wheel. I've built a few wheels before so would be happy doing that.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Stop phaffing around and go for a ride. Your wheels are fine. And yes, disc brakes do make a difference, especially if your bike requires disc brakes.

 

[Twilkes]

Why is everyone else allowed to upgrade their wheels except me? Better wheels are one of the biggest improvements you can make on a bike, and I've got budget left over from buying second hand.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

You're not likely to get "upgraded" wheels for £200.

 

[derrick]

If you have the money buy them. Don't listen to ****** on here. Wheels are the best upgrade you can have. After a light frame. But you should be looking £500.00 minimum.

 

[Twilkes]

Ah that's where the 'worth it' comes in then. I'll see how it goes after switching the tyres, the bike only cost £450 so there's only so much wheel that I'd went to shell out for!

 

[derrick]

Ah that's where the 'worth it' comes in then. I'll see how it goes after switching the tyres, the bike only cost £450 so there's only so much wheel that I'd went to shell out for!

Then the answer is. Just ride it.

 

[Cycleops]

Or as Eddie Merkx famously said " Don't buy upgrades, ride up grades".

 

[Twilkes]

Evidently. Guess i read too many stories about people buying £100 wheelsets for their Tribans where it probably is worth it at that price point. More money to spend on flapjack though.

 

[derrick]

Or as Eddie Merkx famously said " Don't buy upgrades, ride up grades".

Yea he rode an old gas pipe bike.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

Yea he rode an old gas pipe bike.

Rather swiftly and successfully though - which goes to show that most of these pointless "upgrades" are completely wasted on most riders. You can spend a ton of cash on the lightest this and the most aero that - and an old-school rider on an old-school steel bike would still leave you for dead.

 

[EltonFrog]

This probably of no interest to anyone but it’s the internet so I’ll post anyway.

A few years ago my wife bought me some very nice upgraded wheels for my bike as a birthday present. Unsolicited, I didn’t ask for them, didn’t hint. She knows more about bikes than I do, did the research and bought me some RS 81s.

A lovely gift and smashing wheels.
I put them on the bike and they looked wicked, they seemed to roll smoothly.

I went for a ride and didn’t notice a bit of difference. Not a bit.

 

[Justinslow]

Stop phaffing around and go for a ride. Your wheels are fine. And yes, disc brakes do make a difference, especially if your bike requires disc brakes.

I see @Yellow Saddle is still peddling the same old bol##cks, he’s been doing it for years.

@Twilkes Buying new stuff is about how it makes you feel as much as how it makes the bike feel!
You can find good deals if you keep a look out so don’t need to spend the earth on a set of wheels. If you want some get em, it’s your money not anybody else’s.