wheels: cheap/strong/light - choose 2

[Alan O]

There isn't really much "technology" involved as far as the structure and material of an alloy is concerned. OK, you can no doubt use CAD software to design the minimum mass of metal required for a given load capacity, but the weight savings are going to be a couple of ounces, not pounds as in the case of going from steel to alloy.
The biggest weight saving in modern road bike wheels I suspect comes largely from the silly low number of spokes deployed, rather than the cross section design of the rim. That's all fine and dandy all the time you don't break one, but if I've got a 36-spoker & Mr Weight-Obsessive has got a 20-spoker and we both ping one on the same big pothole, guess which one of us is likely riding home and which one is likely going to be walking? The trouble with cutting the material to the bone is there's nothing left in reserve, and the slightest failure could render the wheel unrideable.

Fair point, though the rim profile of my current slim road wheels does seem to be significantly more advanced than the simple square profile rims of my youth.

But my general point is that, though I'm cynical of the blatant marketing-led approach from the cycling industry that leads to countless folk uselessly spending vast amounts of money on top-end gear that might make a marginal difference to riders at the peak of the sport but which is of absolutely no benefit whatsoever to your average rider, it's their money to do with as they like... and the development benefits do genuinely trickle down.

 

[vickster]

If these are really at £150 a pair then they're a fantastic bargain,

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwizr-eU1tTbAhUOa8AKHTttBsgQFggwMAA&url=https://www.cyclesurgery.com/p/roval-pave-sl-25-wheelset-R4114244.html&usg=AOvVaw1Evb5GC6itdYZJi9rF6Qds

I paid £300 for my pair about 5-6yrs ago and they were reduced in a sale.

View attachment 414385

Low spoke counts for the heavier rider/laden bike, don’t think they’d be as strong as a 32/36 handbuilt

 

[Globalti]

Superstar Components wheels - they regularly have a sale on.

Light, strong and relatively inexpensive.

Sorry to say this but my son, my cycling buddy and I all bought Superstar wheels, seduced by the reasonable price and the light weight and they turned out to have rims made of very soft alloy, which bent easily on British roads. After the third rebuild at £25 a go we gave up on them. One pair is now on Mrs Gti's bike, which seldom gets used and she is light and a timid rider so they're perfect for her.

 

[Milzy]

So you would choose expensive and really really fugly

It's not about looks, it's all about performance.

 

[vickster]

It's not about looks, it's all about performance.

For pros maybe

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

It's not about looks, it's all about performance.

So why do the vast majority of deep-section carbon wheels have the largest, most garish looking decals plastered all over them that will physically fit on the wheel surface? If it was about performance, they would have either only a discreet logo or none at all. Old-school alloy racing rims were also performance items, but weren't a mobile advertising poster. Maybe the typical sporting rider back then had more taste and let their riding ability do the talking, not the advertising.

 

[boydj]

Lots of info and choices at these sites.

https://dcrwheels.co.uk/

https://www.huntbikewheels.com/collections/road-wheels

 

[raleighnut]

Low spoke counts for the heavier rider/laden bike, don’t think they’d be as strong as a 32/36 handbuilt

Quoted max is 108Kg, they're actually marketed as a cyclocross wheel. Mine seem plenty strong with 16 stone of me on them on Leicester's crap roads but I've only put about 3,000 miles or so on em.

 

[Vantage]

The biggest weight saving in modern road bike wheels I suspect comes largely from the silly low number of spokes deployed, rather than the cross section design of the rim. That's all fine and dandy all the time you don't break one, but if I've got a 36-spoker & Mr Weight-Obsessive has got a 20-spoker and we both ping one on the same big pothole, guess which one of us is likely riding home and which one is likely going to be walking? The trouble with cutting the material to the bone is there's nothing left in reserve, and the slightest failure could render the wheel unrideable.

To quote a gentleman in another forum,
"Bikes these days have more gears than spokes".

Which is crazy.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

To quote a gentleman in another forum,
"Bikes these days have more gears than spokes".
Which is crazy.

Yes, it's a complete abandonment of any semblance of common sense. Crappy, marginal engineering has become the norm on modern road bikes, especially at the most weight-obsessed and expensive end of the market. They are just about strong enough, but only just, and only remain so as long as there is no integrity-affecting partial failure anywhere in a load-bearing part. Ping a spoke in a wheel whose loading is maxed out, or give a carbon fibre frame member a good hard bash on something solid and it's game over. I'm sticking to real steel frames and 36 spoke rims, even if they aren't quite as light as the fragile plastic stuff.

 

[derrick]

Hunt or Mavics, from experience these are the two main ones i would go for. there are more expensive wheels out there, but they will not make you any faster,
https://www.huntbikewheels.com/collections/road-wheels?_=pf&pf_t_braking_type=Rim Brake
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/mavic/wheel...&slid=&pgrid=20609644756&ptaid=kwd-3457806470

 

[Cuchilo]

We've all come across this one. Whenever someone talks about buying wheels, somewhere along the thread someone will say "cheap, strong, light - choose two".

Ok, I choose strong and light. Which wheels would you suggest?

Now someone will say "What's your budget?" and I will say "there isn't one". So which wheels are strong and light? I always thought strong wheels had to be heavy, regardless of price.

I'm enjoying my Boyd wheels Jonny Noble is around the Battersea area and can build them up for you to what ever spec you want .
http://www.noble-wheels.com/projects/davids-44mm-boyd-clinchers/
Personally i have the carbon 90 front 90 rear and a 60 front for windy days ( all tubular )

What bike are you planning these wheels for ?

 

[Globalti]

Yes, it's a complete abandonment of any semblance of common sense. Crappy, marginal engineering has become the norm on modern road bikes, especially at the most weight-obsessed and expensive end of the market. They are just about strong enough, but only just, and only remain so as long as there is no integrity-affecting partial failure anywhere in a load-bearing part. Ping a spoke in a wheel whose loading is maxed out, or give a carbon fibre frame member a good hard bash on something solid and it's game over. I'm sticking to real steel frames and 36 spoke rims, even if they aren't quite as light as the fragile plastic stuff.

That's a bit harsh. Some people enjoy pushing the limits of engineering by going as lightweight as possible. I use very light Veloflex tyres because the quality of the ride and the extraordinary grip are a fair trade-off for shorter life and fragility. I could fit some bombproof Conti-Schwalbe wire bead gallumphing commuter specials but I dont mind fixing the occasional puncture, it adds to the adventure and gives me a chance to stop and banter with my riding buddies.

 

[fatjel]

I use dura ace hubs / mavic open pro hand builts 32 spokes each

Strong , light and cheap