Which rims would you choose?

[GrumpyGregry]

In my dining room shed is a Genesis Equilibrium 853 frame and fork fitted, at great expense in terms of ridicule by my lbs "overpriced rubbish, you're an idiot", with an Hope headset. On my desk at work is a Hope road bottom bracket. I've decided it will get a pair of Sunday best wheels to run occasionally in place of the wheels coming from the donor bike. I've decided to go for Hope hubs. The frame is dark grey with green and yellow highlights btw and will be running a SRAMpagnolo drivetrain with a black SRAM chainset and Veloce everything else.

I ride 28mm tyres (Gatorskin Hardshells but let's not go there), maybe 25's on a really nice summer Sunday morning, and am a robustly built gentleman who doesn't care a jot about how fast his bike accelerates and who places a premium on robustness over lightness whilst understanding the 'cheap light strong, pick any two' dynamic.

28 spokes up front, 32 rear is what I fancy, and the rims will be de-decaled by the wheel builder.

So lovely CC-ers my question is, if you were me what rims would you choose to complement this splendid frame?

 

[Rob3rt]

You missed out a very important piece of info... budget?

Velocity A23's or H+Son Archetype rims would make a good set of hand built wheels but they are not very exotic.

 

[VamP]

Gotta be Ambrosio, no? Excellence assuming you want clinchers. I'd run tubs, but then I'm a bit odd.

SRAMpagnolo made me laugh. I have DA chainset with Centaur and SRAM red brakes. Should that be ShAMpagnolo?

 

[ianrauk]

+1 for Velocity Rims..

And you do know that Hope rear hubs are obscenely loud right?

 

[Dusty Bin]

Any of the above, or Ambrosio Excellight SSC...

 

[GrumpyGregry]

You missed out a very important piece of info... budget?

Velocity A23's or H+Son Archetype rims would make a good set of hand built wheels but they are not very exotic.

Exotic is not a prerequisite. Budget is ample.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

+1 for Velocity Rims..

And you do know that Hope rear hubs are obscenely loud right?

I was counting on it.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

The donor bike has Ambrosio rims and hubs.

 

[jowwy]

+2 on the velocity a23's

 

[VamP]

Speaking of cheap light and strong - I've just ordered a set of Far Sports. 1070g, 38 mm rims on x- rays, 260 g hubs.

We'll see about the strong part but they certainly are cheap at £400 delivered. Of course they'd look ridiculous on your steel tourer; I'm just gonna throw them into the firing line of a winters crossing. If they still work by next spring I shall build them an altar .

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Speaking of cheap light and strong - I've just ordered a set of Far Sports. 1070g, 38 mm rims on x- rays, 260 g hubs.

We'll see about the strong part but they certainly are cheap at £400 delivered. Of course they'd look ridiculous on your steel tourer; I'm just gonna throw them into the firing line of a winters crossing. If they still work by next spring I shall build them an altar .

A steel tourer he says? Fnarr. It's as much of a tourer as my SS MTB is.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

So the list is currently
Velocity A23
Ambrosio Excellight SSC
H+Son Archetype

Gotta be Ambrosio, no? Excellence assuming you want clinchers. I'd run tubs, but then I'm a bit odd.

SRAMpagnolo made me laugh. I have DA chainset with Centaur and SRAM red brakes. Should that be ShAMpagnolo?

Shimpagram?

 

[VamP]

This is what they look like, be your own judge. If durability is concern, and of course it should be (except I'm in a hurry) just get the rims and have a local builder put them on hubs of your choice. That will cost more but should give you trouble free experience.

But looking at this I am still voting for Ambrosio Excellence (or Excellight if you're attached to 28H)

 

[Rob3rt]

That wheelsfar website has some nice light 20mm tubulars (920 grams a pair.....) if they are stiff enough and can take 6 weeks a year of race use they might be worth a punt for next years HC season (approx 300-400g saving)! Along with a super light cheapo carbon saddle which I will drill out (doesn't matter if it weakens it, because you don't sit down on the steep stuff anyway)

The website is really crappy though and by crappy I mean, it basically doesn't work, lol!

 

[VamP]

There's a huge thread on Weight Weenies discussing their merits.

Might be worth going through their rep directly rather than website, although the site worked alright for me.

By all accounts the rims are pretty good, although the 20 mm re more flexi than the 24 mm, and there's very little weight difference. The hubs they use are also good, and cx rays are of course superb.

Build quality can be variable, as can customer service.

I'll let you know how I get on with my 38mm set. If they are half decent I will probably get some 24mm for next year's HC season as well.

Their carbon saddles are at 100g before drilling, you could probably take another 20 g out of that.