Which Wheelset

[andy_wrx]

You'll need a chain-whip and a cassette tool to get the cassette off your old wheels and transfer it to the new one.

If you bought the wheels from a shop, I'd expect them to just do it for you if you asked nicely, because it only takes a minute or two and they are making the profit from the wheels.

If you buy mail order, you'll either need the tools and do it yourself (isn't difficult), or a shop would do it for you and charge a fiver or something.


This is of course assuming you don't take the opportunity to put on a new cassette and chain while you're at it.

In fact, what you could do is keep your old wheels, assuming they're still useable, get a new set as well, then use the old ones for commuting/wet weather/winter/etc and have a new 'bling' set for 'best'.

 

[Tetedelacourse]

Cheers Andy. I think I'll ask me LBS to do it for me> I do have a chain splitter but not a cassette doo-daa. They recently changed my cassette for me so maybe they'd do it for free.

My old wheels are probably still usable for a while, might give them to the wife!

 

[alecstilleyedye]

oh, i forgot to say to add rim tape

 

[domtyler]

You could just keep the wheels you have and treat the missus instead! []

 

[Tetedelacourse]

You could just keep the wheels you have and treat the missus instead! []

pffffffffffffff

 

[andy_wrx]

Weeeeellll, if your old ones are getting knackered, to the point where all the spokes start failing or even worse the rim splits, do you really want the wife on them ?

(your answer may depend on whether you lurve her or if you want the insurance, I suppose )

 

[Tetedelacourse]

och she has her uses I suppose so I'll maybe play it safe. The old ones are worn from braking but that's about it as far as I can see. I wouldn't know how to tell if the spokes are done or not. What are the signs? Or do they just snap?

 

[andy_wrx]

They start snapping. One goes, you replace it. Another goes, you replace that. Another promptly goes and you think b*gger it, the only fix it to replace the lot and that'll cost more than they're worth.

Basically they'll all be wearing similarly, or at any rate all the ones on the drive side of the back wheel will be wearing (being stressed) more than the others, then by one breaking and you riding home like that you'll have stressed the others a little bit more so they all start to fail one after another.

Fronts are generally OK, it's backs that go because they have to cope with being twisted as you put the power through them, more weight, and are dished to accommodate the cassette. Fronts have an easy life by contrast, which is how they can be built radial rather than crossed and the rims often wear out before the spokes do.

Fancy handbuilt wheels are a different matter, but the sort of factory-made wheels you get OEM on a bike aren't that wonderful, they're built right down to a price.

 

[beckc]

My local shop did me R550s for £99 less 10% regular customer discount. I weigh over 13st and compared to old 105 wheels I was impressed with their rigidity (in practice and competition). They did not appear to be any lighter (or heavier) than the old ones. I know it is beyond your stated budget but the Halo Mercurys look impressive - lighter than most things around, strong and at £260 almost too good to be true.