Budget wheelset advice please?

[henrypretz]

Hoping to get some more valuable input here from the Paceline crew. I'm shopping for an additional wheelset that will most likely see a good deal of usage, either on my Serotta CIII or a Look 566 that I recently picked up. While my first choice would be to have one of our Paceline wheel building gurus whip me up a custom built set, that just isn't in the cards for me right now. So, I have been perusing ebay and have seen some sets that fit into my current price range (<$300 ... please don't laugh)
There are a ton Mavic and Shimano sets, Aksiums, Ksyriums, Ultegras, RS61, etc ..... that fall into that price range. I also saw some Easton, Reynolds, and DT Swiss that do as well. For the record, I'm not crazy about proprietary spokes or lower spoke counts.
Another, perhaps more desireable (to me) possibility is a 32 spoke 5700 hubset laced to either an Open Pro, h+son Archetype or TB14, or Velocity A23. Velomine sells these.
My riding includes a good bit of climbing on weekly rides in the 50-60 mile range on some rather crappy pavement.
Anyway, as always your opinions are greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Henry

[kramnnim]

Another, perhaps more desireable (to me) possibility is a 32 spoke 5700 hubset laced to either an Open Pro, h+son Archetype or TB14, or Velocity A23.

If you're already leaning this way, why not go for it? :)

[jmpsmash]

Vuelta corsa lite. One of the best value out there.

[gemship]

Hoping to get some more valuable input here from the Paceline crew. I'm shopping for an additional wheelset that will most likely see a good deal of usage, either on my Serotta CIII or a Look 566 that I recently picked up. While my first choice would be to have one of our Paceline wheel building gurus whip me up a custom built set, that just isn't in the cards for me right now. So, I have been perusing ebay and have seen some sets that fit into my current price range (<$300 ... please don't laugh)
There are a ton Mavic and Shimano sets, Aksiums, Ksyriums, Ultegras, RS61, etc ..... that fall into that price range. I also saw some Easton, Reynolds, and DT Swiss that do as well. For the record, I'm not crazy about proprietary spokes or lower spoke counts.
Another, perhaps more desireable (to me) possibility is a 32 spoke 5700 hubset laced to either an Open Pro, h+son Archetype or TB14, or Velocity A23. Velomine sells these.
My riding includes a good bit of climbing on weekly rides in the 50-60 mile range on some rather crappy pavement.
Anyway, as always your opinions are greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Henry

I would recommend buying from Velomine. I purchased almost exactly what you mentioned from them and it was shipped quick by FedEx in a nice box. Open Pros laced 36 times with DT Swiss spokes to 105 hubs in really nice new shape. Although I would recommend that you take those wheels to your trusted LBS/whee guru for truing and spoke tensioning. My back wheel was slightly out of true as it came to me. However upon truing these wheels are really pretty sweet. Really for the money 219$ you can't go wrong. I probably should of got 32 spoke count ones since I am only 170 pounds but what I got was a great deal. I did have to by some rim strips and it was 30$ at my lbs to true them but still what a bargain for a real world everyday reliable wheelset. The 105 hubs in my opinion are like jewelry and they are silk silent particularly the rear freehub. Quieter than my dura ace 7850sl tube less wheels.

[jmoore]

If you're already leaning this way, why not go for it? :)

this

[biker72]

Another vote for Velomine. Good quality prebuilt wheels for a great price.

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . on my cross/rain/urban assault bike. They are called he EA50 now, though one set of mine are Veloflex Vistas and then Easton Vistas. I keep knobby cross tires on one set and street slicks on the other and both sets of wheels have been bulletproof in all conditions.

Check out Easton EA50 on eBay and see what you find. Hope this helps . . .

BBD

[AngryScientist]

i dont think i would be comfortable with buying a set of used mavic wheels off ebay, especially well used wheels. i've used ksyriums for many many miles with good results, but when buying used anonymously, you always run the risk of buying someone else's problem, especially with the relatively hard to acquire spare parts.

[Gummee]

Last pair of wheels I bought was a pair of D/A 8sp hubs laced to Open SUP Ceramics.

...for $140!

If you don't need it RIGHT NOW! you can find deals.

HTH

M

[Veloo]

If you are not in a hurry and don't mind shopping abroad, I've come across some great deals at chainreactioncycles.com. Campy Khasmin's for under $200 with free shipping caught my eye. These got rave reviews too.

Agree - Velomine service and pricing were great on my Athena gruppo.

I've tried to keep my purchases close to home (Canada) but too often a lack of knowledge, prompt service and effort just gets too frustrating to stay patriotic (with most shops).

[PanTerra]

One time when Ben Serotta came to our LBS I told him that my CSi was a little rough riding with its Ksyrium SL wheelset. He told me that even though pictures in the Serotta catalogue at the time showed his bikes with the Ks, if I wanted the true Serotta ride, I should mate my CSi with a set of 32 3x-spoked Mavic Open Pro rims. Once I did that I never went back. I sold the Ks and bought two sets of the OPEN pros for my CSi and Tommasini. :banana:

[KidWok]

These just came up and I put myself in line...
http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=137320

However, you probably need them more than I do. Would be willing to forfeit my claim to them (if I have any) if you want them.

Edit: Seller initially listed incorrect specs and I'm no longer interested in the wheels.

Tai

[CircuitHero]

I'm currently running 5700s to TB14s. Inexpensive and durable.

[DerekB]

Another vote for Vuelta Corsa Lite. I have had mine two years, as a second set, but with at least 1000 miles, no problems.

[mtechnica]

Campy/fulcrum wheels are super solid, almost everything mavic makes is good, shimano 32h hubs laced to whatever is always fine, neuvation wheels are durable and inexpensive too.

[kestrel]

I'm surprised nobody mentioned Neuvations. I've got a set and love them. I believe I got the most bang for the bucks spent.
They alleviate the need to sweat purchasing used wheels.

[BumbleBeeDave]

I have seen many comments to the effect that while the builder has great customer service, they have had theri spate of QC problems, especially certain years.

I would be leery of picking up any on eBay. You never know when you are getting pair that have had multiple spokes break and be replaced.

BBD

[josephr]

I think you might be impressed about how much a custom wheel actually costs compared to something pre-built from a factory.

I recently went down this road myself and Bicycle Wheel Warehouse's website quoted me about $450 for 105 hubs tied to DT Swiss RR415s. They were on the heavy side but still under 1900grams. I figured with that being so affordable, I called my LBS and they quoted me $550. I went with the LBS as they're going to end up servicing the wheels anway as I don't have the patience to keep them true and by the time I paid for shipping and a 500mile wheel tune-up, it was about the same anyway.

For the rims that you're listing above, it really sounds like you're in the ball-park for a solid custom built set. If you go the budget route, the Vuelta's are the way to go.
Joe

[kestrel]

I have seen many comments to the effect that while the builder has great customer service, they have had theri spate of QC problems, especially certain years.

I would be leery of picking up any on eBay. You never know when you are getting pair that have had multiple spokes break and be replaced.

BBD

BBD, I did read some unflattering reports on the wheels. The wheels were still cheap enough to entice me into a set. I chose to minimize the risk and purchase mine new from the company. While I only have 1000 miles on them and that is no way a proper test, I do weigh in at over 190lbs. on most days. (food is my first love, cycling second) I have trashed Mavics, Rolfs, Arayas and a couple of other wheelsets I can't remember. Oh, also tried a set of Winner hubs that fell apart almost as soon as they came out of the box.
I have a riding acquaintance that is in excess of 200 lbs. and has been riding Neuvations for well over a year now with no ill effects. He rides between 150 and 200 miles per week which is much more than me and still experienced no problems.

[mtechnica]

One of the fastest messengers I know rides on neuvations, threw them in a trying stand some 8 months later and they're dead straight. I've had mine for well over a year and the rear only needed trued once and even then it was barely off, I've used them on several bikes including my cross bike. You can't get new hand builts that perform as well for the same cost period.