Which rims to use for an 80s wheel build?

[GuyGadois]

I am going to have a pair of wheels built for my awesome 'Rello Montello from 1985. Which rims would be the best pick? Need black, clinchers and bullet proof-ish. I am assuming some Open Pros but maybe there are ones more righteous I should use.

Cheers

GG

[choke]

MA40s would be more period correct if that matters.

[rccardr]

Yep. Or Wolber Alpines, 36 hole. Double eyeletted, bulletproof!

[Uncle Jam's Army]

Nisi rims

[mobilemail]

I have to build up some wheels for a 'dale I'm rehabbing, I'm leaning toward Sun CR-18s. Strong, cheap, not too heavy. I'm not too bent on keeping it period correct, as that would require me to track down 6-speed Dura Ace.

[sw3759]

a set of ambrosio exellence or excellights would look great on a bike from that era and are really nice durable and pretty light and build up very easy

[echelon_john]

'85 would be Mavic G40s, pre-MA40s, yes?

Modern option to consider would be H+Son TB14 in hard ano.

[Ken Robb]

I am going to have a pair of wheels built for my awesome 'Rello Montello from 1985. Which rims would be the best pick? Need black, clinchers and bullet proof-ish. I am assuming some Open Pros but maybe there are ones more righteous I should use.

Cheers

GG

What hubs/how many holes?

[merckx]

You can still find MA40's. They are a fine rim. I also will suggest the TB14. Knock yourself out.

[ERK55]

Another vote for TB14 hard ano.
Have a set of Record silver hubs that I'm considering sending to O.P for a similar project.

[Black Dog]

H plus son TB-14 Hard Anodized. Classic box section at 23mm wide and very well made. I have an 86 Montello and they look just right on that bike. Get a set of black campy record hubs and silver spokes or if you are running shimano the some nice silver 7700 dura ace or 6500 ultegra hubs.

[GuyGadois]

The hubs are 32 hole Campy Victory. It matches the group that came with the bike. The original rims were Mavic Monthléry (silver) tubies but years ago I swore off tubies and those toe clip pedals. Now I am looking to build back up some vintage wheels and spending a small fortune trying to get those dang pedals. The originals rims were silver but the bike is all black and white so I think black rims would luk purdy.

GG

[echelon_john]

TB14s come in polished silver also FWIW.

[GuyGadois]

H plus son TB-14 Hard Anodized. Classic box section at 23mm wide and very well made. I have an 86 Montello and they look just right on that bike. Get a set of black campy record hubs and silver spokes or if you are running shimano the some nice silver 7700 dura ace or 6500 ultegra hubs.

I have heard the knock on these are that they are fairly heavy and sort of 'dull' in handling. My memory may be slipping about this though. I guess I am not too concerned about weight since this is an SLX bike but I also don't want to build a tank.

[Black Dog]

I have heard the knock on these are that they are fairly heavy and sort of 'dull' in handling. My memory may be slipping about this though. I guess I am not too concerned about weight since this is an SLX bike but I also don't want to build a tank.

Not heavy enough to notice a difference. They ride and handle the same as my HED C2 wheels. A 100 grams per wheel set on a 20 plus pound bike and a rider is just noise.

[GuyGadois]

TB14s come in polished silver also FWIW.

hummm... I was thinking black rims but what does the esteemed community think?

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7490/16181391855_1794baf7b1_b.jpg

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7522/16179513221_8877bd37fc_b.jpg

[Black Dog]

Go for dark rims. Silver was not "in" in 1985. Anodized was where it was at.

[donevwil]

The polished TB14s definitely look more retro than the hard anodize, as do the regular ano for that matter. I have both and the gray of the hard ano is not like anything I remember from back in the day. Plus that sweet ride has plenty of chrome.

TB14s ride very well. It's currently my favorite rim, more comfortable for my aging body. They do have a very shallow center well which makes rim tape/strip choice important, definitely don't use Velox or a tight set of foldables will make you cry. I've been using tubeless tape.

[ultraman6970]

gp4s

[cmbicycles]

Definitely needs some Campy Victory tubular rims. ;)

[zmudshark]

Definitely needs some Campy Victory tubular rims. ;)Definitely needs either Mavic or Campy tubulars. None of the cool kids rode clinchers then, or now. ;)

[echelon_john]

Silver rims, and a silver seat post while you're at it!

BTW virtually no real world weight difference between TB14 and MA40. MA40s regularly came in at 475-500g. TB14 is spec'd 490; I've had them as light as 460.

[jmoore]

That bar tape is killing me.

[Fatty]

Open Pro in silver and a silver post, call it done.

[many_styles]

Can't go wrong with silver SL23s! Old school esthetic, modern tech.

[oldpotatoe]

Can't go wrong with silver SL23s! Old school esthetic, modern tech.

Or silver PL23..I think silver rims would look better..and find a Campagnolo silver seatpost..If you do a google search for 1985 Pinarello..about half have silver rims.

[Grant McLean]

In my experience, it was quite rare to find a new top end bike by 1982
that had silver rims. Go through some original catalogue scans, the trend is
obvious, the lower end models were silver rims, top of the line were hard
anodized.

Mavic dominated the market with GP4 and G40, and by 1985 silver rims had been
out of fashion for several years, and were generally associated with inferior low end
rims from Japan.

When i see mid 80s frames built up with modern silver rims, (usually accompanied
with all-black clincher tires too) I usually think, 'there's someone who wasn't
a cyclist in the 80s', or someone was too lazy to track down the right parts.

[Tandem Rider]

'85 '86 '87 era it was 36* G40 clinchers in the winter with "doubled" tires to prevent flats and 36* GP4 rims in the summer to train on, usually with patched race tires. Everything was hard anodized, silver rims were old, usually cracked or bent, and used for stretching tires. I still have a set of each built up hanging in the basement.

[oldpotatoe]

In my experience, it was quite rare to find a new top end bike by 1982
that had silver rims. Go through some original catalogue scans, the trend is
obvious, the lower end models were silver rims, top of the line were hard
anodized.

Mavic dominated the market with GP4 and G40, and by 1985 silver rims had been
out of fashion for several years, and were generally associated with inferior low end
rims from Japan.

When i see mid 80s frames built up with modern silver rims, (usually accompanied
with all-black clincher tires too) I usually think, 'there's someone who wasn't
a cyclist in the 80s', or someone was too lazy to track down the right parts.

1985 TdF..teeny point but not

[wallymann]

1985 TdF..teeny point but not

i think if you look closer, those rims are gray-anodized. not polished sliver.

another option for the OP to consider, if you wanted to go aero and french: wolber TX profils -- dark anodized, of course. i often run them on my retro bikes (http://majortaylorcycling.org/bikes/walter_ciocc_mockba-80.jpg).

i think those well-worn dark anodized tubies are perfect. the right amount of patina. wabi-sabi is a good thing -- perfection in imperfection!

fwiw...another shot of bernie in the '85 TdF. guys that would run silver rims back then would have been proto-retro-grouches like sean kelly!

http://web.archive.org/web/20150502174741/http://photos.grahamwatson.com/Print-Gallery/Luis-Herrera/i-TSXWX8x/0/M/Hinault-Herrera-Tour-de-France-M.jpg

[GuyGadois]

Thanks for the great responses. The pics I posted above show the bike a few years ago. The bike now has a nice shiny Centaur post on it. I do have a Pinarello panto seat post but it is far too short for my current legs.

The bike came with Mavic tubie rims in silver but I scanned my catalog from the year I bought the bike and it shows dark rims. There is no consistency in the bikes in the catalog as half have silver and half have grey or dark rims.

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7785/16723135613_f8b1a52034_b.jpg

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7752/17157153319_5cce777335_b.jpg

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8707/17343004541_7a4cc29a43_b.jpg

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7772/17343391055_00aca3a91b_b.jpg

[zmudshark]

$250 for these:
https://picasaweb.google.com/117289174440516737292/RecordMavicTubulars

[Grant McLean]

There is no consistency in the bikes in the catalog as half have silver and half have grey or dark rims.


The consistent part is that pro riders and the high end models are
hard anodized. It's consistent in almost every top rim and bike brand's catalog
and in the pro peloton in the 80s.

-g

http://velobase.com/CompImages/Rims/3A20BA12-5772-4D76-863C-D0E1A914D055.jpeg
http://www.yellowjersey.org/RIM06112.JPG

[saab2000]

Mavic GP-4s or GL-330 are the ultimate '80s rims IMHO. If you can get some of the higher end Campagnolo tubulars they're nice too.

My 1980s Grandis rolls on (when it rolls at all anymore....) Ambrosio Synthesis tubulars, which provide as nice a ride as any rim I've ridden.

Low profile, box section tubulars scream 1980s. It's how to channel your inner Greg Lemond or Bernard Hinault.

[GuyGadois]

$250 for these:
https://picasaweb.google.com/117289174440516737292/RecordMavicTubulars

Those look nice but I am really not wanting Tubulars. I love the ride of tubies and the cache but not the reality. Clinchers for this ride.

[canadasteep]

For 80s looks, box section.
Tb14s are a good idea if you want more comfort modern performance, while keeping the look.

anodized Mavic ssc rims, were Grey http://www.equusbicycle.com/bike/mavic/images/15and16.jpg

I had a pair, and ended up selling them to a person in.....Belgium!


Lots of info: http://www.equusbicycle.com/bike/mavic/

[saab2000]

The Tb14s are what I'd use if you're not going for exactness on the build. They will at least look right.

[echelon_john]

And build easier, ride better and last longer than MA40s!

The Tb14s are what I'd use if you're not going for exactness on the build. They will at least look right.

[oldpotatoe]

The consistent part is that pro riders and the high end models are
hard anodized. It's consistent in almost every top rim and bike brand's catalog
and in the pro peloton in the 80s.

-g

http://velobase.com/CompImages/Rims/3A20BA12-5772-4D76-863C-D0E1A914D055.jpeg
http://www.yellowjersey.org/RIM06112.JPG

Hard anodized rims are indeed dark colored, some even greenish. 'Anodized are often silver, not shiny silver, and those are what I was referring to. Silver rims, not shiny silver rims, like the LaVieClaire team has at the 1985 TdF. And I still think the OPs Pinarello would look best with PL23, which are not shiny but silver.

[Grant McLean]

Now look what we've done! Even the great one is exhausted by this debate.

http://40.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mcgqzknckY1rga258o2_1280.jpg

[oldpotatoe]

Now look what we've done! Even the great one is exhausted by this debate.

http://40.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mcgqzknckY1rga258o2_1280.jpg

Not only this one.......