Aluminum race wheels

[stephenmarklay]

I have a new set of Carbon wheels and they feel really good. Maybe a tad stiff but corner excellent and are light and seem to roll forever.

I would also like to build up race wheels in aluminum and wondered what you guys would build for yourselves.

I prefer wide and perhaps not a Shimano or campy hub only because I will use them on both my 105 and Athena equipped bikes. I was thinking king or WI but I am curious what thoughts are.

[azrider]

I would also like to build up race wheels in aluminum

what kind of racing

[sandyrs]

Archetypes 24/28 to WI hubs would be choice. Apparently most of the latest crop of wide rims will build into a nice wheel though (pacenti, kinlin, HED etc.).

[stephenmarklay]

what kind of racing

Good question. Just the normal local stuff but covers the spectrum.

[Gummee]

I've got some 101s. More aero feeling than the profile would suggest.

AFA building a set, I haven't built an Al 'race wheel' in a while.

M

[shovelhd]

Why aluminum? I'd get another set of carbon wheels.

[false_Aest]

I prefer wide and perhaps not a Shimano or campy hub only because I will use them on both my 105 and Athena equipped bikes. I was thinking king or WI but I am curious what thoughts are.

Are you saying you want to be able to change the FHB?

My first choice is exactly what I'm building up right now:

9000 laced to Archetypes with CX-Rays.

My 2nd choice would be WI laced to Archetypes with CX-Rays.

My 3rd choice would be the hubs above laced to A23s

My 4th choice would be Chinese hubs laced to Archetypes or A23s.

24/28 and the appropriate crossings.


Except for TTs I always placed better in races with my Kinlin/7700 wheels than my 50mm CF hoops. I think I was too worried about destroying a $$$$ set of hoops so I wouldn't take risks.

[stephenmarklay]

Shovled more carbon is not out of the question. I would like to do some gravel races too and don’t want to beat up big $ wheels.

Good to know about Archtypes, they were not on my radar. They look strong. Would one use a 28 drilling on these without a weight limit?

[Tandem Rider]

In my opinion, after lots of gravel races, the only way that gravel would be hard on wheels is if you drag your brakes a lot and grind through the pads/braketracks. I wouldn't hesitate to use a carbon wheel if I had some carbon clinchers. I do use low spoke count clinchers, never had an issue with wheels.

We have limestone gravel (sharp corners) around here and it chews through tires pretty quickly, that's why I wouldn't want to race gravel on tubulars.

Think about it, the surface of the road is actually softer and looser than pavement, and the tires are also bigger and softer.

[oldpotatoe]

I have a new set of Carbon wheels and they feel really good. Maybe a tad stiff but corner excellent and are light and seem to roll forever.

I would also like to build up race wheels in aluminum and wondered what you guys would build for yourselves.

I prefer wide and perhaps not a Shimano or campy hub only because I will use them on both my 105 and Athena equipped bikes. I was thinking king or WI but I am curious what thoughts are.

'Race' wheels means tubuar, yes? DT, WI, Record laced to Velocity Major Toms?

But if ya gotta do clincher. Archtypes, DT440, Velocity A23..above hubs. Then Lasers for front and NDS rear, Race DS rear. C-Xray are nice but thin(for DS rear, IMHO) and very expensive for what ya get(lighter by a little, maybe aero a wee bit).