Advice for road bike wheels

[dreamzkidz]

Hi all,

I am new to this forum and have a question regarding which bicycle wheelset to buy. I am torn between 4 wheelset and wonder which is a better bargain?

Currently I saw a local advertisment selling a used hed alps at the same price with Fulcrum lg quattro. Which would be a better buy, am tempted by the carbon wheelset though it is around 10 years old.

Other than that should I top up a bit more to get Mavic Cosmic Elite Wheelset or save a few bucks and get fulcrum 5?

Is there really much different with either wheelset?

[Joxster]

What are you wanting the wheels for? and how chunky are you? Personally I would stay clear of 10yr old carbons unless I knew the rider selling them

[dreamzkidz]

I have been riding my bike for like 2 years now and want to upgrade some of the parts starting with the wheels. Currently I am using CAAD8 and was thinking with the upgrade, it could improve my performance and rides more. Have look at Hed Alps and it seems good with no cracks etc. However I am lacking the knowledge to really decide on is it worth the risks being an old wheel or should I get other wheels for my ride.

[shovelhd]

So you are a recreational rider with an older bike who is looking for a wheel upgrade. You are the perfect client for a custom wheel builder like Old Potatoe or Ergott. They can give you a myriad of hand built options to fit your budget, weight, and use patterns, taking both your current and future bikes into account.

[weisan]

So you are a recreational rider with an older bike who is looking for a wheel upgrade. You are the perfect client for a custom wheel builder like Old Potatoe or Ergott. They can give you a myriad of hand built options to fit your budget, weight, and use patterns, taking both your current and future bikes into account.

If you take shovel pal advice, that will cut short 10 years of learning curve for you. I just wish that gentleman over the other thread asking about the RS80 wheelset would listen in too.

[dreamzkidz]

hmm .. will custom build wheels be very expensive? As i'm having the thought that factory build wheels will be much cheaper than handmade ones. In comparison, will getting a custom wheels be suitable for a recreational rider?

[Joxster]

hmm .. will custom build wheels be very expensive? As i'm having the thought that factory build wheels will be much cheaper than handmade ones. In comparison, will getting a custom wheels be suitable for a recreational rider?

Buy cheap, pay twice

It's better to spend $350* on handbuilts than $275 on factory built

*Prices may vary and I build my own so I don't have a grasp on reallity

[Ken Robb]

As I often suggest to new forumites:check the archives here to read MANY threads on wheels for background info.

[oldpotatoe]

Hi all,

I am new to this forum and have a question regarding which bicycle wheelset to buy. I am torn between 4 wheelset and wonder which is a better bargain?

Currently I saw a local advertisment selling a used hed alps at the same price with Fulcrum lg quattro. Which would be a better buy, am tempted by the carbon wheelset though it is around 10 years old.

Other than that should I top up a bit more to get Mavic Cosmic Elite Wheelset or save a few bucks and get fulcrum 5?

Is there really much different with either wheelset?

Couple of things...what are you going to use the wheels for? You a big rider, tough on stuff or not? Budget?

Got a decent wheel builder around you that can design and build a Wheelset specifically for you and your needs?

Stay away from Mavic anything, crappiest rear hub made.

If nobody local, Ergott or me can fix ya up...handbuilt wheels. Better hubs, not proprietary stuff, less $, warranty.

[astrov]

If you take shovel pal advice, that will cut short 10 years of learning curve for you. I just wish that gentleman over the other thread asking about the RS80 wheelset would listen in too.

:fight: discuss

[jmoore]

hmm .. will custom build wheels be very expensive? As i'm having the thought that factory build wheels will be much cheaper than handmade ones.

Not necessarily. It depends on the components you select.


In comparison, will getting a custom wheels be suitable for a recreational rider?

100% yes.

[thirdgenbird]

Buy cheap, pay twice

It's better to spend $350* on handbuilts than $275 on factory built

*Prices may vary and I build my own so I don't have a grasp on reallity

If you don't build your own, it's a differently story. When you start adding labor, it's hard to ignore the value Campagnolo/fulcrum provide.

[dreamzkidz]

thanks so much for the advice .. gonna scrap mavic out. Have been in contact with a few wheel builders in my country and costs is like twice of fulcrum.

The wheels I am gettin will be for training and recreational purposes. As for my build is around 180cm 63kg. Does build affect the type of wheels to get?

For now I am thinking of either fulcrum or custom build.

[Joxster]

Which country are you in?

[Fatty]

Hi all,

I am new to this forum and have a question regarding which bicycle wheelset to buy. I am torn between 4 wheelset and wonder which is a better bargain?

Currently I saw a local advertisment selling a used hed alps at the same price with Fulcrum lg quattro. Which would be a better buy, am tempted by the carbon wheelset though it is around 10 years old.

Other than that should I top up a bit more to get Mavic Cosmic Elite Wheelset or save a few bucks and get fulcrum 5?

Is there really much different with either wheelset?

https://merlincycles-img.s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/productImage_470_470_ffffff_image-jpeg/10774_mavic_cosmic_elite_wheels_2013_pair.jpg

Never have had a Mavic hub give me any trouble.