Campagnolo Nucleon tubular wheels??

[skiezo]

What can anybody tell me about these wheels? There is a set on my local CL for $125. He says they are from 2009/2010 with about 3000 miles on them. These are not the ultra nucleons just the regulars.
Since I have an over abundance of 25mm tires im looking for a wheelset to build up the Sketchy that I bought on here.
Just looking for some specs as there is not much on the web for 8 year old wheels.

[shinomaster]

Great wheels - won every classic in the late 90's/ early 2000's. I raced cross on them and they're bombproof. 3000 miles is nothing as long as they were not raced in the mud or rain. His dates are incorrect though, They became Neutrons in 2000 I believe with black spokes. Nucleon's had silver spokes are are pre-2000.

[Look585]

Nucleons *may* not fit an 11s cassette. There was a running change at some point (perhaps with the name change to Neutrons) that cleared the 11s problem up, but bring an 11s cassette along to test if they are Nucleons.

[Calnago]

“Nucleons” were from about the year 2000. They came with silver stainless steel bladed spokes. The name was changed to Neutron a year or two later due to some trademark stuff and spokes were changed to black. The Neutrons have a bit more material cut out between the spoke beds. The freehubs will all fit 9,10 and 11sp cassettes. Maybe he meant to say “Neutrons” all along if he’s talking about 2009/2010, because they hadn’t been called Nucleons for a number of years before 2009.

[lhuerta]

...hands down the best factory built wheels I have ever owned with Campy's finest Record hubs...about 1460-1480 gr (if I remember correctly). I have had clinchers and currently have two sets of tubulars. Rims are about 21mm wide and will work with wider tubulars just fine. Before buying inspect the rims at the spoke holes....sometimes the hard anodization on the rim surface begins to crack. I have ridden several Nucleons/Neutrons to their death some of which developed the micro-cracks but I never had a spoke pull through nor was truing ever required. At $125 these are a steal.

[skiezo]

These are Necloen with the silver spokes. He said that they are 9/10 speed and not sure about 11 speed. Ill be running record 10 anyhow. Ill go have a look at them this week.
I may just get a set of HED Belgium C2 Tubular Rim and build them up with one of the sets of hubs I have in the parts bin. I know I have a set of 32 records as well as a set of DT 240s.

[thwart]

These are Necloen with the silver spokes. He said that they are 9/10 speed and not sure about 11 speed. Ill be running record 10 anyhow. Ill go have a look at them this week.
I may just get a set of HED Belgium C2 Tubular Rim and build them up with one of the sets of hubs I have in the parts bin. I know I have a set of 32 records as well as a set of DT 240s.
If they look good and spin smoothly (please) pick them up... and sell 'em here if you don't like 'em.

You really can't lose.

[saab2000]

Excellent wheels. As mentioned, you may have trouble with 11-speed cassettes and I ride mine with 22/23 mm tires. These are from a different era and they'll probably do fine with 25s but really are intended for narrower tires.

For the price if they're really only 3000 mile wheels and haven't been abused I'd give them a shot. Probably due for a hub service, front and rear. Have someone who knows Campagnolo hubs do the job.

Great wheels.

Very good price.

[pjmsj21]

I have two sets of Neutrons, one a bit abused, the newer one in pristine condition. As others have said they are really great wheels especially in the tubular version.

I also have a set of HED Belgiums which weigh about 50 grams less. Both the Neutrons and the HED’s actually ride very similar. The advantage of the HED’s is the external nipples vs the internal nipples oft the Neutrons.

Pat Mc

QUOTE=skiezo;2328245]These are Necloen with the silver spokes. He said that they are 9/10 speed and not sure about 11 speed. Ill be running record 10 anyhow. Ill go have a look at them this week.
I may just get a set of HED Belgium C2 Tubular Rim and build them up with one of the sets of hubs I have in the parts bin. I know I have a set of 32 records as well as a set of DT 240s.[/QUOTE]

[ultraman6970]

I have a neutron... no problems but i dont ride that much either.

[john903]

I just finished a mixed terrain 40mi ride on my Necleon's and they are just fantastic. I have no idea of how many miles are on them they just keep on going. The only issue which has developed is there are micro cracks starting around the spoke holes on the front wheel but I hear this is fairly common. If I ever pull a spoke through the rim then I will probably finally stop riding them. If you don't want them I would suggest picking them up and posting them for sale here for a fair price and they would probably disappear pretty quick.
Have a great day

[teleguy57]

I had problems with 11s cassette clearance on the large cog side of things; it was taken care of by using a .5mm mavic spacer between hub and cassette.

If they're in good condition that price is like stealing them.

[OtayBW]

I've had a set of Nucleons on my Serotta since ~2005. I don't get that much rotation on that bike these days, but those wheels are still running true and stable. Bitch to get certain tires on, though!

[chrisroph]

I have 2 sets of tubulars and 3 sets of clinchers and ride them regularly. They are some of the best wheels ever made.

[lhuerta]

These are from a different era and they'll probably do fine with 25s but really are intended for narrower tires..


The Nucleon/Neutron tubular rim actually measures a bit over 21mm, compared to the revered (and heavy) 21mm wide Nemesis rim which has been the standard go to "wide" tubular rim used in Roubaix for decades (...at least up until the past few years) with 27mm and even wider tires. Certainly, the newer and wider 24mm (and even wider) carbon rim provides more real estate for gluing tubulars, but a 21mm rim is certainly wide enough even for 27mm tubulars.

[saab2000]

The Nucleon/Neutron tubular rim actually measures a bit over 21mm, compared to the revered (and heavy) 21mm wide Nemesis rim which has been the standard go to "wide" tubular rim used in Roubaix for decades (...at least up until the past few years) with 27mm and even wider tires. Certainly, the newer and wider 24mm (and even wider) carbon rim provides more real estate for gluing tubulars, but a 21mm rim is certainly wide enough even for 27mm tubulars.

Yes it is but I'm just not a believer in the really wide tubulars unless one is actually racing in Paris-Roubaix. But that's just me. I prefer my tubulars in the 22/23 mm size. I know I'm a disappearing breed of cyclist. I like my widish clinchers, but tubulars no larger than a 25.

I had some FMB Paris-Roubaix 28mm tubulars and didn't like them. I had some 25mm Competition FMBs and they were super nice. Loved them. But my Veloflex are 23 or so mm wide and that's the right size for me.

Also, I had some Nemesis wheels. In fact, I think I've had two sets of them. I didn't like them. They're heavy and felt dead. 1980s tech and gross overkill unless riding Paris-Roubaix, which I probably never will.