1400 gram AL wheels?

[vqdriver]

another wheelset recommendation request.

any good aluminum wheelsets out there that are worth looking at? i'm on zipp 303 now and i'd like to get back down to 1400gr. don't need aero. would like new fangled brake tracks.
rims or factory sets are fine.

no campy or fulcrum. i've had a few sets and i'm done with the overpriced repairs.

edit: rim brakes

[ergott]

This

Boyd Altamont rims (or similar)
Carbon Ti hubs
CX-Rays
alloy nipples
20/24 spoke count

That's more like 1350g and pretty everyday for say 180 and under (upper end depends on the rider).

[AngryScientist]

have you seen this ad:

https://forumsthepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=229053

thats a super impressive weight for a 28/28 wheelset IMO.

so, if you dont want to buy those and the 30g is a sticking point, a 24/28 or 24/24 set should get you to 1400 even, if that weight quoted is accurate.

[thegunner]

if you go with stans 340's with tune's laced to CX rays (in a 20/24) you'd be sub-1300. ask me how i know :banana:

24/28 would be plenty durable btw, and get your right around 1330.

[ergott]

I really don't like Stan's Alpha rims. I had a customer send a set of wheels back because he had 2 different tires blow off the rear rim while installing new. It was Alpha 400 that was on rear wheel. Luckily he wasn't riding it at the time. I don't think their bead design works with every tire and I can't afford that risk. If I remember right he was trying to install Continental tires.

[thegunner]

I really don't like Stan's Alpha rims. I had a customer send a set of wheels back because he had 2 different tires blow off the rear rim while installing new. It was Alpha 400 that was on rear wheel. Luckily he wasn't riding it at the time. I don't think their bead design works with every tire and I can't afford that risk. If I remember right he was trying to install Continental tires.

i know the v1's had that issue, but the v2's fixed that no?

[ergott]

i know the v1's had that issue, but the v2's fixed that no?

Not positive, but pretty sure it was V2. I think the 400 only came out when V2 was already a thing or at least at the same time.

[cloudguy]

This

Boyd Altamont rims (or similar)
Carbon Ti hubs
CX-Rays
alloy nipples
20/24 spoke count

That's more like 1350g and pretty everyday for say 180 and under (upper end depends on the rider).

I'm in the market for a new set of AL wheels as well - what would the cost of these be?

[kppolich]

another wheelset recommendation request.

any good aluminum wheelsets out there that are worth looking at? i'm on zipp 303 now and i'd like to get back down to 1400gr. don't need aero. would like new fangled brake tracks.
rims or factory sets are fine.

no campy or fulcrum. i've had a few sets and i'm done with the overpriced repairs.

edit: rim brakes


you just missed a set of HED Ardennes Black's in the classifieds for $600, 1413g, tubeless ready, wide....

https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=228788&highlight=hed+black

[ergott]

I'm in the market for a new set of AL wheels as well - what would the cost of these be?

$1040 in ConUS.
$1160 with ceramic coating

[kramnnim]

Wh-9000 c24?

[Spaghetti Legs]

Zipp 202 comes in < 1400 and I like them better than 303 as an all around wheelset.

For aluminum, I have a set of DT 240 hubs, Velocity Aerohead rims, CX Ray spokes that are somewhere around 1500. You can play around with rim choice or try tubular to shave more weight.

[jt2gt]

Have some posted in the Classifieds that won't cost you crazy dollars. Campy compatible...little bit old school. Probably a bit under 1400g.

https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=227516

[dbnm]

I am running these.

Love them!

https://shop.mavic.com/en-us/ksyrium-pro-ust-rr0928.html#1028=3283

[Tony]

Not positive, but pretty sure it was V2. I think the 400 only came out when V2 was already a thing or at least at the same time.

The v2 will blown tires off while inflating. This has happened twice for me. Done with Stan's Alpha rims.

[Gummee]

IDK what they weigh, but I just built a pair of DT Swiss 350/Bontrager hubbed DT Swiss 411 rimmed wheels that should be pretty light.

Haven't even ridden em yet!

M

[macaroon]

Have personally never had much luck with lightweight/low spoke handbuilts.

I guess it depends alot on your weight, although I'm not particularly heavy. The best handbuilts I've owned have all had 28 spokes or more, with 2/1.8/2 spokes on the rear driveside minimum. The light weight wheels have never ridden as well.

If you've got the budget, I guess you could spec a few more spokes and spend a load on some Extalite hubs to keep the weight down.

IMO you're better off just going for something in the 1550-1650g range and buying a carbon seatpost/saddle/handlerbars etc. (of course you may already have these :-D )

[gt88]

I have a set for sale that ticks most of your boxes. HED+/DT 240/CX Ray (https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=228623). No coated brake track and just over 1500 with tape, but LMK :)

[thegunner]

Zipp 202 comes in < 1400 and I like them better than 303 as an all around wheelset.

For aluminum, I have a set of DT 240 hubs, Velocity Aerohead rims, CX Ray spokes that are somewhere around 1500. You can play around with rim choice or try tubular to shave more weight.

the 202's are 1440.

Wh-9000 c24?

i have these, they're right around 1400, but they're marvelous. you can pick up a set for $450-500ish (or lower once in a while on the boards)

[yinzerniner]

I previously owned this set made by Fairwheel, who's pretty well known for their weightweenie builds. At 195-220lbs depending on personal and carried weight, they remained stiff and lively and utterly brilliant. 1354g listed weight.

http://blog.fairwheelbikes.com/2016/10/06/easton-ea90-sl-wheelset/

On my scales with tape and valves they were 1390g, so right there with the estimate. Other than the fancier brake tracks of other options, I can't imagine a better alloy rimmed wheelset available at the moment.

The only downside is the Tune freehub shell is pretty soft so you'd probably want to employ the paperclip hack to avoid excessive biting.

If you'd really want to go light, using the wheelbuilder weight calculator a 20/24 set with Enve 2.2 Clincher, DT180 Hubs, Sapim Superspokes and Alloy nipples can be done at around 1300g!
http://www.wheelbuilder.com/wheel-weight-calculator.html

[metalheart]

I have a set of DT 440's with 240s hubs that I plan to augment with another wheel set. Light is fine, durable is more important. I ride 5k a year, climb around 300k on 50% roads that are chip seal filled with potholes and the other 50% decent enough pavement. I'm looking for durability, comfort, and good cornering on descents, which I enjoy taking at speed. I'm 190 pounds or so.

I have had enough flats this year to put tubeless on the table for consideration, but I can also stick with tubes too. The HED Belgium+ seems like an obvious choice, but any other ideas for rims, spokes, hubs, etc....?

[vqdriver]

good thoughts all around.
for a little context, i've tried a handful of factory and handbuilt wheels and i was spoiled by the enve 3.4 i had. they were phenomally responsive and spot on 1400g with the enve carbon hubs. they stopped like crazy but alas, the new braking surface was like nails on a chalkboard for me. i just couldn't imagine getting used to it so i moved on to the zipp 303. smooth carbon brake tracks with swisstop black prince pads stop well enough, about on par with plain jane al rims i've had. i'm in socal and love love love riding on wet trails so i'm on the mtb almost exclusively if i ride in the rain.
i'll look more closely at those boyd rims and revisit the aforce al33 rims. i dig the black rims, but really i'm curious to try ceramic coated rims again after having had mavics back in the day.

[Tony]

good thoughts all around.
for a little context, i've tried a handful of factory and handbuilt wheels and i was spoiled by the enve 3.4 i had. they were phenomally responsive and spot on 1400g with the enve carbon hubs. they stopped like crazy but alas, the new braking surface was like nails on a chalkboard for me. i just couldn't imagine getting used to it so i moved on to the zipp 303. smooth carbon brake tracks with swisstop black prince pads stop well enough, about on par with plain jane al rims i've had. i'm in socal and love love love riding on wet trails so i'm on the mtb almost exclusively if i ride in the rain.
i'll look more closely at those boyd rims and revisit the aforce al33 rims. i dig the black rims, but really i'm curious to try ceramic coated rims again after having had mavics back in the day.

Great rims and exceptionally good customer service.

[bikinchris]

Rolf Elan. But the Vigor and Aspin also fit into your weight spec.

[false_Aest]

Rolf Elan
Boyd

CX-Rays.

If you don't want them to last too long, alloy nipples.
If you want them to last longer, brass nipples.

[oldpotatoe]

Have personally never had much luck with lightweight/low spoke handbuilts.

I guess it depends alot on your weight, although I'm not particularly heavy. The best handbuilts I've owned have all had 28 spokes or more, with 2/1.8/2 spokes on the rear driveside minimum. The light weight wheels have never ridden as well.

If you've got the budget, I guess you could spec a few more spokes and spend a load on some Extalite hubs to keep the weight down.

IMO you're better off just going for something in the 1550-1650g range and buying a carbon seatpost/saddle/handlerbars etc. (of course you may already have these :-D )

This is always a conundrum for me...for a rider of known weight(but often step out of shower weight, not go ride weight),but unknown cycling finesse(as in, tough on stuff/wheels or not), where is that ‘sweet spot’. Wheels Not too heavy but not unreliable either(think French bridge builder).... build a light set of wheels that go to hell because it doesn’t suit the rider, adios rep as a ‘good wheel builder’.

Plus, yes, 1400 grams are light wheels...but only about 250 or so grams lighter than a set of more durable wheels...on that 85,000 gram or so bike and rider package..plus light most always equals expensive($3+ for cxray spoke, etc)....diminishing. returns for sure.

So, yup, I’m pretty conservative in wheelbuilding philosophy but 2 things, no such thing as a free lunch and don’t want to be the French bridge builder.
IMHO, of course, ‘pal’...





French bridge builder built many fine bridges but s____k_d one ___k....he was then known as the French ___k s____e_....:)

[OtayBW]

Hed Ardennes: 1430g

[doomridesout]

DA C24s or high zoot Ksyriums if you're supplementing a good handbuilt set. You won't notice much difference going from 1600 gram handbuilts to essentially the same wheel with 8-12 fewer spokes. The system wheels are a more noticeable difference. Shame you're off Campy/Fulcrum because the Fulcrum Zeros are some of the best. You probably want something with super stiff aluminum spokes to get a noticeably "light" feel when climbing as compared to your current alloy handbuilts. That's my $.02.

[oldpotatoe]

DA C24s or high zoot Ksyriums if you're supplementing a good handbuilt set. You won't notice much difference going from 1600 gram handbuilts to essentially the same wheel with 8-12 fewer spokes. The system wheels are a more noticeable difference. Shame you're off Campy/Fulcrum because the Fulcrum Zeros are some of the best. You probably want something with super stiff aluminum spokes to get a noticeably "light" feel when climbing as compared to your current alloy handbuilts. That's my $.02.

Great point...stiff wheels, either thru aluminum spokes or carbon rims ‘feel’ light cuz they are stiff, not because they are light. The whole ‘spin up fast’ gig....stiffness.

[fignon's barber]

good thoughts all around.
for a little context, i've tried a handful of factory and handbuilt wheels and i was spoiled by the enve 3.4 i had. they were phenomally responsive and spot on 1400g with the enve carbon hubs. they stopped like crazy but alas, the new braking surface was like nails on a chalkboard for me. i just couldn't imagine getting used to it so i moved on to the zipp 303. smooth carbon brake tracks with swisstop black prince pads stop well enough, about on par with plain jane al rims i've had. i'm in socal and love love love riding on wet trails so i'm on the mtb almost exclusively if i ride in the rain.
i'll look more closely at those boyd rims and revisit the aforce al33 rims. i dig the black rims, but really i'm curious to try ceramic coated rims again after having had mavics back in the day.


One thing to remember is that a 1400g aluminum wheel is a totally different animal versus a 1400g carbon wheel when comparing durability.
As for the al33, I think you would be hard pressed to get a reliable wheelset under 1550g (or higher).

[Mark McM]

You probably want something with super stiff aluminum spokes to get a noticeably "light" feel when climbing as compared to your current alloy handbuilts.

Uh oh, more Kool-Aid drinking. No, aluminum does not make for "super stiff" spokes. Aluminum has the same specific modulus (modulus per unit density) as steel, so an aluminum spoke of the same weight as a steel spoke will have the same stiffness as the steel spoke. Only, the aluminum spoke will be fatter than the steel spoke (and therefore likely less aerodynamic).

Besides which, spoke stiffness is only one variable in wheel stiffness, and often not the most important - for example, flange spacing tends to be more important to wheel stiffness than spoke stiffness. A case in point is the aluminum spoked Mavic Ksyrium wheels. Stiffness testing of these wheels has shown that they are not a particularly stiff wheel, likely due to their slightly narrow flange spacing. Data on wheel stiffnesses can be found here:

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/rinard/wheel_index.html

[BRad704]

Late to the party and maybe a boring idea... but I've got a pair of Easton EA90SLX wheels (picked up through the forum here) and they have been great for me. Just over 1400g. Same as these: BikeRadar Review Easton EA90SLX (https://www.bikeradar.com/us/road/gear/category/components/wheel-sets/product/review-easton-ea90-slx-15-49449/)

They are 16/20, but have stayed true after a year of secondary use under a 180lb rider.

Not trying to sell mine, just giving a recommendation.

[mhespenheide]

Late to the party and maybe a boring idea... but I've got a pair of Easton EA90SLX wheels (picked up through the forum here) and they have been great for me. Just over 1400g. Same as these: BikeRadar Review Easton EA90SLX (https://www.bikeradar.com/us/road/gear/category/components/wheel-sets/product/review-easton-ea90-slx-15-49449/)

They are 16/20, but have stayed true after a year of secondary use under a 180lb rider.

Not trying to sell mine, just giving a recommendation.

Have you had any issues with cracks in the rims near the spoke heads, like the commenter on the BikeRadar review?

[BRad704]

Have you had any issues with cracks in the rims near the spoke heads, like the commenter on the BikeRadar review?

I just checked every nipple and have zero cracking. :banana:

[Seramount]

haven't ridden that many different wheelsets, but my 9000 C24s are very nice.

light (sub-1400g) and affordable.

thought the 7900 version was slightly nicer-looking, but can't find them any longer.

[Bob Ross]

The no-longer-available DT Swiss 1450 Mon Chasseral were, as their name implied, 1450 grams for a 28h pair. Hub is basically a 240s. I've had a pair, then rebuilt (several times) them a couple times around various other DT rims. Always turned out to be a wonderful clincher, on par with the a la carte DT wheels I've had Joe Young build me. Not sure I'd be comfortable riding a wheelset that was much lighter.

[madcow]

Easton R90SL rims which come out of the same factory as the Hed rims are one of our favorite alloy rims. 20/24 laced to Carbon-ti hubs with Sapim CxRay come out at about 1330 grams. That's one of the more popular lightweight alloy options that we build.

[sib]

Easton R90SL rims which come out of the same factory as the Hed rims are one of our favorite alloy rims. 20/24 laced to Carbon-ti hubs with Sapim CxRay come out at about 1330 grams. That's one of the more popular lightweight alloy options that we build.

Interested:

Does the weight include rim tape?
Can you recommend any lighter builds for everyday use?
And (finally), how much would the wheels you specced cost?

Thanks!

[Seamus]

I purchased the above recommended R90SL/CXRay/Carbon-Ti wheelset from Fairwheel last year, for what it's worth. I've been really happy. Use them as an everyday wheelset throughout the late-spring to late-fall (just to generally keep them out of any really bad muck). Weight with rim tape was 1354g.

Super-loud freehub though, in case that's your thing or not.

[sib]

@Seamus

Good to know you're happy with them!
I rather like a loud freehub myself, I think it's good for safety.

Do you mind me asking how much the wheelset cost?

[Seamus]

I think I was all-in around $850-ish, but I'd just email Fairwheel to request a quote and check availability. I think Carbon-Ti updated the engagement on hubs since then and there might be a small price bump on the rear hub at least or tariff-adjusted pricing.

My one note on the hubs, is the "polished silver" finish hasn't ever quite cleaned up to like-new for me(similar to faint water-spots), so you might want to stick with black or the other colors might fare better? They look great from three feet away though, just mildly annoying.

[metalheart]

In comparison to the DT-Swiss 240s hub, are the Carbon-Ti hubs the choice because of weight or some other reason?

[Seamus]

Slight winner on weight. Carbon-Ti wheelset saves just shy of 100grams.

In emailing with Fairwheel they stated the Carbon-Ti's are the lightest hubs they'd consider viable for an everday wheelset but considered DT240s bombproof plus the added benefit of most every LBS being able to work on them if needed. So, pick your poison.