Resonably light touring wheelset

[shankldu]

looking for the best combo of price and strength to weight ratio , bike is Surly LHT currently w sum lx hubs to alex rim 36 spoke ,way heavy ,I am however 230 lbs so don't wana replace a spoke every other ride either .

[skijoring]

Oh man, I would just pay someone to ensure that wheel is trued/tensioned and keep rolling.
Light wheels don't last on tour. Maybe ask for a repack on the rear hub if you wanna splurge.

[AngryScientist]

you're a big dude, and touring bike implies carrying some stuff too.

you will have a hard time losing meaningful weight off those wheels and still having a reliable touring wheelset.

spitballing a lighter wheel that would save some weight would be White Industries T11 hubs to Velocity Dyads. heavier spokes on drive side rear than everywhere else.

this is about an 800 dollar wheelset and you could potentially save a few hundred grams.

[cinema]

I think if you found a hand built set of 32h belgiums you would be just fine. Maybe laced to ck classic hubs those would weigh like 1600g or so depending on spoke/nipple options.

[likebikes]

are 700c rinolites still made?

[oliver1850]

Define way heavy. I have a couple of NOS wheelsets in the attic with 40 hole Velocity rims. Can check weight.

[marciero]

Is this fully loaded? for self-supported? Camping? If so you dont want to hear this, but light weight would be way down on my list of priorities for a touring rig, especially with that frame and given your weight. I'd pass on any sub 500 gram rim (assuming this is 700c), and would strongly advocate 36 spokes, at least on the rear. (But note that adding more spokes to a light rim will not make the rim less prone to splitting along the rim bed) Dyad would be the lightest rim I would want to use for touring. That rim has been proven over decades. They are not the most exciting rims out there but more of a workhorse. Other considerations for a nice modern wheelset include whether you want tubeless or not and rim width. What tires do you want to use? My choice would be Cliffhanger at 25mm internal width, paired with some nice wide tires run tubeless. The Atlas have a little more width than dyad. Also not too exciting. The new disc only WI G25a in 36 spoke would seem to be a possibility but at 490 grams it seems not beefy enough. You would want any wide rim to be proportionately heavier than a narrow one like Dyad.

Interestingly, Velocity lists the very modern and exciting Quill and Aileron on their "touring rims page" but note only in 650b and 26", resp, which build into a stronger wheel than 700c. Still, that page is only a rough guide.

[oldpotatoe]

looking for the best combo of price and strength to weight ratio , bike is Surly LHT currently w sum lx hubs to alex rim 36 spoke ,way heavy ,I am however 230 lbs so don't wanna replace a spoke every other ride either .

230 pounds, bike loaded is what, 30-35? Say you get a wheelset that is a pound lighter...454gr...sounds like a lot BUT..122,000g or so for you and your bike...454gr but wheel less reliable..no such thing as a free lunch..

As mentioned, make sure the wheels are true, round, dished, and tensioned properly...IMHO

For right below, and wondering if the OP does unsupported touring..I wouldn't want to try to find a spoke in BumFook Idaho if he DID break a spoke..

[buddybikes]

Paired spoking not popular today but I think would be more than enough: https://rolfprima.com/collections/tandem-imp/products/tandem-alloy-rim-brake-specific

[merlinmurph]

Lightweight touring wheelset
Jumbo shrimp
Military intelligence

Does the word "oxymoron" ring a bell?

I guess the question is why? What would a few less ounces buy you, or even a lot more than a few? You're certainly not going to feel the difference. I don't bike tour, but my impression is that when spec'ing out a bike, reliability is #1. And #2. And #3.

don't wana replace a spoke every other ride either

I would think you would never want to replace a spoke.

Good luck!

[ColonelJLloyd]

With a disc bike you could have a super strong and light touring wheelset, but it costs. DT hubs, carbon rims, bladed spokes, that kinda thing.

As others have said, you don't have a lot of room for weight shaving with aluminum rim brake wheels that need to support a rider/bike/pack of 275 pounds or so.

[charliedid]

looking for the best combo of price and strength to weight ratio , bike is Surly LHT currently w sum lx hubs to alex rim 36 spoke ,way heavy ,I am however 230 lbs so don't wana replace a spoke every other ride either .

Are you touring?

[fiamme red]

I'm a fan of Velocity Atlas rims. I used them on my commuter for a few years and they held up very well through the potholed streets of NYC.

I believe Rivendell sells wheelsets with Atlas rims and Deore hubs that would be perfect for touring.

[Frankwurst]

Light and touring mix like oil and water. Especially when you are talking wheels.
If you're credit card touring that's one thing but if you're touring unsupported and carrying all the odds and ends you need the last place on the bike I would want to skimp or try and save some weight would be the wheels. You're riding a Surly LHT. There is a reason they are built like a tank and I don't mean that in a derogatory way. My son had one and I liked it. They are built heavy duty for heavy duty riding.:beer:

[Ralph]

The Surly LHT is a heavy duty bike designed for "long haul trucking". believe even the tubes are heavier and stronger than their other models. So to me.....the stock wheels are appropriate for the designed use of the bike. And with any kind of load, even a fairly light load....you would be putting 300 lbs on them.

I think (just my opinion), you bought a very good reliable bike for that kind of use. With wheels proper for your use. Actually a great bike for it's designed use and load. And sure.....it's not a light weight race bike. Many of us really like various models of Surly's for their designed use. Enjoy the bike. I'm eying a "Pack Rat' model myself for local use.

[mhespenheide]

If it's just you and not the additional weight of extra stuff for loaded touring, I've got these: https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=245565. It you're truly loaded touring, I'd just keep those wheels.

[bart998]

I'm your size and I built a touring bike a few years back... the planned tour never happened. The wheels I built are Phil hubs, H Plus Son TB-14 rims and 32 spokes. Bullet proof, but heavy... perfect for loaded touring. I use the bike now as a winter bike and put lighter wheels on it... I have the touring wheels still, in case I do go on that tour someday.

[Toddykins]

For everyone saying don’t even think about ‘lightweight’ wheels - I am struggling to see why something like 32h Hed Belgiums with appropriate spokes and a white industry hub or similar would not be suitable for this. What exactly is the issue vs something heavier? It would seem this is more than up to the task and components are as easily repaired as other options.