Old 01-24-12, 01:51 PM
  #21  
Drew Eckhardt 
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Location: Mountain View, CA USA and Golden, CO USA
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Bikes: 97 Litespeed, 50-39-30x13-26 10 cogs, Campagnolo Ultrashift, retroreflective rims on SON28/PowerTap hubs

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Originally Posted by Jay68442
I know this question has been asked before but I haven't seen much info for ROL wheels. I shopping for new wheels and I haven't seen much that compares to the SRL in the way of price and weight. http://www.rolwheels.com/rol_race_slr_wheels.php

I'm 210 lbs and I want a strong aero wheel with a high spoke count at an affordable price. Looking to stay below $800. Any other suggestions?

Thanks Jason
First choice: learn to build wheels (school children have done a fine job after reading _The Bicycle Wheel_), lace the appropriate commodity rim of your choice (Velocity Deep V, DT RR585, Kinlin XR300 although I don't like how tires mount or the manufacturing consistency in the Kinlins) to Shimano or 2000-2006 Campagnolo hubs at the Centaur level and above, validate tension with a Park meter, and be happy.

Second choice: pay some some one else to do that. The ROLs are probably Kinlin XR300s although I'd check on that. I'd opt for a one-man shop with a good reputation (psimet, peter white, etc.) since that means you know your wheels are being built by some one competent. While an under tensioned wheel built by some guy in a formerly reputable shop that won't stay true is mildly annoying a front wheel that folds due to his incompetence really sucks (I pretty much stopped delegating wheel builds at that point).

When you wear out the brake track or crash the wheel the standard parts mean you can get a new rim for $35-$75, move nipples over one at a time, tension and true, and are back on the road. Add $45-$90 in labor plus spokes for $1-$3 each (people won't want to bet their reputation on the fatigue resulting from the last builder's job, and retail price on aero spokes is really high) if you have some one else do the deed.

Last edited by Drew Eckhardt; 01-24-12 at 02:12 PM.
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