teufelhunden222

Current I have spinergy Xero lites. WHich are great wheels for comfort and training, or lots of miles. But I am looking for something with some snappy feel to it. Possibly aero? I am not sure what I should go with. My LBS has a 2010 set of 404's that they will rent me for races. but they are tubbies and I have never ran tubbies before. Please help-David

pjcampbell

Zipp 303 or 404 old stock or slightly used. clincher. Here's one for $1350, "The wheels, cassette, and tires have about 200 miles on them. "

https://www.ebay.com/itm/ZIPP-404-Cli...item232c6b33d9

revchuck 

Based upon my extremely limited experience, IMHO the last thing you need is aero wheels to start out on. I'm unfamiliar with the Spinergy wheels you have, so I looked them up, and the main complaint about them is lateral flex. I'd get a set of something stiff like Mavic Kysrium Elites for ~$5-600 and put good tires on them, and use the rest of the money for entrance fees and gas and motel expenses.

shovelhd

You've never raced before? The wheels you own.

Tyrell

+1

mike868y

where do people get this notion that you need such high end equipment to start racing?

zitter

wait until cat 3's to get race wheels, and if you're lucky you might have a team by then to provide them instead of having to purchase out of pocket

Homebrew01

41 ? Bike Magazines ? I dunno.

I put together a decent race bike with careful shopping. Total cost about $1300 including 50mm carbon tubulars. Now I just need a crit bike.

Also, OP provides no personal/racing details to help in the type of appropriate wheels.

gsteinb

Race wheels provided as a cat three? Nice stroke of luck. Get a powerball ticket while you're at it.

zitter

well there certainly aren't team bikes for cat 3's unless you're a junior, but I've seen some teams with wheel sponsors that have their 3's team on them, albeit they aren't zipp or big name, usually smaller independent makers. best I get as a 3 is two free kits, partial reg reimbursement and occasional sponsor swag

shovelhd

Thats it. I'm downgrading.

carpediemracing 

If you're dying to spend that money then so be it. If I were in your position, looking to unload $1500 on wheels only, I'd be looking for some used HEDs or Zipps. In Escondido area I'd be looking for all-round wheels that were more aero inclined. 404s, Stinger 6. I'd save your other wheels as spares but also the front for use in very windy races or very fast descents. For example descending down Cole Grade I felt uncomfortable with a 46 mm front rim because it caught a lot of wind. Ditto when descending near Harrahs or down the wide road in Torrey Pines - trucks flying past at 60 mph makes for a very gusty descent. With a normal non-aero front wheel I felt much more comfortable.

Also, at least initially, I'd try and stay under a certain weight for the wheels, maybe 1600g. Having some 1900g aero clinchers I can tell you that those things take forever to get up to speed. I'd rather race 1500g wheels (the Bastognes I have, which are now one of many Ardennes wheel sets), and in fact I haven't ridden my heavier aero clinchers for a while.

If you get clincher wheels don't get super light clincher tires to save weight. The 30-50 grams may feel nice but when you cut or otherwise puncture your tire you'll be bummed out. I cut four Pro3s in your area in less than two weeks, and on slightly heavier Krylions I only flatted after I wore the tires down to unsafe margins. If you want to save some weight you can get the lighter butyl tubes (they seem to be just as reliable and about 30g lighter) and lighter rim strips (the Ritchey super thin rim strips were 3g per rim, so light I'd double up for reliability.

Tubulars are tires that require much more diligence from the user, require more mechanical common-sense, etc. If you are one of those that others turn to when little weird things break then you're perfect for tubulars. If you have a flat and pull out your phone to call for a ride then you may not be the best tubular type rider. If you're in-between, like most people, then tubulars are good if you are diligent in maintenance, merciless when checking your own equipment, and willing to spend some more money (budget $80-100 per tire, including glue and such, and you'll be at the mid-range of the scale). Figure you should buy minimum 3 tires, maybe 4, because you don't fix a flat tubular, you glue another one on, and you pay a premium for immediate access to a tire.

With tubulars your wheel budget will drop a bit, by $300 or so, because you'll need to buy 3-4 tires.

I'd consider wheels only after making sure that the bike fits (bar/stem/saddle), that you have good shoes and pedals, and you have some reasonable clothing for yourself (jersey, shorts, helmet, long finger gloves, socks).

I've placed as high as 3rd in a summer race on non-aero clincher wheels, won a training race, etc. I've gotten annihilated by riders on regular box section aluminum wheels. However I also like using aero tubulars - they're light for their shape, they're fast, and they're fun. Since I race for fun my equipment is part of that equation. Right now I may not be good after 20-30 minutes in a race but I'll have fun for those 20-30 minutes.

caloso

I have had good luck with my generic 50 mm carbon wheels (Gigantex rims/joytech hubs/pillar spokes). You could get several pairs for $1500.

chasm54

They appear to believe that it's the equipment that makes people fast, as opposed to giving a marginal edge to people who have already trained their guts out to get fast.

waterrockets 

+n

I got to Cat 2 on aluminum 32h clinchers...

Homebrew01

Next year when you decide you don't want to race, then your $1500 wheels will get you to the coffee shop a bit faster.

My sponsorship is a pair of bibs that are the wrong size. Any skinny guys need some bibs ?

revchuck 

So there's hope for me and my Open Pros yet? Awesome!

Homebrew01

As long as they don't crack at the spoke hole.

revchuck 

I'm aware of that possibility and check them regularly. Keeping my fingers crossed...

shovelhd

I won an NCC criterium on Ksyrium Elites.

rankin116

Advertising works, that's why companies spend so damn much on it.

mattm

+1, ceramic Open Pros

Creakyknees

incorrect

grolby

I think the worst thing about brand-new racers jumping into the fray with expensive wheels is a bunch of Cat 5s with Cat 5 skills with inconsistent braking because they're riding carbon fiber rims. I'm a 3 now, but even so, I'm maybe a tiny bit sad about my aluminum wheels on the way up hills, and incredibly grateful for them on the way down. Except I'm lying, because I'm never actually thinking about my wheels on the way up climbs.

botto 

thank you to the voices of reason within this thread of fail.