Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Day 1 - Flirting with Disaster

So I took my bike out on it's first trip with it's new wheelset. What a ride it was. I never rode a bike with such thin tires on it before. I can't believe how fast and racy the bike seems. I thought my big mountain bike tires with the solid center bead was great until I threw these thin babies on. Night and Day difference!!!

So the ride was ten miles on the streets of Brooklyn. The tires are 700 x 32c Conti Cityride tires on skimpy (but sopposedly STRONG) Mavic Speedcity Disc wheels with 622 x 13 Deep V rims. I am the 310 pound model. Hit a few bumps and rode through a few puddles. All looks well with the wheels so far.

Matty in Brooklyn

Sounds great! The first few are the hardest ;)

Yeah I know. Wondering how the wheelset is gonna hold up under my weight. 50% of the people I asked said the wheels should hold up, and the other 50% said they will collapse under me. Sooner or later, we are gonna find out which 50% were right! :)

Matty in Brooklyn

talk to us in a week about those wheels...BE CAREFUL!

Yeah I know. Wondering how the wheelset is gonna hold up under my weight. 50% of the people I asked said the wheels should hold up, and the other 50% said they will collapse under me. Sooner or later, we are gonna find out which 50% were right! :)

Matty in Brooklyn
Matty, there is NO question which 50% of us were right...the fifty percent that have had the misfortune of underestimating the strength of a wheelset, some get lucky and pop three spokes and throw the true and that's that - others, just having let their guard down have a situaition out of their hands that has them taking evasive action or whatnot and BING BAM BOOM you're seriously injured.

But all that said, I'm DEFINITELY NOT wanting/hoping/anything with regards to being right and I hope the wheelset is the last wheelset you ever own but my money says you're looking for a new set by March, hopefully you'll be in one piece when you're doing so.

But yep! night and day on a mountain specific set to a road/race set eh? You gotta love it!

Matty, there is NO question which 50% of us were right...the fifty percent that have had the misfortune of underestimating the strength of a wheelset, some get lucky and pop three spokes and throw the true and that's that - others, just having let their guard down have a situaition out of their hands that has them taking evasive action or whatnot and BING BAM BOOM you're seriously injured.

But all that said, I'm DEFINITELY NOT wanting/hoping/anything with regards to being right and I hope the wheelset is the last wheelset you ever own but my money says you're looking for a new set by March, hopefully you'll be in one piece when you're doing so.

But yep! night and day on a mountain specific set to a road/race set eh? You gotta love it!

OK< OK< I GIVE UP!! Two weeks have gone by and the 24 spoke rims I bought are holding up nice. Not a problem at all. BUT, I have been getting alot of comments about them being inadaquete for a person of my size from the people I work with that have bikes and from the guys at one of the local bike shops that I go to. So, I had a set of 36 spoke wheels with Velocity Deep V rims built and tomorrow is the new DAY 1. I will use the 36 spokes wheels for now and save the Speedcity wheels for a "lighter" day.

Matty in Brooklyn