Track Cycling: Velodrome Racing and Training Area - Track Wheelset: Old Superbe Pros vs. New Dura Ace

Hello Everyone,

I am an interloper from the ss/fg forum. I have been riding a fixed gear for a while now, and I am finally finishing a build on which I can ride at the track. I am now to the wheelset. I will begin to go to the track regularly in about a month. However, I still ride on the street, up to 6 times a week. I expect to ride at the track once a month at least.

So here is my question concerning wheelsets.

I have two options and I am not sure which is the better use of the equipment.

1. I have an older set of wheels w/ Superbe Pro hf hubs and Araya tubular rims that I have been running on the road for about 2 months now. Still very smooth. But only one-sided and a few years old (I got them used for a killer price off of Craig's list from an older trackie whose had them sitting in his garage). I could stretch some new tubulars on them, and build up another set of wheels (a new set of Dura Ace hubs that I've never laced probably w/ Velo aerohead rims) for the street.

Or

2. Keep the Superbe Pros on the road (probably changing the rims soon), and use a Dura Ace build on the track.

Which option would you choose and why? I want to put this equipment to good use. Thanks for your help.

Best,
Chad

Both hubs are looseball but from what I know, Suntours are better sealed.

Anyways, I think you should keep that Araya tubular set as is and use it on the track. It sounds about perfect for a good starter track wheelset. Ride clinchers on the street for convenient/economic flat repair, save tubulars for the track.

Thanks, Andre. I knew that if anyone would respond, it would be you.

I've decided to do just what you suggest. I figure that the newer wheelset should get used more than the older ones, and they match my bike better (check the fg/ss pic thread soon for that pic).


Also, I think I've seen you mention something about this, and so I think it would interest you, I am putting tubular clinchers on my clincher road rims. Tofu makes a pretty good one. My LBS guy said he was going to get the top of the line for me, I can't remember what kind that is. I have seen threads on it in the bike forum.
I love the ride of the tubulars. Some don't like it, but I think that it is hard to beat.

I have heard that the newest wheel technology will be a tubeless clincher tire. I think that there are already some of these on the market. But not many people mfg it.

Save your money rather than getting the tufo's, they are not much chop. See if you can try them with someone else you know first?

A good clincher, like a veloflex pave and a latex tube will ride way better than the tufo's.

Get some nice tubs for the track wheels yiou already have and save them for it, don't wreck them on the road and if you want that same feeling for your clinchers, get some real nice clinchers.

I've heard mixed reports about those tubular clinchers.

Tubeless clinchers do seem to be catching on. It's been around for MTB for awhile but it's drifted slowly into road - first it was just Shimano doing the wheels built for it and Hutchinson doing the tires. Now Campy is behind it with an expensive wheelset that can run either tubeless clincher or regular clincher, and Specialized is getting a tire on the market for it. The reports are that you can run a lower tire pressure to achieve the same rolling resistance - 80-100 PSI is about what you'd run and the ride will be just as fast but much smoother with better handling. That's what I've gathered from the people who ride them now. Car tires are made along the same conept. Flat repair is also cake, all you do is insert a regular tube into the tire and you're ready to go. Personally, I hope that they become more widespread because they sound like the best of clincher and tubulars combined into one.

you can also convert some current clinchers into tubeless clinchers using Stan's products... heard it works well with krysium rims... I would get into it if there were more options on the tires- so far just hutchinson's and soon specialzed's

use the araya's on the track-- those will be good and fast-- which velodrome are you at? (tires depends on the vd's surface). DA with velo clincher build sounds solid for road riding. just my .02

no point in taking apart a perfectly good wheelset. just use the tubulars for the track and build up the other set as clinchers for the road.

as for the tubeless, don't know of any for the track, but a friend who has the new dura-ace set says they're awesome.

you can also convert some current clinchers into tubeless clinchers using Stan's products... heard it works well with krysium rims... I would get into it if there were more options on the tires- so far just hutchinson's and soon specialzed's

use the araya's on the track-- those will be good and fast-- which velodrome are you at? (tires depends on the vd's surface). DA with velo clincher build sounds solid for road riding. just my .02

I ride at the LA velodrome. It has wood floors. I am pretty sure its pine. Sometimes I ride at Encino, but it is just concrete. You can ride pretty much anything there.

I am picking up the DA wheelset today. I am using Conti 4000 S clinchers on there.
They should ride well. thanks for all your help.

no point in taking apart a perfectly good wheelset. just use the tubulars for the track and build up the other set as clinchers for the road.

as for the tubeless, don't know of any for the track, but a friend who has the new dura-ace set says they're awesome.

From what I hear, DA is the only set of wheels that takes tubeless clinchers out right now. Specialized is coming out with a tubeless wheel set soon. But I doubt this will move to the track. There does not seem to be any reason for them on the track.