Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Road Bike wheels

Hello everyone,

This is my first time posting on Bike Forums eventhough I've been a member for almost a year. I am 6'3, 210 lbs and a big chain ring guy. Can anyone recommend a good road bike wheelset for me? I'm tired of breaking spokes on Ksyriums and Neuvations. To Neuvation's credit, their wheels have a 20 spoke rear and seem to last longer than the 24 spoke Ksyrium SLs and Elites I've owned. Still I eventually snap spokes after a year and a half or two. What I'm looking for is a wheel that could handle a 300 lb. rider- to insure I wont be breaking spokes.

36 spoke, Velocity Deep V, 3 cross weave in the back and 2 cross 36'ers in the front. 14 ga Straight gage spokes.

36 spoke, Velocity Deep V, 3 cross weave in the back and 2 cross 36'ers in the front. 14 ga Straight gage spokes.

Everything but the last is good. DT Alpine III are much better. At the very least a double butted spoke is better.

For building them, this (http://www.crazyrides.com/apps/mastermechanic/part1_en.asp?LCID=en) is the best series on wheel building I've ever read. I still use it for all of my wheels (at least articles 2,3 and 4...the first article is dated).

Edit: forgot the link

Hello everyone,

This is my first time posting on Bike Forums eventhough I've been a member for almost a year. I am 6'3, 210 lbs and a big chain ring guy. Can anyone recommend a good road bike wheelset for me? I'm tired of breaking spokes on Ksyriums and Neuvations. To Neuvation's credit, their wheels have a 20 spoke rear and seem to last longer than the 24 spoke Ksyrium SLs and Elites I've owned. Still I eventually snap spokes after a year and a half or two. What I'm looking for is a wheel that could handle a 300 lb. rider- to insure I wont be breaking spokes.

Might I suggest a using a smaller chain ring. I read earlier today where those who spin higher candance break less spokes then those who mash gears.

i have a set of wheels that colorado cyclist built. mavic xp33 with chris king hubs. 32 front 36 rear. they have over 2000 miles on them over the last 8 months and have been true since. i'm very happy with them.

Another option --- I have a rear wheel built with a DT Swiss RR 1.2 -- 32 spoke --

I used double butted spokes. There is a bit of debate over the straight gauge vs double butted spoke and which one is less likely to break -- To be fair I don't think it matters in a traditional spoke, they typically break at the threads or the j bend and a 14 gauge spoke and a 14-15-14 gauge double butted spoke are identical at those locations.

The RR 1.2 rim is very similar to the Deep V so there is probably not much difference.

I have broken 3 rims and 1 spoke in the last 3 years so I'm not the best example for your case. Much more a destroyer of rims than spokes

Get in touch with this guy: http://www.youngwheels.com/

He can build wheels that will suit you, and be fast.

I built my 32 Deep V with straight 14 g DT spokes. I have 15,000 miles with no issues.:thumb:

The Velocity Deep V's seem to be quite popular, but I've got a pair of Mavic Open Pros, 36 hole, that I only have to true about once a season. Never broken a spoke with about 3000 miles. I've ordered a new bike that I'll be picking up next week-Cannondale System Six, that I'll get the same wheels on.

The Velocity Deep V's seem to be quite popular, but I've got a pair of Mavic Open Pros, 36 hole, that I only have to true about once a season. Never broken a spoke with about 3000 miles. I've ordered a new bike that I'll be picking up next week-Cannondale System Six, that I'll get the same wheels on.

I had OP, only lasted about 4k before the eyelets popped. Very noisy and one even split along the brake surface. All were handbuilt by different builders, different shops. Couldn't get more than 4k out of the rear wheel.

My Deep V's have 15,000 miles and haven't needed to be trued, not even once!:D

Another option --- I have a rear wheel built with a DT Swiss RR 1.2 -- 32 spoke --

I used double butted spokes. There is a bit of debate over the straight gauge vs double butted spoke and which one is less likely to break -- To be fair I don't think it matters in a traditional spoke, they typically break at the threads or the j bend and a 14 gauge spoke and a 14-15-14 gauge double butted spoke are identical at those locations.

The RR 1.2 rim is very similar to the Deep V so there is probably not much difference.

I have broken 3 rims and 1 spoke in the last 3 years so I'm not the best example for your case. Much more a destroyer of rims than spokes

Straight gauge spokes are harder on rims than on the heads. From Sheldon

Double-butted spokes do more than save weight. The thick ends make them as strong in the highly-stressed areas as straight-gauge spokes of the same thickness, but the thinner middle sections make the spokes effectively more elastic. This allows them to stretch (temporarily) more than thicker spokes.

As a result, when the wheel is subjected to sharp localized stresses, the most heavily stressed spokes can elongate enough to shift some of the stress to adjoining spokes. This is particularly desirable when the limiting factor is how much stress the rim can withstand without cracking around the spoke hole.

That's unhderstandable Cyc but I'd consider the V much tougher than an OP like rim. Able to withstand more stress around the holes.

And flexing spokes at the butted areas only seems like it's leading to flexy rims. I prefer the stiffness! I've had flexy rims flex so much that the computer magnet hits the sensor underload.:(

Thanks everyone for your input. I just started looking at the Mavic CXP wheels about a week ago. They are suppose to be pretty strong and most of my buddies have the CXP21s and CXP33s and love them.From what most people that have owned the Open Pros tell me, the newer Open Pros have that eyelet problem Mr. Beanz mentioned earlier plus I've read quite a few reviews on them with complaints about the same issue on the Open Pro wheels. I decided to go with a rim that all of the fixed gear riders swear by: the Velocity Deep V wheels. With the abuse that a fixed gear wheel goes through compared to a road bike, they must to be super tough and stiff. I was told that Deep Vs are a bit heavy but that's okay as long as I don't destroy them climbing a steep grade. I'm having trouble finding Deep Vs that aren't setup with fixed gear hubs. Do they have to be built up for me or are there any places that I could buy a Deep V wheelset already built up with good spokes and hubs? I'm in Orange County, California. Mr. Beanz, you're not too far from me, Any advice on what I should do and where I can go?

When I purchased my V's, I had to order them thru a shop. I contacted Velocity thu the site. That was their instructions as far as purchasing the V. No direct sales:(

But after I had already purchased them, I found thru the forums that they can be ordered online for about $55 a rim. I paid $75 at the shop.:mad: If you google the V, you will find a few online shops with good prices. I can't ever find the site when I need it.

But also, check out Colorado Cyclist for the Mavic CXP 33's with Ultegra hubs. About $275'ish which isn't bad for the set. I think they have a good rep with handbuilt wheels, which they are.

If not, a shop will charge about $50 each after spokes for the build.

NTW, SurfCity Cylery in Orange County is know for great service and mechanics. A bit pricey for us poor folk so I don't shop there.:D

You can find more info in the southerncalifornia subforum. Lots of OC riders go there. I'm in the IE, the poor side of the tracks!:p

That's unhderstandable Cyc but I'd consider the V much tougher than an OP like rim. Able to withstand more stress around the holes.

And flexing spokes at the butted areas only seems like it's leading to flexy rims. I prefer the stiffness! I've had flexy rims flex so much that the computer magnet hits the sensor underload.:(

If your wheels flexed enough for the computer magnet to hit the sensor, there was more wrong with the wheel then flexible rims, especially considering that the magnet is usually mounted so far down the wheel. I'd suspect poorly tensioned wheels rather than flexing rims. Properly tensioned, a wheel shouldn't deflect more than a few millimeters even under that strongest and heaviest of riders.

I've used...and destroyed...many, many rims of all levels of quality. I can't say that I've ever noticed any that had flexible rims...until the rim cracked:rolleyes:

I'm not saying that there's anything wrong with the Velocities. I may use them for my next set of touring wheels. They do use shorter spokes than a flatter rim does which will make for a wheel that is less prone to broken spokes. Combined with Alpines, the wheel should be nearly indestructible.

This is particularly desirable when the limiting factor is how much stress the rim can withstand without cracking around the spoke hole.[/COLOR]

I used the straight cause Sheldon makes this comment in his article. Sounds like best used when the rim has a weakness in this area. I haven't seen any weakness in the 32 V's that I use.

However, somewhere in the article he speaks of 28 spoke wheels having a different entry angle than the straighter angle of the 32 spoke build. In the case of a 28 spoke wheel, I would go with the butted spokes in order to apply his theory of the stretching spoke that saves the rim.:D


But it's all best when built properly!:thumb:

I endeavoured to begin disassembly of my 32 hole wheel (ok so I just pulled the rim tape:D) and discovered that 4 of the eyelets were broke (2 where the rim was already visibly cracked) all 4 were NON-drive side (that certainly seems odd)

rim crack

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a388/d_j_bowman/IMG_1841.jpg

here is an eyelet

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a388/d_j_bowman/IMG_1845.jpg

here is a picture of one of the missing eyelets

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a388/d_j_bowman/Picture004.jpg