Road Cycling - Calling All Lightweight Wheel Owners

Ok, I am looking to get a new set of wheels. They will be everyday wheels so they need to be durable. Before everyone mentions open pros I want a set of wheels LIGHTER than what I have now. I am a 136 lb spinner if that helps. Does anyone have ANY experience,heard stories, anything about these wheels:

American Classic - 350's and 420's
Velomax - Ascent II's
Speed Dream Wheels

All of these wheels are more traditional in terms of spokes used and wheel lacing compared to my shimano r540's. Any other good wheels I am missing that I should take a look at? I dont want kysriums because they are a little too much $ and everyone else has them :D

Have a set of Topolino wheels on order, 1400 grams for new custom c/f bike that is being built in Peoria, AZ. Light? Yes. Pricey? Yes.
Quality lasts!

Another vote for the Topolino's. Very kewl, very light clinchers. They can take a pounding too! I've got a friend riding a set of 'em. I'm saving up for mine. I've heard nothing but good things about the Velomax Ascents. The other 2 I haven't heard anything on.

I have a pair of campagnolo eurus wheels. They are very nice and light. Comfortable too. The front wheel seems to flex a little with me when I peddle hard. I weigh about 190-195 pounds.

DO the topolinos last? I hadnt heard of many people riding them and since they are a relatively new wheel there didnt seem to be much durability testing on them. Ive considered them, definetly not too many people riding them. Good to get some positive feedback on them.

I'm riding Mavic Ksyriums. I'm sure these aren't the lightest wheels but they are exceptionally durable. I'm riding older Ksyrium SSCs. The newer Ksyrium SSC SLs are lighter. They are listed at 660g (front) and 840g (rear). Note that these weights are with the supplied Mavic skewers which are not the lightest out there. You can probably shave at least 100g by going with ultralight skewers. Also note that you don't have to use rimtape with the Ksyriums so that saves on overall weight too. However, I think the best quality about the Ksyriums is that it's a very tough wheelset. I have over 12,000 miles on mine with no wobble and they have not been trued or had any spoke maintenance done on them since they were first installed despite having ridden them on gravel roads, hopping curbs and hitting some nasty potholes

Go with the American Classic 350's. You're light and a spinner so they'll be perfect. I've been riding mine for the past couple of years (With Conti Supersonics) and the hubs have been trouble-free and the rims are still true (Which is pretty remarkable considering the state of the roads in the Idaho panhandle).

Better yet, wait a bit until the American Classic wheelsets with 300 gram clincher rims are available. It should be soon and I expect to be riding them this summer.

DO the topolinos last? I hadnt heard of many people riding them and since they are a relatively new wheel there didnt seem to be much durability testing on them. Ive considered them, definetly not too many people riding them. Good to get some positive feedback on them.

Kind of late on this reply, but I just stumbled across this forum. I've had topos on for about 2K miles and love them. Not exactly a durability test, but I can speak for their toughness. On a recent 200 mile ride I wasn't paying enough attention and found a monster stealth pot hole the hard way. The impact was so hard it dislodged my spoke magnet! (How it didn't dislodge me I'll never know; shear luck I figure.) Not a hint of a problem with the wheel.

Stephen

My lightweight wheels I'd consider riding as every day wheels

King hubs
Ritchy aero rims
Revolution spokes 24/28

Total weight with rimstrips 1375 610 front, 765 rear (no skewers included).

Stiff enough for me to race at 160 lbs

Go with the American Classic 350's. You're light and a spinner so they'll be perfect. I've been riding mine for the past couple of years (With Conti Supersonics) and the hubs have been trouble-free and the rims are still true (Which is pretty remarkable considering the state of the roads in the Idaho panhandle).

Better yet, wait a bit until the American Classic wheelsets with 300 gram clincher rims are available. It should be soon and I expect to be riding them this summer.

I'd probably recommend the speed dream wheels over the American Classics. I've heard about numerous bearing problems on the American Classic hubs. Either the Aerolites (http://www.roadbikereview.com/Wheelsets/Speed+Dream+Wheels+Aerolight/PRD_33166_2490crx.aspx) or the R359 would probably suit you well. Another set to look at are FSA's RD-400.

As for the 300g rims, I think American Classic had them out for a brief period of time but withdrew them from the market due to problems. I'm not really sure why people are recommending Topolinos, Ksyriums, or Erus as they're all around $800 which you have said is too much (and specifically that you don't want Ksyriums).

Bonty X-lites.

55/Rad

the topolinos are fantastic looking and i'd love to own them at some point. there have been a number of glowing reviews of them on the serotta owners forum over the last year or so and at the nyc bike show i chatted for a while with the designers and makers of these wheels. very interesting and knowledgeable team of guys who are extremely confident that they're making some of the lightest and most durable wheels on the market.

just holding their wheels in your hand and spinning them, you can tell they're fast. they spin up fast due to their low rotational mass and are very light. one of the serotta forum members did an informal test where he mounted a ksyrium ssl and a topolino in side by side forks and gave them an equal spin. he said the topo spun faster, for much longer. i believe it.

also, the topolino guys told me they're about to (or maybe they already are, by now) manufacturing a version with a slightly modified spoke material to give them even more strength. i don't remember the exact details, but i'm sure they'd be willing to tell you if you contacted them.

I am currently using Mavic Cosmic Elite, light and very stiff, been riding it for almost 3 or maybe 4 years now, never been trued, coz' its alway true

My lightweight wheels I'd consider riding as every day wheels

King hubs
Ritchy aero rims
Revolution spokes 24/28

Total weight with rimstrips 1375 610 front, 765 rear (no skewers included).

Stiff enough for me to race at 160 lbs



Man, those Ritchey rims must be light. I ran your front setup through my calc and the DT calc and got 627g/644g - without rimstrips. If the Ritcheys are under 415g, they must be doing well.

For a light guy, I'd recommend either DT240/CK/Tune hubs, 28h front and rear, front radial Sapim CXRays, rear x3 DT Revos / Mavic Open Pro or DT RR1.1 rims. Any of these combos should hit you around 1400g. The White Industries hubs also look good, but I haven't tried them, and the AmClassics don't seem that well made, and they're made in the Orient somewhere, which puts me off.

Most important part - get a good wheelbuilder. Can't stress this enough.

The Topolinos were former Spinergy guys that invented the REV-X

The wheelset I would recommend is the ZIPP 202's superlight, super fast and the #1 choice

I'd probably recommend the speed dream wheels over the American Classics. I've heard about numerous bearing problems on the American Classic hubs. Either the Aerolites (http://www.roadbikereview.com/Wheelsets/Speed+Dream+Wheels+Aerolight/PRD_33166_2490crx.aspx) or the R359 would probably suit you well. Another set to look at are FSA's RD-400.

As for the 300g rims, I think American Classic had them out for a brief period of time but withdrew them from the market due to problems. I'm not really sure why people are recommending Topolinos, Ksyriums, or Erus as they're all around $800 which you have said is too much (and specifically that you don't want Ksyriums).


Just picked up the Ksyriums Elites for $550.00 incl. a free set of GP3000 (Excel). Best upgrade I've ever purchased. Rock solid, smooth, relatively light and speedy.

i'd second those ksyrium elites for pretty light wheels that you can ride every day. i've put several thousand miles on a set this year, ridden over some tough nyc pavement too, and they're good as new so far.

got mine for $400 brand new on ebay.

I just picked up a set of Topolinos. I love them, they look awesome and feel great.

Nice to have something different as there are lots of kyserium owners locally.

Man, those Ritchey rims must be light. I ran your front setup through my calc and the DT calc and got 627g/644g - without rimstrips. If the Ritcheys are under 415g, they must be doing well.

For a light guy, I'd recommend either DT240/CK/Tune hubs, 28h front and rear, front radial Sapim CXRays, rear x3 DT Revos / Mavic Open Pro or DT RR1.1 rims. Any of these combos should hit you around 1400g. The White Industries hubs also look good, but I haven't tried them, and the AmClassics don't seem that well made, and they're made in the Orient somewhere, which puts me off.

Most important part - get a good wheelbuilder. Can't stress this enough.

Ritchy lists the fronts (non OCR) at 395 but the guy who built mine at Excel said that my particular rim was even a touch lighter than that. The weights I listed came from the scales at Excel so you can take that for what it's worth.

I love my elites but light they are not. Velomax curcuits for example are more aero and around 100g lighter and cheaper.

Go with the American Classic 350's. You're light and a spinner so they'll be perfect...

I agree...I'm 146 and ride these, as well. They are extremely light and quite durable.

Paul