Track Cycling - Wheel advice / sources?

It's hard to find wheels for track racing - too many fixie-oriented ads out there. Where should I look for track-racing specific wheelsets?

I'm looking at factory wheels, but also handbuilts, this is for a friend getting started in track so price/performance is most important. I'm thinking a nice handbuilt set of 24 spokes and tubies is the way to go, other advice?

Take a look at Mavic Ellipse:
http://www.mavic.com/track/products/ellipse.995631.1.aspx


Also take a look at Cane Creek Volos:
http://www.canecreek.com/volos-track-clincher-wheels.html

You can't go wrong with Cane Creeks or American Classic wheels for track.

I've heard various stuff on Mavic's (proprietary lock ring is too soft, too heavy), but I have no personal experience with them. I like my Mavic Equipe road bike wheels, for whatever it's worth.

What kind of track is he going to be running on? If the track is pretty bumpy, the need for tubulars is lesser, as you have to run lower pressures due to bumps.

Try these two. Good selections of real track wheels. My daughter loves her Cane Creek Volos.
http://www.worldofbikewheels.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=32&zenid=30a9156d44a3765f24718b0126ac6c1d

http://www.businesscycles.com/trwheel.htm

thanks all, looks like some decent deals.

it bugs me a bit that the traditional spoked wheels are mostly 32/36 hole. you'd think on the track that 20/24 would be more common.

Check out Ben's (Milwaukee) Cycle - they have tons of track goodies.

If your buddy is in DFW area (I think I've seen you post in the TX forum in the past), he's getting into track at the right time with the Superdrome getting a complete resurfacing right now.

thanks all, looks like some decent deals.

it bugs me a bit that the traditional spoked wheels are mostly 32/36 hole. you'd think on the track that 20/24 would be more common.

You'd think so, but trackies are often bigger than roadies and on the banking will put a bigger sustained load on the wheel than nearly anything but a road tandem. Some of the heaviest wheels I've seen are 6-day wheels for the STEEP short boardtracks they use, and six day riders are not necessarily all that big. As the production wheelbuilders don't know where you are going to ride, nor how big you are, they are going to err on the side of beef.

That said--where are you going to ride? 400m track? 200m track? Do you weigh 140 lbs or 240 lbs? The same wheels that served me well at 400m 25 deg Marymoor are borderline too light for me at 267m 42 deg Alpenrose.

www.velodrome.org.uk lists quite a few for sale, including Miche Pistard and Gipiemme Tecno wheels. Both of those are cheaper than the Mavic Prebuilts.

Ok, good point re: banking load. the track is the Superdrome / Frisco TX so it's 250 meter, wood, 40+ degree banking. The rider's not that big, maybe 140-150lbs.

Thanks for the leads.

it bugs me a bit that the traditional spoked wheels are mostly 32/36 hole. you'd think on the track that 20/24 would be more common.
Ha that all depends on the track doesn't it? 20/24 on our 135 meter, 50 degree banking with the fast guys doing 8 second laps? (that's no more than 2 seconds in any one direction) Can you say "G-force"? 20/24 would be a disaster. My 36/36 are perfect (for me).