Road Cycling - Ksyrium Question/Mixed Wheelset

I had a pair of Ksyrium Elites. My rear wheel "busted" and I needed another Wheel to ride, as my Elite won't be repaired in time for events that I have planned. I needed a decent wheel.

I was going to buy another Elite, but I got a deal on a rear wheel of a 04 SSC SL that I couldn't pass up. Of course, I could have had a full set of Equips for this price.

However, I'm having second thoughts. I could probably have landed the Elite rear for $250, or got the full Equip set for the price of a SSC SL Rear. But why have two rear elites? And why downgrade when you can upgrade?

Does it hurt me at all having a mixed Elite/SSC wheelset? Does the Elite in the front cut the performance of the SSC? I could have had the full Equip wheelset for the price paid for the SSC.

Probably my biggest concern, after price, is having a silver back wheel and a black front on a black bike! This has me wanting the matching front wheel! Arrghh!

Go for the upgrade. I think the mixed wheel thing will work well with those two models.

Doesn't hurt having mixed wheels. It hurts having to send a wheel off for repair because of a broken spoke. :mad: My advice, get a standard wheel built with standard parts that don't require putting your bike out of service if they break. OK, I'll get off my soapbox now.

Thanks.. but I want a wheel as a spare, and/or a potential racing or training wheel. I think the question was.. should I keep the SSC SL as a racing wheel, or use the elites as the racing wheel and buy something lesser for training rides/spare should this happen again. Or should I get the same rear wheel.

Some of your guys are over the edge in your hatred for "boxed" wheelsets. All wheels break. I'm 195lbs right now(about 10 lbs higher than I want to be) and I've broken my fair share of spokes on conventional wheels. My Ksyrium Elites lasted 2000 miles without going out of true, and when they did break, it was the flange on the hub. The LBS says that it looks like a defect. However, the spoke is FINE!

The damage appears to have happened after I let a heavy rider try my bike for 10 miles. This guy used to ride a lot, but he's out of shape and 230lbs now. I had inspected my tires closely before the ride an they were like new. I left him well behind on the ride, but when he got back the tires were cut(no flats) bad enough that I woudldn't trust them.. they had to be replaced.. in multiple places, and the rear wheel was out of true. I think this guy must have slammed into pot holes and road debris!

Probably my biggest concern, after price, is having a silver back wheel and a black front on a black bike! This has me wanting the matching front wheel! Arrghh!

Dont worry about it, I have a black bike, and ride with a black wheel in the front, and a silver in the back.