Classic & Vintage - General opinion on some rims?

Anyone have any comments they can share about the following?

- Sun Mistral tubular
- Ambrosio Elite tubular
- Mavic GP4 tubular

Or, does anyone have a favorite vintage/classic tubular rim?

Thanks.

GP4 are good & solid. I liked the light Fiamme Ergal on the front for racing.

Super Champions were my favorite rims. The Arc en Ceil model at 320 grams.

Seams were a real problem on vintage tubular rims. People would rave about Fiamme red label rims but the ones I built always had a tiny hop at the seam. Never ran into that problem with Super Champions.

Or, does anyone have a favorite vintage/classic tubular rim?


What, no Arayas on your list?

You know, I have a pair of those Arc en Ciels. Also have a bunch of Mavics, including an original SSC.

:D

How are you planning on using them?

I've got orphan rims, including an Arc en Ciel, an Araya Aero 1, and an old set of Ambrosio Olympic Champions that have never been laced and they are all surplus to my plans and needs.

Some had noted that the GP4 is a tougher version of the GL330s, A rimset very well regarded by racers, so it has to be pretty good.

Chombi

GP4 are good & solid.

Actually, they're hollow.

Keith,

I might have a set of GP4 rims on Record hubs if you'd like to give them a try next summer.

You'd have to chisel off some old glue, but I know your up for reno work.

I don't have tires mounted on those at the moment though, sorry.

PM me if you think it's worth your time.

I definitely have a NOS set of Mavic GP4 32 hole rims as well.

I know I have some very nice Araya Aero 1's as well on Record hubs if that suits you better.

Obviously, I like Mavic rims.

Many of the old foggies I ride with use various Ambrosio rims and swear by them.

What, no Arayas on your list?

Yeah, yeah...I realized that after I hit the button.


Actually, they're hollow.

Good one.

Well, amazing how a little eBaying will change your plans. For the in-process Opus IV I wanted to try a real tubular wheelset and I've also been intrigued by the Tufo tubular clinchers. So my ultimate plan was to have two wheelsets, tubulars and clinchers, for the bike and I was going to do the tubulars first. Well, I came across a pair of clincher rims and after some poking around decided that they'd fit the bill very well, 32H Wobler TX Profil:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rt=nc&nma=true&item=190467320088&si=IOgY5Jbvi6Fa2ZhzL%252BSwISwe1Hw%253D&viewitem=

While certainly not the stock rims on the Opus IV a little research shows that they were stock on bikes of the era.

Here they are on a bike (not mine, pulled from velospace):

http://velospace.org/files/paxtonsirrusvs.JPG

So the search for tubulars will go on once I build up this wheelset.

Keith, I might have a set of GP4 rims on Record hubs if you'd like to give them a try next summer. You'd have to chisel off some old glue, but I know your up for reno work. I don't have tires mounted on those at the moment though, sorry. PM me if you think it's worth your time. I definitely have a NOS set of Mavic GP4 32 hole rims as well. I know I have some very nice Araya Aero 1's as well on Record hubs if that suits you better. Obviously, I like Mavic rims. Many of the old foggies I ride with use various Ambrosio rims and swear by them.

Thanks, I may take you up on that :) What I just got will certainly be the "first" of the two wheelsets but I do really want to try traditional glued tubulars. Who knows, maybe the Tufos will be super neato.

Just thought...any of them have Shimano 10 speed hubs? :)