Long Distance Competition/Ultracycling, Randonneuring and Endurance Cycling - suggestions please; good quality/value wheel set to replace mavic ma2/ultegra 6500

i might be buying a very lightly used 2000 steel serotta rapid tour

wheels are mavic ma2 rims/ultegra 6500 hubs.

what kind of wheelset would you replace the mavics with for something that is
lighter, faster and yet still strong for centuries and fast rides on varied surfaces
(mostly smooth road, though) without breaking the bank?

i only ride 26" rims on my touring bike
so am unsure what would be a good 700 c choice.

thanks

What's wrong with the MA2's?

SP
Bend, OR

Mavic Open Pros are a standard rim. One sees a lot of them. If the MA2s are still good, the only real advantage to the Open Pros is easier tire change since they have deeper centers. The Ultegra hubs are fine as long as they are still good, meaning cups and cones in good shape. Buying a used bike, I'd take them apart, clean, inspect, replace the balls, regrease.

thanks guys....it wasn't so much that anything is wrong with them, just that the bike is a 2000 model and as you know everything nowadays is lighter, enabling a more spritely ride when you wish to ..well, be more spritely ;)

i've also come across a club racer (IF) in my size too so am unsure which to go for (club racer being a 2006 more new components and about 2500-3k.....not sure if the ride between the two (serotta rapid tour vs IF club racer) is that much different.

The IF is a nice bike.