Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Wheelset Question

Anybody here ride on a wheelset not typically designed for " Clydesdales"? The reason I ask is because for the last few years, I have been riding on a set of Campy Vento G3 wheels. I have somewhere in the neighborhood of 1500 miles on 'em (should be a lot more). They have never needed to be trued or had any trouble with them whatsoever. The rear wheel has 27 spokes and the front wheel has 24 spokes. I was told they would never hold up. Do any of you guys ride a wheelset that is made for the lightweights?

I was told that the Easton 50 Aeros wouldn't work for me and they have been great. They are expensive though at around $400 for the set. I was weighing almost 280 when I got them and they held up then too.

We ride a tandem, and we're about 470 pounds plus bike. We ride Rolf Prima wheels (low spoke count, very tightly paired spokes). Ten days ago, we broke our rear wheel. Honestly, I think it was a bad line over a railroad crossing about six weeks earlier that did it - the crossing is at a 45' angle to the road, so as a tandem we have to get as far to the right as possible, find a hole in traffic, make a very aggressive turn in the hopes of being perpendicular to the rails, then aggressively turn back to get to the right side of the road. That left me no time to choose a good line.

Oddly, the break developed very slowly, first as a sound as though we were running over a leaf. Wheel went to the dealer, got a new weatherseal and fresh grease, but the sound continued, and now resembled that of an address label which had stuck to the tire. Wheel went to the dealer, new hub guts because of a bent axle. Wheel had the same sound, and then with 14 miles left on a major charity event, we discovered a pair of spokes had completely pulled through the wheel. $220 plus freight for a crash replacement...not too bad, except we're having to get a loaner wheel due to the uniqueness that we need. :(

I have somewhere in the neighborhood of 1500 miles on 'em (should be a lot more). They have never needed to be trued or had any trouble with them whatsoever.

IME, wheels usually develope problems at 2000-3000 miles. So a 1500 mile ride durability report never really means much IMO. ;)

Yep, 1500 miles is just starting to get broken in. I have a number of sets of wheels with 16-24 spokes My 16 spoke DA wheels have more than 30,000 miles on them.

The real answer to your question is yes, low spoke count wheels can last a very long time under a clyde but they do require that they are built properly and with some care.

I have put about 3000 km on Campy Zondas that I bought well used. They have the G3 pattern. They have hit many a pothole under my 6'4" 240 body and have been rock solid. YMMV but these have been great and no less durable than my 32H and 36H open pros - and quite a bit lighter and stiffer.

I just bought second pair for my new Gallium.

Campy wheels are not like many other low spoke count wheels. While they do not state a weight limit I have seen guys close to 300lbs use Khamsins with no issues.. I personally have a set of Eurus wheels which are a sub 1700g wheelset with 16f/21r spoke count. I use these for fast training rides or centuries. They would not be my every day training wheel, just because they are a super nice set of wheels and some of the roads I ride day in and out stink, so I want to keep a nice set of wheels for those types of rides..

Yeah. My Mavic Kysrium SL Premiums developed rear hub trouble after less that two year. Nearing the 3 year mark, a spoke nipple on the front cracked. About a week later, the rear rim cracked. Mavic thumbed their collective noses at me. They even had the nerve to want to charge me to upgrade the rear hub after I had taken good care of them. Their design flaws shouldn't be my expense. Doubt I will ever buy another Mavic product.

Anybody here ride on a wheelset not typically designed for " Clydesdales"? The reason I ask is because for the last few years, I have been riding on a set of Campy Vento G3 wheels. I have somewhere in the neighborhood of 1500 miles on 'em (should be a lot more). They have never needed to be trued or had any trouble with them whatsoever. The rear wheel has 27 spokes and the front wheel has 24 spokes. I was told they would never hold up. Do any of you guys ride a wheelset that is made for the lightweights?

I am a marginal clyde and ride a lightweight 20/24 set on my fast century bike and a 24/28 on a light tourer (if I remember correctly). Zero problems. I think the issue is the wheelset quality, not quantity (of spokes).

If this is a question about spoke counts, I've put ~4,300 miles on a 20/24 spoke wheelset, and am grinding the brake surface down to the point where I'll have to do something about it by the end of the winter.

Anybody here ride on a wheelset not typically designed for " Clydesdales"?I never thought about wheels when I started riding and never had trouble (36 spoke Wolber GTX) until I had one set built (MAVIC Reflex) with alloy nipples (MISTAKE) after the Wolbers died in a crash.

Now, yeah, I'm skittish on the subject now (after snapping nipples for what appeared no reason whatsoever), but these 32 spoke CXP22 seem fine to me and not specifically built for Clydes, I think they handle me fine.

I'm just a wee lightweight these days, but I'm using some homebuilt wheels for a non-standard application. I've got IRO rims and hubs (unbadged Velocity Fusion rim, as best I can tell) that I use for singlespeed CX racing and light MTB trail riding. I beat the snot out of these things and they're still in good shape. 32h rims laced 3-cross with 1.8mm straight gauge spokes.

I'm looking to lighten up for next season and thinking about building a pair of 24/28 race wheels. I'm not too worried about the structural integrity of them, even under the pounding they'll get.

IME, wheels usually develope problems at 2000-3000 miles. So a 1500 mile ride durability report never really means much IMO. ;)

I bought 'em used. 1500 miles is how much they have under my clydesdalesness:lol:

I bought 'em used. 1500 miles is how much they have under my clydesdalesness:lol:

Ah! ;)

If this is a question about spoke counts, I've put ~4,300 miles on a 20/24 spoke wheelset, and am grinding the brake surface down to the point where I'll have to do something about it by the end of the winter.

If you are grinding the brake surface you are using the wrong pads, most likely using stock shimano pads.. If you use shimano brakes try the yokozuna pads, will add to your braking power and will not tear up your wheels.

http://www.excelsports.com/main.asp?page=8&description=Scott%2DMathauser+Brake+Pads&vendorCode=YOKO&major=1&minor=8

I think it might also have something to do with the environment that he rides in up there in Seattle. I know a number of riders who wear through rims pretty fast up there.

If you are grinding the brake surface you are using the wrong pads, most likely using stock shimano pads.. If you use shimano brakes try the yokozuna pads, will add to your braking power and will not tear up your wheels.

http://www.excelsports.com/main.asp?page=8&description=Scott%2DMathauser+Brake+Pads&vendorCode=YOKO&major=1&minor=8

I'm using Kool Stop pads - the black ones in the summer and salmon ones most of the year. "Everywhere is uphill in Seattle," which means everywhere else is downhill. Occasionally I can just fly down a hill, but, this being a city, with streets mostly aligned in a grid, I have to brake a lot. Dravus might be half a mile at 19 %, but it's busy and there are cross streets, so I keep myself going slow enough to be able to do a panic stop if I need to. Add in the rain, and it's a tough place for rims.

I think it might also have something to do with the environment that he rides in up there in Seattle. I know a number of riders who wear through rims pretty fast up there.


Add in the rain, and it's a tough place for rims.

+1
The combo of slushy rain, sand, and cinder along with regular road grit in the winter is hell on rims. I rip through a front rim in about 9,000 miles on my commuter.