Touring - Rim recommendation: 2012 Salsa Vaya 3

Hey Y'all

I am looking for second set of wheels for my salsa vaya 3. I currently am running the stock setup but would like something more street for pavement riding that I can easily swap. What do you recommend. I have very little experience in this space.

You don’t mention whether you have one of the smaller frames with 26” wheels, or 700c. The website says Alex XD Comp 29er, 32H with Formula, Sealed Bearing hubs. I have never heard of either of them. I am heavy so I like strong wheels. In 700c you might want to consider 36 hole Shimano Deore LX or XT hubs and Velocity Dyad rims. The rim is light and has good section height for strength. In 26” same hubs and rim, but the rim in 26” is called Aeroheat. I built up a pair of Aeorheat for heavy touring and they did great even at my weight.

@ClemY Thanks. I have the 700c size.

Rim or disc brake? what tire width is planned?

@fietsbob It is running disc brakes and currently has a 40C schwalbe mondial on it. I am looking to go to something say around mid 30's with more of city tire.

without a consideration of braking surface you can run deep V disc road rims .. Ask at your LBS about what they can get,
If you are not going DIY on the whole rebuild..

I would love to build my own wheels but given my current skills and tools that is probably not in the cards for me. The issue I am having is all my LBS's don't have any experience with touring, so most tell me i don't know but this should work. Just looking to get an idea of what sorts of things I should looking at.

A cyclocross wheel set will do the job.. 36 spoke rear 36 or 32 front should be adequate.

LBS out here sees Hundreds of tourists, but they all have their gear
bought, before they get here

so the shop inventory is stocked more for the local families, and
touring bike problems are dealt with as they arrive..

Often by cannibalizing a wheel off a bike on the floor..

you are going for a thinner wheel ?, rim for a 37 wide tire is the same
as a 32 wide CX knobby tire would use..

A bike mechanic for decades , I used Overbuilt wheels
more like a tandem under my touring load..
48 spoke rear 40 spoke front. spare spokes in the wheel already.
I could ride for weeks on 47 spokes, with just a tiny bit of re-truing.

But most people just use old school normal wheels ,
just go with a reasonable spoke count, not a sparse one.

Have you considered just changing tires, and calling it good.

save the funds to buy another wheel, If Needed, on the road
on the tour itself.

Bene Sugg: learn how to replace a broken spoke.

In the rear, I would combine the Velocity A23 road rim with the same hub and cassette that is on the bike now. On the front, you could use these: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Handspun-Cross-Disc-F-Wheel-700c-32h-SRAM-X-9-Velocity-A23-DT-Comp-All-Blk-/261015304130?pt=Cycling_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3cc5b977c2

The A23 rim is strong & light. They are 23mm wide and can accept tires from 700x23 to 700x40.

Using the same rear hub and cassette that you have now will allow easy swaps without derailleur ajustments.

I have two identical wheelsets for my touring bike. During the summer, I keep 700x32 Vittoria Randonneur Hyper tires for road and smooth-n-dry gravel. I keep 700x40 Schwalbe Marathon Dureme on the second wheelset for touring, easier singletrack and wet weather gravel. I also have a set of 700x38 Schwalbe Marathon Cross trekking tires for winter and all-conditions use.

I forgot the brakes for the Vaya are disk. I have a Vaya and I used White Industries disk hubs. Being a Clyde, I went with 40 spokes and the Dyad rims. I use 700x37c Vittoria Hyper tires on mine. Pretty fast and very comfortable. If you are more into speed, narrower tires and rims might be more appropriate. I built mine up with Avid BB7 brakes. Once I figured out how to adjust them, they work great. I also prefer 170mm cranks even though I am 6’2” with 36” inseam.

@Barrettscv that sounds like the setup I am going for with two sets of wheels that can be easily swapped. The cyclocross wheel sounds like a good choice.
@fietsbob I don't think I need a thinner wheel, just some thinner tires on a 2nd set of wheels. Point taken on being able to swap a spoke. I can imagine swarms of bike tourists out there. Ive only had the pleasure of touring parts of Oregon on my motorcycle and it is beautiful, perhaps someday on my bicycle too.
@ClemY I don't need speed per se, just looking for a tire which will move easier on the road.

I have a 2011 Vaya with discs (and Avid BB7s0 and went with Mavic 719s (32 spokes) and Shimano XT hubs. Running Marathon Supremes in 41mm width.

http://www.mavic.com/en/product/rims/mountain-bike/rims/TN-719-Disc

I have XT hubs with 36 hole Velocity Dyads on my Vaya. I love them for touring. They have over 4,000 miles of loaded on-and-offroad touring and commuting on them and I haven't so much as touched them with a spoke wrench.

That said, if I find an amazing deal on a very light set of ~28 spoke 29er wheels, I'll buy them for commuting, just because I like to try to catch the roadie guys.

Velocity Dyads are relatively light for such a strong rim and will handle wider tires.

I have a Vaya and I used White Industries disk hubs. Being a Clyde, I went with 40 spokes and the Dyad rims. I use 700x37c Vittoria Hyper tires on mine. Pretty fast and very comfortable.

I just ordered a rear wheel built with a 40 spoke Dyad rim and the Vittoria Hyper in 700 x 38 is my current #1 contender for new tires. Hearing that you are happy with that combination gives me confidence in that decision.