T Stew

I need new wheels, not only is the rear rim showing tiny cracks around spoke holes but I am planning on upgrading to 10 speed. Actually two bikes I'll be upgrading to modern 130mm rear so need 2 sets of new wheels.

Are there any new sets of 10/11 speed rims that a polished? Budget is around $300, maybe if I can save money on one set I could spend more on another. Kind of leaning towards the Fulcrum Racing Quattro at the moment, and that might fit the white & red prologue. But is there anything simple and polished anymore or are we stuck to black and graphics?

I've been perusing ebay but often times the polished shiny wheels are older 8 or 9 speed or really heavy (still actually trying to save weight by upgrading).

TimmyT 

Plenty of Mavic Open Pro options at that pricepoint. Those aren't my favorite rims, but they'll do.Bicyclewheels: Road Bike Wheelsets 8 to 11Sp (700c )
Velomine often has H+Son polished rims at reasonable prices.
Also bicyclewheelwarehouse has a few things: Mavic CXP22 + Shimano 700c Wheel Set

rccardr 

You should be able to find Velocity A23's or Pacenti box section rims laced to Ultegra 6800 hubs for around that price point. Maybe 6600/6700/5700 hubs, but while you're at it why not get some that are 11 speed compatible? They come with the spacer to run 9/10 speed cassettes. Both come in polished versions and are super solid wheelsets, look good on vintage rides.

Velomine is your friend.

randyjawa 

These wheels, that came with my Bianchi are pretty darn nice and supposed to be very strong, for a lesser priced wheel set...

T Stew

Ah yes I forgot about Velomine! Ribble and Wiggle prices seem better for most things so I generally shop there, and wiggle ships wheels for no extra shipping (compared to $50 or whatever from ribble). Yes, as I said I'll get ones that are 10/11 speed compatible as I'll likely be putting 10 speed on one bike and 11 of the other.

Looks like there are some options there for the look... but rather heavy! Velocity A23 on Ultegra 6800 hubs = 2065g!

Mavic seems like i've read so much about cracking problems I pretty much didn't look at any of those but looking at the above suggestions there are a few. Still kind of heavy, would like to stay under 1800g if possible.

Randy, those arent polished at all. Hard for me to read them on my screen but they appear to be fulcrums, just like I said I was looking at. That look fits your bike because your bike already has quite a lot of black. Maybe I should have included more black in mine, I'm trying to remove most of the black on mine, but I still think the Fulcrum Racing Quattro is the best deal for my bike still, considering also that my primary use will be for Tri and training for racing. Perhaps I should have included some pics, though these are the before pics, both bikes will have all new groupsets, seats, bars, etc...



With the new build I'll get rid of the black brake hoods, and was hoping to swap over from black wheels but perhaps the black/white/red Fulcrums would look alright...



Perhaps the red nipples would actually suit the bike well? I'd like to stay with as light and aero as possible since I would like to race on this bike. They get good reviews, 1725g (though reviews indicate actually a little heavier) and apparently free ship from Wiggle ($288).



The Tempo will be completely stripped of parts and redone (including white seat for example, likely the white Rolls on the Prologue above). Going for all polished groupset, perhaps Athena or Veloce. I think polished rims/hubs and spokes would look better with this bike and its metal flake blue. I might not be as concerned with wheel weight on this one, but still would like something better than an entry level wheel. And I weigh about 150 lbs / 68 kg FWIW (don't think I need a super heavy wheel).

T Stew

I really like the look of these wheels :Neuvations R28 Aero https://www.ebay.com/itm/311415446396



All polished, hubs included, nice wide looking spokes... but are they worth $300 used? Smidgen over 1600 grams is lighter than anything else I've looked at in the price range. Says 10 speed campy, does than mean it will not fit 11 speed? If so not the end of the world, I was looking at 10 speed Veloce groupset, or I could always put together something with used 10 spd parts. Some mixed reviews out there, and some indications these thing sold new 'on sale' at one time or another in the $300's.

TimmyT 

Yeah, those are probably worth the $300. They aren't worth it for the bikes you have. The two Schwinn's have Shimano groups.
What are your plans for the shifters? It seems like you want 11 speed, but the Tempo has 126mm rear spacing. You can spread that to 130mm without any problems, but I'm not sure you're going to see any performance gains.
Spend your money on getting the best engine for these bikes rather than the best parts.

Chrome Molly

Those Neuvations sold for just slightly more than that new, slightly less than that on closeout. No parts availability, so I'd pass.

If you are set on silver wheels, then your options are few. Most of those are in the 32 spoke range, which negates some of the aero advantage of modern wheels. For silver wheels, I'd recommend the H-plus son rims built up with 105 hubs. If you're going campy, then you can have them built up with a very serviceable origin8 hubset.

My favorite modern silver wheels were the pro lite bracciano's but they are only available in black now.

If you want basic performance wheels (in black) then the Vuelta corsa light's at Nasbar are tough to beat. Sometimes you can find them at a 20% discount, and with free shipping. I have two sets of these, and they hold up well enough for gravel biking, and the set on my road bike has 5k miles on it and has never needed truing. They roll better than any of my other wheels including some that retail well into four figures.

rccardr 

I'd be less concerned about overall weight and more about durability and looks. Open Pros are excellent rims, have them on three or four bikes and they just last and last. Honestly, at 150 pounds, unless you're a Cat level racer, wheel weight is insignificant. If weight is really an issue, e.g. for competition, you shouldn't be riding either the Prologue or the Tempo.

My current Tempo wears a set of 32 hole Alex Crostini 3.2's laced to Shimano 5700 hubs with a 10 speed cassette. I generally finish in the top half dozen on fast 35 to 60 mile club rides, and that's with Shimano 6207/8 stuff with non-aero brake levers.

Yes, the DT shifters have been modified with the guts of 7800 bar end shifters to index the 10 speed while using the 6208 levers.

Spaghetti Legs 

Velo Orange

VO PBP Rim, 700c

Nice and shiny.

Might be pushing it to build these for $300 but you might be able to do it with 105 hubs.

T Stew

Only the Tempo has Shimano parts, but they are both getting new groups so that doesn't really even factor in. The Prologue is getting DA-7900 bar ends on aero-bars for my tri build (plus DA treatment to all the other parts, a mix of 7700 and 7800 probably), and the Tempo is up in the air, leaning towards Campy Veloce 10 speed or Athena, but in any case my goal is to put brifters on it and components that will last the foreseeable future for me and look a lot better than old worn out oxidized 6 speed 105 group from the 80's. Obviously, they both need new wheels that are free-hub compatible. The Prologue has cracks in the rear rim anyhow so need to get that replaced.


I'm mainly concerned about weight for the Prologue, though as you say it probably doesn't matter. Even though it will be for racing I am not a fast racer (yet). But as long as I am buying one, I'd like to take the opportunity to get as much of an advantage that I can, within economic reason of course. Which is why I am looking for sub 1800g, and not full carbons or something. I use the Prologue because I really like it and the vintage bikes. I'm not going to take first even if I spent thousands on a full carbon bike but I'm not opposed to spending just a little to shave off a little time. I think I could easily get this bike sub 20 lbs. I'm rolling on 32 spoke 80's rims on both still. There are plenty of options out there that fit my weight and cost criteria, I was just trying to see if there where any options that where also of the polished look. Or how much more it would cost. At 150 lbs, I figured I could better sport a light weight wheel set with less worry about reliability than a heavier rider. I tried looking up your wheels but couldn't find much info on them. For the Tempo I am less concerned with weight, but still don't want to downgrade to 'entry level' type wheels.

I asked the seller about the wheels and he double checked and noticed at least one hairline crack in the rear rim and pulled the listing. I love the look but it wasn't to be. At least he is being honest now, but goes to show you really have to be careful on ebay. Not only are those wheels probably 10 years old but notorious for cracking and he was trying to sell at like new price. Just wish there was something like that out there today. Of course I could always go custom built but I have no idea where to go for that and figured it'd cost a lot more.

Just wanted to say thanks for all the suggestions! I'll be spending some time deciding still. I guess I could always get something and upgrade later too. If I was just rehabing 1 bike I'd spend more, but I'm doing two and some of the parts i am going to swap so they are kind of both being done at the same time.

rccardr 

Aha. You might want to consider a pair of Mavic Heliums. If I remember correctly, they weigh in around 1600 grams, mayabe a little less. Not polished, but red hubs and rims, would look pretty sporty on that Prologue. Were very popular about 15 yers ago and there are still some nice examples floating around in the $200-250 range. As long as none of the spokes break (unlikely at your weight) you should be fine with them, for a few years. Note that they come in both clincher and tubular versions.