socalrider

One of the nicer hubs on the market right now is the american classic rear hub.. Nice and light but has a high flange profile which gives you a much stiffer build.. I was lucky to find one when they still made them in 36 hole, they now only sell 32 hole..

https://www.amclassic.com/rd_205_s.html

hammond9705

+1

I've got a couple sets of OP/Ultegra from Colorado Cyclist and have over 7k miles between them without a problem. Call them up, tell them how much you weigh and they will hand build you a great set for a good price. I go about 260lbs.

Bikeforumuser0022

Have 36-hole NOS black anodized Open Pros (see photo in the Clydesdale fixie thread).

Components are important, but the wheel builder even more so. Clydes shouldn't mess around -- lots of folks claim to be wheel builders. Find one who's experienced.

Air

I'm going to be going with Deep Vs myself.

pv0463

Those are the wheels I have on my road bike since about 2000. I'm 6'-1.5", and have been as heavy as 240 lbs. I crashed once and taco'd my rear, so had to change that rim. Have 32 spokes on both wheels. Aside from the crash, I've checked the wheel trueness and spoke tension a maximum of 10 times. Have yet to true them! That's about 6000 miles.
I'd buy them again and will definitely recommend them.

wrench

As a pro wheelbuilder and a 250lb Clyde I use and would recommend Mavic CXP33 36 hole rims. They are the only ones which have stood the test of time. Tried lots of others but the CXP33's are the best.
They have a downside in that in wet conditions, water can get into the space between the rim walls due to the design of the eyelets. I would recommend using brass nipples not aluminium to avoid corrosion and having your LBS wheelsmith tension the rear driveside to 1300 Newtons.
I loves the red ones on my Trek OCLV but Mavic have discontinued the colour and only do black and silver. The Black ones are stronger due to the harder anodising.
I have used these rims for over 5 years now including British winters and am impressed.

mikeyp.1

I used the velocity sparticus areo deep v rims for many miles@240 and they held up well-now at 215 I ride ritchie pro-20/24 and so far so good-the velocitys are cheap too-like 300 on sale.

superslomo

Mike Garcia talked about building a set for me (at 210-215 lbs.) that was 28 at the front, maybe 32 at the back.

Ended up getting OP CDs and Ultegra front, XTR rear. So far so good, but it hasn't been a whole lot of mileage since I got them. They are 32 3x, and I like to think that I "ride light". That distinction is VERY important to the truing and breaking question: do you routinely lighten in the saddle and on the pedals when you see obstacles or do you just barge through them?

D0ugB

Update -- I know this is an old thread but you asked for updates

#1 I broke rim #3 32 hole open pro cracking at the spoke holes

Ordered new wheel set ultegra hubs and DT swiss 14 - 15 - 14 spokes (Champions?)
Front -- 28 hole 3x(3X was probably a mistake in this case) DT Swiss RR1.1 --
Rear -- 32 hole 3x RR1.2

Rear wheel was a bit heavier than I expected. I expect that the RR1.2 is remarkably similar to the Deep-V. The front is my only disappointment at this point, it is more flexible than I expected may have been better off 2X or radial in the front (I don't remember if the Ultegra hub is rated for radial) other than that no problems so far. had them since May. probably 1500-2000 miles

professorbob

Open Pros with 36 spokes, three cross, handbuilt are bombproof. I'm 250 and have had mine for about 5 years and they almost never need truing. I've just ordered a new road bike and will be having a new set of these built up for them.

D0ugB

2 of the rims I pulled the spokes out of were open pros -- one was a 32 hole and the other was a 36 hole The 36 hole had less than 4000 miles and was less than a year old when it broke. Granted I was heavier that you at the time (275# tops) but I don't consider that 'bombproof'

vorkus

I have 550 miles so far on a set of Open Pro 32's and I currently weight 302 lbs. They were machine built and after a few rides I trued and tensioned them. Did it again after another couple of weeks. They've been fine ever since.

professorbob

>but I don't consider that 'bombproof'

Were they handmade and tensioned properly or mail order?

late

+1

D0ugB

the 36 hole was hand made properly tensioned -- we (the LBS and I) had to send the rim to Mavic to ensure it was properly tensioned before they would replace the rim.

the 32 hole was a wheelsmith that was installed on my cross bike when I got it from another shop

Mr. Beanz

I noticed you mention 3000 miles in one post then 5 years in another. It took you 5 years to do 3000 miles on the wheels? Like the other guy, mine would not last more than 4 000 miles, 10 months on my schedule. If you had to true them once a season for 5 years to get 3000 miles, that is not bombproof.

My V's have 15,000 miles in 3 years without being touched with a spokewrench or any other tool, that's bombproof. If your statements above are true, you've got about 1000 left on those wheels.

I've had 4 OP's built by 4 different builders, all handbuilt and not one lasted over 10 months. One went as far as splitting on the braking surface!

FarHorizon

I don't like Mavics. One of mine failed & dumped me. Still have neurological damage.

That said, the cause was probably too wide a tire on the rim that caused the rim to split from the center. If you're using Mavics (particularly) PAY ATTENTION TO THE RECOMMENDED TIRE WIDTHS.

Just because some 80# cyclocross racer can run wide tires on his rims at low air pressure for traction doesn't mean that a clyde can run the same tire at max sidewall pressure.

This isn't about spoke count or rim quality directly, but it sure is pertinent to the consideration of rims in relation to the safety of the rider. Just a FYI...

Air

*waves* Hi FH!

FarHorizon

*waves back* Hi to you too, Air!

In general, from what I've read (in the two books on wheel building that I've had the pleasure to read) more spokes is, indeed, better spokes for durability. Weight & aerodynamics are somewhat compromised, but not for nothing do tandems get 40-48 spoke wheels.

On the other hand, I've used some V-rims with fewer than expected spokes that were really durable - even for my (then) 260# self! The Campagnolo Vento wheels were absolutely great & I recommend them, even to clydes, based on my "statistical sample of one."

jkmartin

I've had the Open Pros/Ultegra with 32 spokes front/rear for a few weeks now. Last wheel was a Bontrager thing that developed cracks on the rim after 5 years (mostly due to me failing to true it correctly). Open Pros feel good and after about 200 miles (including 85 today) they've stayed true.

The LBS wanted $200 just for the rear. Performance and Colorado Cyclist were about $150 for the rear. I went with Bicycle Wheel Warehouse and got the front and rear for about $260 shipped.

'flyer

This is what I run (5'-11", 190lbs) with old Record hubs. Tens of thousands of kms on 'em and trued once every couple of years or so, built and "maintained" by my LBS mechanic. Other than two broken axles this season, they're BOMBPROOF. Outstanding training wheels, but you're gonna have to work hard to race 'em.

D0ugB

Sorry posted this in the wrong place --

I endeavoured to begin disassembly of my 32 hole wheel (ok so I just pulled the rim tape) and discovered that 4 of the eyelets were broke (2 where the rim was already visibly cracked) all 4 were NON-drive side (that certainly seems odd)

rim crack



here is an eyelet



here is a picture of one of the missing eyelets