light rider seeks budget cross wheels
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 17
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
light rider seeks budget cross wheels
Hey, all, new to the forum, but I'm embarking on building my first scratch bike. I just bought the Nashbar aluminum "X" frame and their carbon cross fork, and I'm looking at what to put on it. The bike will probably be used for winter commuting (8 miles each way that I've been doing for two summer/falls so far on a road bike), but I also think I want to try cross racing.
My question at the moment is, can I assume, given that I weigh 110lbs, that any wheel, properly built, is going to be strong enough? Is 32 holes enough? And, this last one is almost certainly a stupid question, but what term denotes a 700c wheel that can comfortably take a wider tire? Because I can't figure out what the width marking on rims is, or maybe it's just not consistently written.
Thanks for any pointers you'd like to bestow!
My question at the moment is, can I assume, given that I weigh 110lbs, that any wheel, properly built, is going to be strong enough? Is 32 holes enough? And, this last one is almost certainly a stupid question, but what term denotes a 700c wheel that can comfortably take a wider tire? Because I can't figure out what the width marking on rims is, or maybe it's just not consistently written.
Thanks for any pointers you'd like to bestow!
#2
aka Phil Jungels
Somewhere on the rim, it will say 700X19, or something similar , 19 being the interior width. Just go to Sheldon Brown, wheels, and scroll down. Check your width. You will be surprised how much leeway you have with width....
#3
ambassador of good will
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: NOVA
Posts: 2,019
Bikes: many.
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
you can buy cheaper wheels that will undoubtedly work fine, but the mavic open pro/dt spokes/ultegra hubs combo can often be found for around $200 and that is tough to beat, even if you build your own. just make sure that you get wheels that are hand built so that you have uniform tension, or have them re-tensioned by an experienced wheelbuilder before you ride them if you end up with machine built wheels.
#4
All Bikes All The Time
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Boise, ID
Posts: 2,343
Bikes: Giant TCR 0, Lemond Zurich, Giant NRS 1, Jamis Explorer Beater/Commuter, Peugeot converted single speed
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Plus one on the Open Pro/Ultegra's. I am running a couple of sets I had built up at Colorado Cyclist. Love them. I do feel a bit limitted at super high road speeds but I am pretty sure that's just psychological (trust me...I am more than a bit limitted at super high road speeds, but my equipment has little to do with it).
#5
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 17
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
so would trying to build a wheel be a huge pain in the ass? or if I try and do it, am I likely to get an unridable wheel somehow or break it?
there are a pair of WTB dual duty xc rims that I have a chance to buy, a pair for 45, new in shrink wrap. They look really sweet, but then I'd have to build them up or have the lbs build them.
$200 or less is what I'm looking to spend on the wheelset.
there are a pair of WTB dual duty xc rims that I have a chance to buy, a pair for 45, new in shrink wrap. They look really sweet, but then I'd have to build them up or have the lbs build them.
$200 or less is what I'm looking to spend on the wheelset.
#6
Senior Member
you can buy cheaper wheels that will undoubtedly work fine, but the mavic open pro/dt spokes/ultegra hubs combo can often be found for around $200 and that is tough to beat, even if you build your own. just make sure that you get wheels that are hand built so that you have uniform tension, or have them re-tensioned by an experienced wheelbuilder before you ride them if you end up with machine built wheels.
#7
antisocialite
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 3,385
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
there's no reason why the first set of wheels you build shouldn't be perfectly useful and even more durable than machine built wheels as long as you get good instruction and build slowly and carefully.
that being said, it's often not any cheaper than buying comparable machine built wheels and retensioning the spokes yourself or having them retensioned at a shop. build em if you want to learn, but not to save money.
that being said, it's often not any cheaper than buying comparable machine built wheels and retensioning the spokes yourself or having them retensioned at a shop. build em if you want to learn, but not to save money.
#8
All Bikes All The Time
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Boise, ID
Posts: 2,343
Bikes: Giant TCR 0, Lemond Zurich, Giant NRS 1, Jamis Explorer Beater/Commuter, Peugeot converted single speed
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
The CC wheels are handbuilt. Outstanding, IMO.
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,959
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
Blue sky cycling has 105 and alex r400 wheels for $170. Chucks bikes has FSA rd-88 for $165. I read a couple good things about the fsa's online but no one here has used them, apparently. I've read a lot of good things about alex 400 rims, so if you want to save $50 or so that might be a good choice.
__________________
fun facts: Psychopaths have trouble understanding abstract concepts.
"Incompetent individuals, compared with their more competent peers, will dramatically overestimate their ability and performance relative to objective criteria."
fun facts: Psychopaths have trouble understanding abstract concepts.
"Incompetent individuals, compared with their more competent peers, will dramatically overestimate their ability and performance relative to objective criteria."