Chicago23

I started riding about 3 months ago and have about 1600 miles on my new Giant TCR C1. Been loving every minute of it except for the fact that I get the rear wheel out of true about every other ride. The wheels are Ksyrium Elites, stong according to both my LBS and other threads in this forum. I weigh 225# and am 6'5" tall. My LBS has reccomended going with a new, stronger rear with more spokes. This sounds resonable. They reccomended a mavic CXP 33 rim with 32 DT spokes around a Chris King Hub. Does this sound apporpriate for someone my size and history? Are there other Rims/Hubs/Spokes I should be looking at? IRD, Velocity, and Cane Creek all appear to have Rims of comperable quality, and possibly superior aero profile. I've also read some good things about CX-RAY spokes from Sapim. Finally, I've heard mixed reviews about Chris King Hubs -- light and strong but noisy?? I don't mind paying for quality, I just want to make an educated decision.

Thanks in advance,
C

gapowermike

Call Mike Garcia. According to the going thought on the forum, he's the man that can custom build a wheelset based solely on you.

www.oddsandendos.com

Grasschopper

Well CK hubs are great...the noise I could care less about, it is the clicking of the pawls in the freehub body and is a normal condition. I agree that a higher spoke count wheel is in order but actually I am a bit shocked that the Macivs give you probelms as all account I have heard say they are pretty darn tough. My only beef with the Mavics is the cost and the weight.

I am also a clydesdale (currently 214 down from 255) and also had probelms with a botique wheel that was supposed to be durable so I guess I know where you are coming from. The hot wheel for several months here this summer were built by Mike Garcia at www.oddsandendos.com I have a pair of his DT Swiss RR1.1 laced to SpeedCific hubs with 28 radial laced spokes in the front and 32 3x laced spokes in the rear and in 1300 miles of use I have not yet had to have them trued. I was boxing my bike up on Sunday for a trip to TX and I threw the wheels on my truing stand only to find them perfectly true. Mike builds a great wheel but so do many wheelsmiths. I had my LBS build me a set of 32 spoke 3x Salsa Delgado X rims to 105 hubs and they went out of true within a week...of course they offer a free truing but I wonder why Mike Garcia can build a wheel that will stay true and my LBS has to offer free truings. Clearly there is a bit of craftsmanship that my LBS does not have...what I am saying here is make sure whoever builds your wheel is known as a craftsman and isn't just some kid who the LBS trained to lace wheels.

As for rims the CXP-33 is a pretty bulletproof rim but is heavy..the Velocity Deep V is similar. The DT RR1.1 is very similar in design to the Mavic Open Pro but is lighter and cheaper...a better choice IMO. Another rim to think about would be the Velocity Aerohead and Aerohead OC. The OC is an off center (OC get it?) design which helps rear wheel strength as it eliminates a bit of dish in the rear.

If you have the money Spiam spokes are supposed to be great but they are probably overkill...if you want them by all means go for it but a good DT or Wheelsmith spoke will work too.

Excel is also known for their wheels and they have a set called the Threat that is the Chris King hub laced (all built by hand, that is important you don't want machine laced wheels) with DT Swiss double butted spokes to the Mavic CXP33 rim. Check it out here:
https://www.excelsports.com/new.asp?p...jor=1&minor=24
https://www.excelsports.com/new.asp?p...jor=1&minor=24

Another good custom wheel builder is speedgoat.com, go to their site and click on the "Genuine George's" link on the right and it will open a box with TONs of rim, spoke, and hub choices.

Just for giggles here is my Salsa with my DT Swiss/SpeedCific wheels:

prodigal son

I have a Chris King wheel set laced to CXp33's. they are for cyclocross, commuting,etc. I am 210 lb and have not had any problems. Oh yeah they were built by Gravywheels.net

late

Hi,
I did a lot of asking around before getting CXP33 rims, they have been great, if stiff. I weigh more than you, and I did just fine with Durace hubs. If I was going to get new ones, I'd go with Ultegra. Actually, I decided to try touring wheels, and they came with 105 hubs. Nothing against CK hubs, but the Shimano hubs work well for way less $$. They double the cost of a wheelset.

kevinmcdade

I just ordered some Velocity Deep V's. I went with 32 spokes in the rear, Campy compatible, and 28 in the front. It's not the lightest wheel but I am not the lightest rider. When you are a clydesdale, weighing 200 pounds and up, what's 300-500 more grams? If I need to shave some weight off of the bike I need to start by losing some weight then concentrate on getting lighter bike components. These wheels are said to be strong and extremely stiff. I paid $288 for them shipped. I have Ksyrium SL and Elites as well as a set of Velomax Circuits. The only one I can tell the difference with while riding are the Circuits and it is due to the aero profile which is what I wanted in my new wheelset. I also wanted a wheelset that can also do some cycle cross duty. They are going on a 2000 Univega Modo Volare (Columbus Thron, aka chromoly) which is not exactly a light bike. I was more interested in strength which is why I chose this wheel.

They were shipped today so I will have them Friday. I should have a ride report by early next week.

BTW...I weigh 215 pounds and I have never had to have my Circuits, Elites, or SL's trued. I checked them all today and they are all perfectly straight.

chrisvu05

I'm running Mavic Equipes and I'm 250lbs....haven't had a problem yet with them.

nitropowered

Sapim CX-Ray spokes are $2.50 each. A huge overkill. I'd go with a 14/15 butted spokes

badkarma

I agree with grasschopper. Talk to Mike Garcia and see what he recommends. I like the Mavic Open Pros laced to ultegra hubs. They'll be very light and very durable.

steveknight

I have had velocity deep v's and arrow heads and they have bene great and did not need truing. I like them better then my mavic wheels they cost less they are hand built and the company is great to deal with.

crosscut

Sounds like a bigger problem than your weight. I would take the rear to another LBS and have them check it out before purchasing another rear. Might cost you a feel Mocha Lattes to have them look it over and make sure that it has been trued correctly. Not all LBS employees know how to do it, and do it right.

Get a second opinion, then decide and whether or not to buy a Garcia wheel.

douchebagonwhlz

Got a mavic MA3 rim on my Fixed gear/ Single speed, and it is true and fast enough for me.
I weigh 235, and carry a giant man purse to commute, which in the AM full of water and coffee can reach over 30lbs.
also done some 45 mph descents on it.
satisfied with the rim

steveknight

better hope they don't crack they are prone to it.

douchebagonwhlz

Planning to ride to work all winter. in the super cold where metal loves to get brittle like p-nuts.

How prone to it are they?
isn't any wheel prone to cracking?
is another wheel in the budget: no
on the wishlist: yes

Powerful Pete

Mavic open pros or CXP 33 and you will be fine. As I posted in another thread, I used (and continue to use Chorus hubs with open pro 36 spoke wheels) on my bike even at my max weight of 105kg (230 odd lbs) with no problems absolutely, on crummy roads.

hypersnazz

I personally don't dig the sound of the Chris King hub at all, and would take the tiny extra bit of slop from a standard freehub over that awful racket any day. 32h CXP33s laced to just about anything mid to high end is going to make a very robust wheel, assuming it's built correctly (I'm particularly fond of the DT Swiss 240s hubs).

jtree

a lot of people complain about the noise chris king hubs make. ksyrium ssc sls are bombproof although somewhat of a harsh ride. deeper section rims like the cxp33's are considered indestructable but heavy. you may want to consider a rear wheel with offset spoking to reduce 'dish', which makes the wheel stronger, like velocity aerohead oc's, bontrager race x lite's, or campy neutrons.

SquatchCO

+++'s for all who suggested custom wheelsets.

I'm a big guy, 6'9" and 215 lbs (although I was up near 240 when I started riding about three months ago), and while my bike fits me so awfully that I don't ride it enough to judge my wheels to the fullest, it seems like a custom wheelset would cost about as much as fancy wheels, weigh a little bit more, and work a lot better.

motorhommmer

I got the same line from my lbs. trued them myself proper spoke tensions no problem get a second opinion get a good wheel guy to fix what you have should not have a problem

ruly62

I'm 6'2" , 230 pounds guy.This Velocity Fusion wheelset is 32/36 Sapim CX-Ray spokes with velocity hubs laced 3x pattern and weight 1700 gr.

the beef

Out of true after every ride? Get the LBS to check it out. Methinks it could be some kinda spoke tension issue.

GuitarWizard

Dude...seriously...time for a custom bike. It will be WELL worth the expense if you really enjoy cycling.

ast

Hmmm....I know a guy who's very close to your weight and height and he's got the same wheels - no problems at all. I definitely second getting a decent wheel builder to check out your current rims as it may be as simple as getting 'em trued properly. Not to say your LBS doesn't know what they're doing, it's just that some people are better at truing than others.........

JayC

Im about his size.. maybe 5#s heavier and I ride the same wheels. I only have a few hundred miles on them so far but I had the bike apart at a heavy maintenence class last week and checked the wheels and they were perfect.