pedalhard

If choosing between 1 wheel set that was bomb proof and custom made and 1 that was 1/2lbs lighter which way would you go.

patentcad

Go to the Community College and learn how to spell 'weight'.

ptle

Depends what you want the wheel for. Is it for training, racing, recreation, commuting, hills, all around?

For me I would go with the bomb proof. But I don't race and have really cut back my "training"

ok_commuter

Bomb proof, but usually if it's literally 1/2 the weight it's probably not anywhere in the same price range.

EDIT: sorry, misread that. 1/2lb. that's different. i'd still choose bomb proof, but i'd love to lose 1/2 a pound from my wheels.

I just built my heavy/strong training wheels, which are probably only light to me: mavic cxp-33 dura-ace 28/36. i may build a race set this summer, but only if i'm actually going to race before the year is out. We'll see...

531Aussie

Half a pound is nothing across a set of wheels, despite the factless, regurgitated-without-analysis, weight-weanie BS that you read on all the forums. I routinely switch from Open Pros to DT 1.2s (on different bikes), and if anything, the DTs feel faster coz they're stiffer; this, despite the DTs being 320g heavier, all at the rims.

I'd go for bomb proofness, looks and cost over weight, any day!

daxr

How much you weigh, where and how you ride; those are the main things I'd think of. Like, if you're 140 you can go light about wherever you ride. If you're 175, probably go bombproof unless you stick to smooth roads. If you're heavier, get the heavier wheels. Or if money's not a big deal in the long run, just get what you like best.

AssosMan

Bomb proof. Probably cheaper to boot. Weight is waaay overrated.

Zen Cyclery

If its a good custom build then it will be bomb proof.

DannoXYZ 

Custom-build should give you way more than 1/2-lb savings per wheel. If you're going custom, you might as well save 1-1.5 lbs per wheel and then you'll be able to notice a difference. Mind you, that's savings from "bomb-proof" wheels, not the whimpy middle-weight stock stuff you find on most bikes.

Zen Cyclery

+1

azdroptop

Wheel weight is way overrated IMO. 200+ grams? No biggie. Go bombproof.

bikeybikebike

unless you're a big fat cow or slamming into potholes at 40km/h, "bombproof" wheels includes pretty much any set of wheels made properly.

bigtea

I beg to differ on this. Wheels include hubs and you can properly build wheels using less than good hubs.

Zen Cyclery

+1 I could build you a set of wheels with the nicest rims, spokes, and nips that money could buy. If you put crap hubs into them that is exactly what the wheels will end up being. Even if the wheel was perfectly built. They would still ride like complete garbage. That is why reputable companies use hubs like DT Swiss 240s in their stock wheels. They can get junk for cheeper but then their wheels are junk as well.