divide_by_0

I have recently damaged a couple sets of relatively light carbon wheels. Not really looking to rehash that discussion (though I will try and address any inquiries)... Suffice it to say, given my weight and riding style (on this bike) I think I was asking too much from the wheel.

I am ok spending some cash but am not really interested in carbon at this time. I am more interested in lower weight than lower drag as this bike is my "climber."

I am considering the Rolf Vigor Alpha, the Mavic Ksyrium SLR, R-sys, SLS, the Easton EA90SLX is a lot of "bang for the buck," and I have looked at some DT Swiss. I have alo considered building around a set of Stan's rims.

I am blatantly soliciting opinions... Hopefully from people with experience on twisty mountain passes that require plenty of braking. I weigh very light 190 lbs.

canam73

Blatant opinion: climbing wheels are dumb.

Get some Boyd aluminum clinchers or something similar from a different hand builder.

texastwister

Best wheels i have ever ridden on https://www.topolinotech.com/index.php

airfoil71

I way 200lbs and I have a set of Rolf's and Mavics. I think you will be pleased with either wheel set.

divide_by_0

Love the specs... Never heard of them before... Can a typical wheel tech repair? The spoke, hub and bearing tech is interesting.

divide_by_0

i don't understand... Why?

Ghost Ryder

There's a few wheel builders that are members here on BF.
It might be worth trying to contact them for a quote.

canam73

Take a gander at this: https://www.training4cyclists.com/how...on-alpe-dhuez/

Even though the author attempts to use the data to show how important wheel weight is I think he does the opposite, especially for anyone who isn't riding in an actual competition. If you consider a more reasonable weight difference between a typical everyday wheel set and 'climbing' wheels of 300g and extrapolate the time from their data you will come to 20 seconds extra to climb l'alpe d'huez. That is for almost an hour of continuous climbing. I don't think you will ever notice that kind of time loss.

And so I suggest riding on a good, durable everyday wheel.

divide_by_0

Ive ridden dozens of wheel sets from about 2200 down to about 1250... I don't know that I could tell the difference of a hundred grams, but 200 to 300 is definitely noticeable... I have a few bikes... The Tarmac is set up as a climber, but not so much that it's not a suitable daily driver.

My use of the term "climbing wheels" may be overstated... Just trying to be light and reliable. The gains are probably difficult to justify on a dollars per gram metric, but I have a budget and weight in mind... I definitely want to be at or under 1400, and am ok dropping 1 to 1.5k to do it.

i am more concerned in getting a set that will last many years than anything... I damaged about $2500 in wheels this year... Can't keep doing that.

Pokey Rider

Check out Williams Wheels. Pretty reasonable and light for the price.

https://www.williamscycling.com/Wheel...count_p_8.html

Jakedatc

spoken like someone who gets passed on hills

I went from 1900g wheels to 1300g wheels (1lb dif.) this year and it was quite noticeable right away. They were built by someone on here and we have the crappiest roads ever and they have held up great. i needed to tweak one spoke after a large pot hole tried to eat my bike but even that was like a half turn. they were very much below 1k... much below.

RollCNY

At 190#, you are over the suggested weight limit of every lightweight wheel build I have looked at. Most hand builders will put you on 24/28 builds. If you spec a flimsy rim, they will suggest 32/32. If you had a goal of durable, and 1500-1550 gram, you can have your pick of wheels for $500-650. That is the 100 gram difference people are talking about to your 1400 gram build.

sced

Build your own with parts from bikehubstore or the like - puts you in total control. There's physics at work, not magic. $1-1.5k for aluminum wheels is just plain overkill. $300-$500 is more like it.

pdedes

You won't get longevity out of lightweight aluminum rims. I get 20000km out of an aluminum rim that's ridden in all conditions. In rainier climes, near the ocean, you would get a shorter life span.

Are these going to be an event day wheel, or daily drivers?

Homebrew01

FYI, 1 pound = 454 grams
600 g = 1.3 lbs

waters60

I have been riding Mavic Reflex tubular rims for years, but have recently noticed a disappointing tendency for hairline cracks developing around the spoke holes, running parallel with the rim. I have probably brought this up before, but would be interested in hearing if others have this problem. I am about 175 lbs. and a fairly strong rider. I went and looked at my collection of old tubular rims dating from the 70's and did not see this problem on them. My wheels are 32 or 36 spokes.

Jakedatc

you're right.. i wasn't doing math very well at 1am can definitely tell the difference and they were built with components from Bikehubstore. For 190lb he might need a bit higher spoke count than mine

HAMMER MAN

this isn't meant to jack the thread, however can you give some information on your experience with these. i have looked @ topolino now for close to a year and don'tknow any riders that use these.
or send me a message/pm

sced

What were the builds?

jsigone

stans alpha 400 on whatever hubs you like and CXray spokes

Jakedatc

i don't remember the specifics.
22mm kinlin rims, SL211 rear hub (recommend the newer SL210 now), sapim laser spokes. i think they are 20/24 count

canam73

On the contrary, I do quite well, especially considering my size which is not much less than the OP. And similar to him, I started with ~2000g wheels and went down as low as 1400g. I have since settled on riding 24/28 spoke wheels with brass nipples and standard weight aluminum clincher rims that weigh around 1600g (I have a couple of sets like these) for almost all my riding. My times and effort level required have not changed in any noticeable way even on climbing routes. My personal observations tend to be confirmed by most of the objective tests I have seen and every online calculator I have tried.

And with that, it makes no sense to me to try to cut wheel weight any more since the costs start getting silly and the wheels will have a shorter lifespan. I know that last statement is going to make a host of folks want to throw out they have had x number of trouble free miles on whatever wheel at whatever weight. That is fine and good, but it is a fact that those same wheels would have a longer life span if they had a bit of weight added back in to the right places which is usually going to be 4 more spokes and/or a stronger rim bed. All wheels will eventually break down do to fatigue, typically at a spoke or rim bed first. But if that point is past the useful life of the brake track, it is moot. Of course nothing is guaranteed as you can always hit a big pot hole and eff things up, but for my weight and riding a well built 1600g clincher set gives me the durability I want with out 'hindering' my riding in any but the most academic sense.

The only time I use a lighter wheel is for crit races when I switch to a set of carbon tubulars. But even they weren't built to be specifically lighter weight, it's just that carbon tubular rims are inherently light and at 50mm I felt comfortable going 20/24 on the spokes.

sced

Thanks, so 4 extra spokes front and rear + sturdier rims and you're around 1500g - good enough.

primov8

For less than $500, Hoops Wheels/Pacenti SL23 would be a great wheelset that is hand built, 24mm wide rims and weighs under 1600g for a 24/28 spoke count.

canam73

That is similar to what I ride, and what I have been recommending. Boyd, November and handbuilders like Psimet all have something like it typically for $450-650 dependent on spoke and hub choices. If somebody really wants to go light then do 20/28 with CX-rays or revolutions everywhere but the rear DS. But no matter how much more you spend there isn't a good way to get a meaningful weight reduction without a durability loss in an aluminum clincher for a medium to heavier rider.