Originally Posted by
michael432000
When the rain is warmer, that made me laugh, we haven’t been short of a bit of rain have we.
Hi Paul. What spoke count did you use and are they a noticeable improvement on the stock wheels or is it mainly the tyres? I was stuck on 16 front and 24 rear for lightness but maybe it’s not so necessary.
The rims are Sun CR18 and have 32 spokes front and back - laced from Shimano Ultegra hubs. I have them shod with Schwalbe Marathon Racer tyres, which offer a good balance between low rolling resistance and puncture protection. The original wheels have Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres which are heavier and provide greater protection against flats. The problem with the Marathon Plus tyres on our road surfaces is that they drag a bit. It's almost like trying to rip Velcro apart! The roads around here have stone chippings embedded in the Tarmac which the Marathon Plus tyres grip with force. There's no chance of skidding but not much chance of freewheeling either! The new wheels are lighter than the stock ones (without tyres) and roll very well. They make the bike a bit lighter and (having black rims) look good. If you use slick tyres they would be even lighter.
Avon Cycles said they could build wheels using any combination of rims, spokes and hubs. I chose Ultegra because Shimano is compatible with the stock SRAM gears on the Swift.