Originally Posted by
Chrome Molly
First tires - something nice like veloflex masters or Michelin pro 3's
Second rims, something in the 1500 gram range with fewer spokes to help deal with crosswinds
Well, yes, but... Those tires will definitely be nice, but expensive. If the OP is willing, that could be an upgrade.
As for the rims, it all depends on how heavy the current rims are. What little research I did on the Araya 1w showed it to be a 19mm (outer) width rim, so it should be pretty nice for a good tire. That's the rim the OP was questioning. The Open Pro should be decent too. I don't recall him saying his spoke count.
My point was simply that there are plenty of good mid-level features or components around without having to go high-end for everything.
But then, don't ask me. I have a fully-upgraded UO8, though admittedly it took me a few decades to finish.