Originally Posted by
andrewclaus
I'm with you on lighter wheels for lighter loads. Since you hike, you probably hear the debates about boots vs. running shoes, and heavy pack vs ultralight. I think bike wheels might have some analogs in those debates.
Correct. I'm on the trail running shoes side of the debate (maybe because I'm also a trail runner), and a typical backpacking base weight (including shoes, trekking poles, everything but food and water) is ~18 pounds. Light, but not ultralight. My approach to bike touring also reflects this.