Originally Posted by
Robert A
Thanks, GFK. Wonderful post! Would love to ask a few follow up questions.
1 - Will Campy Record work with Shimano cassettes?
2 - If Campy hubs are 32 holes, does the higher spoke count cause a negative impact on wheel weight, aerodynamics and responsiveness? I'm 140 pounds and was looking at custom wheels with far fewer spokes.
In comparison to Record hubs with custom-built alloy wheels with HED, Easton or Boyd rims, what are your thoughts about the Shamal Ultra wheelset? I've read good things about Shamal, but the specs indicate that the internal width at 17c is narrower than the others. Any insight you can provide would be appreciated.
Lastly, can you recommend any wheel builders in So Cal (Los Angeles)?
Thank you,
Robert
Please see my (rather long) posts below, Robert.
Bear in mind that as a light rider, you won't get as much advantage out of the current (and in some ways, misguided) trend for wider tyres. 25s at 90-95psi would probably be somewhere near optimum on good surfaces. You just don't need to run 28s or 32s - I'd argue that pretty much no-one of your weight does in the real world, on paved roads.
Shamal Ultra / Mille - very good, strong, reactive wheels, I like them a lot - they are my "go to" wheelset when I don't know what roads I will be riding. I'm 154 pounds, and I say it myself, I ride pretty smoothly, tending to be a lower cadence kind of guy - around 90rpm most of the time. I don't use super-low gears so torque transfer doesn't tend to be so "choppy" as a lot of riders these days. The Shamals with Conti Force and Attack (23/ 25c nominal) are a good combo for me.
The rest of the time I ride 28 / 28 or 28 / 32 with 23s at around 100 - 105 psi, unless I am time-trialling. Then, for me, it's no competition - Bora WTOs, 40mm front, 60mm rear or a disc if I think I have the legs for it.
Conventional spoked wheel scan be light and strong - I rode 28/28 on the amateur Paris Roubaix in 1985 & 86, coying Roger deVlaeminck (I was younfg and impressionable then) and got away with it fine. Not very aero but in 1985 we didn't care and anyway, your wheels spend allmost as much time going up and down on P-R as they do going forwards, in the last 130km, anyway!.