Let me clarify in saying that I got my SL's used, and I am poor (student.)

I'm a Cat 4/collegiate B. I'll probably keep the ksyriums. I need to work on training anyway, I haven't been doing anything lately.

If you're investing $800 in anything with a Mavic freehub body, you're not exactly poor in anything other than common sense. There are tons of ways to get a better all around wheel for a lot less.

does anyone pay retail for mavic wheels?

My 'poor man's race wheels' are ksyrium elites. they replaced some ultegra/OP's for no good reason.

combined investment in BOTH sets of wheels = $300

That's what I usually race on: 32-spoke DT RR 1.2s, with 9sp Dura-Ace and Ultegra hubs (I have four sets of them). I also have a pair of Token C50As and a pair Flash-Point FP60s, but I usually use the DTs, because they're stiffer (which makes them seem to accelerate better out of corners), brake better, seem to corner better, handle twice as good in the wind (especially on open circuits), and also seem to hold speed better. Maybe if I did longer road races I'd use the Tokens more.

I think the retail price of SL's is about $1000 and I usually see them going for around $800-900 on the internet. So people might not pay retail but they do pay a stupid amount of money. Someone bought my ES's on Ebay for like $750.

Anyway, point is: poor men don't have 'race wheels.'

What do you Mavic haters think of this wheel?

http://www.excelsports.com/image/Exc...%20Shimano.jpg

Get the 1.2, not the 1.1.

Ultegra hubs, CXP33 rims, laced with DT Revolution spokes (28 front, 32 rear), radial on the front, 3X on the non drive side and 2X DT Competition on the drive side. Stiffer than godzilla's erection, bombproof, and light. Reasonably aero as well.

How about some williams cycling 19s or 30s. Good price and "hybrid ceramic bearings" :0 www.williamscycling.com. They have also been reviewed at www.testrider.com if you are interested. I've been thinking about the 19s with powertap personally.

Is anyone riding Williams Cycling wheels? The 30mm alloy clincher looks like a pretty good deal to me.



http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y18...williams30.jpg

The title of the thread is Poor man's race wheels. The answer to the question is "your training wheels." If you are worried in the least about money, a second set of wheels is far from the answer. Get more wheels when you have the cash. Wheels are one of the most expensive ways to gain any type of advantage.

I think a good deal for a 'poor man's race wheels' are the soul 4.0s.

My set just got in, and they're going to be nice for race only applications.

are you going to put dedicated race tires/cassette on there as well? if so, what?

I was thinking light tube/pr3's/ultegra cassette. BUT! I have 4 rubino pro's that I bought when they were like 15 bucks a tire. So I'll probably use those for now. My 'race only' wheels might even have a yellow set that doesn't match.

I have a 105 cassette on my training/trainer wheel and it looks like it could use a new cassette, but I'll make it last one more year since I rarely use it on the road. It doesn't really look too bad though.

Ordered an ultegra cassette (and sunglasses) from pbk last night, and I'm a little annoyed. Their prices dropped 3 bucks to the following day, and now they have free sunglasses when you spend more than 75 bucks. I could have bought two cassettes and had a free pair of sunglasses...

The glasses wouldn't have been my first pick, but they're free so I wouldn't have had any complaints.

Bleh.

http://revolutioncycles.com/images/l...65266_06_m.jpg
Bontrager Selects: 1800+ grams of pure racing sexiness!

All joking aside, those are the wheels I own, race, train, do everything on. I'm a Cat4, when I feel like my wheels are responsible for me losing races, I'll let you know.

the pbk thing was nice. i ordered a jacket, gloves, leg warmers, two conti ultra sport tires (good for trainer/commuter, etc) and the free glasses for $85 shipped.

btw, I honestly wouldn't run ultra-light tubes on a race bike. it's a personal preference thing, but unless it's a crit (where you're not climbing anyway) a flat is effectively the end of the race for you. The weight diff is negligible, but if you flat it's hard to argue that effect isn't neg.