As part of my new found initiative to take my riding to the next level, I have decided to purchase some help by way of a wheelset. I currently have one bike, an aluminum KHS that I purchased off Craig's List years back, so building high end wheels from the ground up is quite a departure from my normal approach. I'm no Uncle PCAD.

I only view this as threadworthy because my build choice represents a ton of research and incorporates characteristics (and a couple new to market parts) that many of us are after.

Goals:
- Power: Having read the Allen/Coggan book and googled extensively, I am sold on the training with power methodology. An '09 powertap rear hub made the most sense to me as I already have a Garmin 705. I want a 300 watt FTP.
- Stiffness and Durability: I can punish wheels with the best of them and I don't want there to be any concerns about breaking spokes or other such nonsense.
- Weight: Although the primary use will be for training, I do intend to race on these, so target weight was set at 1600 grams. That's heavy enough to allow for some burly components, but light enough to not feel handicapped by them.
- Cost and Practicality: Aluminum clinchers and commonly available components were an obvious choice for me. Nothing exotic.


Kent Johnson (USCSwimming here on the forums) has been working with me for months on this. Most of it has involved bugging Saris to release the new powertaps that they announced forever ago.

Build:
Kinlin XR-300 24/32 hole rims
Alchemy ELF Front Hub / 2009 Powertap SL+ (15mm axle) Rear Hub
Sapim CX-Ray Spokes
Wheelsmith 14g nipples
Ritchey Snap-on Rim Tape

Front = Radial
Rear = DS - 1x with the heads in
NDS - 3x alternating heads in/out


Here are some pics of the front that Kent sent over. Weight came in at 642 grams. I like it. Looks all business without stupid huge logos everywhere. Still waiting on the powertap hub to arrive. I will update this thread with a ride report(s) and powertap tests asap.