Thread: Upgrade wheels?
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Old 01-29-09 | 04:14 PM
  #12  
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stapfam
Time for a change.
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From: 6 miles inland from the coast of Sussex, in the South East of England

Bikes: Dale MT2000. Bianchi FS920 Kona Explosif. Giant TCR C. Boreas Ignis. Pinarello Fp Uno.

Originally Posted by 117rider
not really! Have had to have spokes adjusted a couple of times for popping when I am standing or climbing. The wheels are made by JALCO and I have read that they are not really that good of wheel. I would like to get a little lighter wheel if possible.


Originally Posted by wmodavis
If I were you I'd start by having the current wheels tensioned properly. The most likely reason you have had to have the spokes adjusted a couple of times is that they, in fact, are undertensioned and/or unevenly tensioned. Properly tensioned wheels are more durable and stronger. Save your hard earned upgrade money for the time being until you are certain there is a need to upgrade. Of course if you just want to upgrade without a reason (it is kind of fun) do it.

Stock wheels are Machine built and if you have had to have the wheel trued a couple of times- then it is time to get the wheel spokes detensioned and retensioned by a good wheel builder.

But I am not a fan of OM wheels. They are made to a price and the quality of them is often not that high. My first road bike had stock wheels and although they never went out of true- They used to flex on cornering at speed. One particular hill and I had to brake for a corner and the max speed on the hill was 30mph. Not bad except on my MTB with knobblies- the corner is only a curve and I get 37mph on this same hill.

So into the shop and talk new wheels. Handbuilt set of 36spoke 105 hubs on Mavic CXP33 rims. They gave me confidence on the bike and raised my average on a 40 mile ride by 2 mph. The OM wheels I got retensioned and use them as winter wheels.

So look at getting a set of Handbuilt wheels- or-- a good alternative that will not break the bank are Mavic Aksiums. They are not pretty- not very light but they are bombproof and will take the bit of weight that you carry.
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