MrPlanters

Hey you bike pros!

Before the next bike season I want to change at least my rear wheel and maybe my wheelset if my budget permits it. Im a 260lbs clyde and dont think I will go under 230 even this summer with lots of biking.

Atm my bike is equipped with stock wheels it comes with: Bontrager Race Lite (20 spokes front, 24 spokes rear) I have used them for about 1500 miles and needed to true them twice. I know its normal to true a wheel from time to time, but I hate to bring my wheel to my LBS and need to wait 1 week to get it back because its the peak season. It kills my "bike tempo". Anyway... (maybe I should learn how to true my wheel by myself...)

What I need is a really solid wheel. I did a lot of reasearch with the search tool on the forum, but cant ssem to find a clear answer. 2 choices seem to be prevalent:

1- Deep-V wheel with ultegra hub (id go with 32 spokes)
2- Mavic Open Pro with ultegra hub

but other options do exist. I've seen a lot of people talk about the DT-Swiss rim (1.1 or 1.2, 1.2 seems to be sturdier) with whatever quality hub or mavic wheels (ksyrium or aksium) Something like that https://www.coloradocyclist.com/product/kit/SSFCEXET looks sweet to me.

My budget would be around 350$ for the rear wheel.

Oh, and a last question, where should I buy the wheel if it has to be hand made? Im in Quebec and can find any online wheel builder taking orders for Canada. If I order from USA, you have suggestion?

Thanks a lot.

MrPlanters (mmmmm peanuts...)

Tom Stormcrowe

Canada
All The Right Gears
288 Gray's Rd Unit 2
Hamiltion ON L8E 4Y4
(905) 561-4030
julianna2@Sympatico.ca
180 MTN Sports
423 9th Ave N Box 962
Golden BC VOA,IHO
(250) 344-4699
don_180@cablerocket.com
https://www.180golden.com

Velocity Cycles

Unit 206-20167 96th Ave.
Langley BC V1M 3C5

info@velocitycycles.ca

https://www.velocitycycles.ca


LifeSport

1110 Gladstone Rd. NW

Calgary, ALB T2N 3E7

(403) 270-4501

lifesport@telus.net

https://www.lifesport-calgary.com/index.php

Bicycle Cafe

102 630 Main St

Canmore, ALB T1W 2B5

(403) 678 - 3021

bcooke@bicyclecafe.com

https://www.bicyclecafe.com


Mighty Riders

10 East Broadway

Vancouver, BC V5T 1V6

(604) 879-8705

ed@mightyriders.ca

https://mightyriders.ca/index.php

Gord's Ski & Bike

7 Donald St

Winnipeg, MAN R3L 2S6

(204) 284-2952

www.gords.com


Icycle Sport

9002 Quartz Rd

Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A 2Z5

(867) 668-7559

pat@icyclesport.com

Tom Stormcrowe

There are some Canadian sources of DT Swiss.

cohophysh

I use the deep v ultegra hub 36 spoke..solid as a rock. had www.universalcycles.com build them

AeroJoe

If your not afraid of a different technology, try the aerospoke (www.aerospoke.com). For $325, I did and do not regret it one bit. (Then again, I'm an Engineer by training and saw the beauty of the design from the first time I researched it vs. a 40- or 48-spoke custom wheel). I've got 2000+ miles on it, and no broken spokes!!! The pawls are very heavy-duty, it uses a standard rim for braking. The biggest drawback is they can be a little noisy (from resonation in the molded hollow channels in the "spokes"), and you have to use their replacement hubs. I know their not for everybody, but worth looking at.

mhraxo

At your size i would run..............

https://www.coloradocyclist.com/product/kit/SSFCEUDS

i was 255 when i got a set of these, i still use them now as y training, wheels, 2 yrs now and only had the back wheel got of true a slight fraction, i got about 5000 mileas on em now too

laduckslayer

Bontrager Classics. Bomb proof.

Pamestique 

For the money you are willing to spend is there some reason you don't want them hand built? For instance I used Mavic CXP33 rims and Chris King hubs and lace the rear with 32 spokes. The wheels are beautiful and will last a lifetime. The set cost me $700 so the rear wheel is in your price range.

hammond9705

I have had a number of wheels built by Colorado Cyclist. I would have them build you a 36 spoke Ultegra/OP rear. I've got 2 bikes with these with thousands of miles.

LarDasse74

Where in Quebec are you?

Any city will have a shop that has experience building wheels. Almost all shops in Canada can order DT rims through Cycles Lambert. Ask around other cyclists in your area which shop has a good reputation for wheelbuilding - older road racers are probably the best source for this information.
Then get that shop to recommend some good spokes and a good hub (Ultegra is good, some much more expensive hubs are better), and build up the wheel for you. As a big rider myself I have always found building with the spokes at the maximum recommended tension for the rim will give the stiffest and strongest and longest lasting wheel.

Wino Ryder

+1

IMO that would be hard to beat for your weight, unless you go with a cxp-33 rim from CC. The cxp would build into a slightly stronger wheel, but the 'Open Pro' would be great too. I've never had wheels built by them but I've been on these boards long enough to hear great reviews about their wheel building. Cant beat their prices either.

For the record, when I was at your weight (ive since lost 45 lbs) I ran the old 'Open 4 CD' wheels in 32-spoke, which were the predecessor to the Open Pros, and they were great. Now I'm running Ambrosio 'Excellence' rims on Record hubs on my classic and they're great too (with the Italian flair)

adrien

i used spinlite for my deep-vs.came in a little above your budget for the full set, including ultegra hubs and 28/36 build. Deep v's have been better to me than open pros.

another option is opoen sports, which are a little heavier, apparently stronger and cheaper. They came stock on a couple of my bikes (konas) and i have had not issues, though the new ones i have i've never ridden and will sell as new with the tires.

MrPlanters

Im in Quebec City. Know any wheel builder in the city?

lutz

Deep V's (32 hole should be fine) or Mavic CXP-33 rims, if you want to have long lasting, reliable wheels.

BikeDork02

If any of your LBS order from QBP, they can get a handspun wheel from them. My 32h Mavic OP/Ultegra's were built by them and they do a great job.

mkadam68

My training wheelset is Ultegra hubs w/32hole Mavic OpenPro rims. Very durable. I was amazed at how well the rear has lasted, actually as they're machine built. I got them both from Performance Bikes. You can have them hand-check everything if you wish. $129 front, $149 (?) rear. At your budget, you could get both now, or eventually two sets.

LarDasse74

I have only spent ~24 hours in Quebec City in my life, and never had a chance to research wheelbuilders

But start calling shops or asking other cyclist friends... I would be surprised if there aren't at least fifteen guys or shops who all want to be considered the "best" wheelbuilder in town. You do not have to order from out of town to get quality bike products in QC.

Additional advantage: Many builders will give you a 'warranty' for wheel trueness, spoke tension or breakage... and having a warranty with a local shop is much more valuable than a warranty with a shop 1000 kms away.