So I'm the guy who crashed his Cross Check the other day, screwing up the front rims pretty badly. After two days riding with a bad wheel, I've decided that I can live with it. The braking makes an annoying sound and doesn't work as well anymore, but I'm just gonna ride it for all its worth. Once the brake-pads are worn out, which will happen more quickly because of the deep lacerations on the rims, I'll replace the wheel.

So I'm looking for suggestions for a solid entry-level wheel. The new wheel needs to be affordable, around $100 to $150 for a single wheel or $200 to $300 for a wheel set. It needs to be tough and reliable Light and fast are also good, but not completely necessary. I'll be using it for daily commuting, maybe 70 miles a week, and a bike tour next summer. The tires I'm using are Specialized Armadillo's 700x25

I was thinking about the Mavic Aksium. Here's some more information about them.

https://www.competitivecyclist.com/za....ID=&BRAND.ID=
https://www.roadbikereview.com/cat/wh...5_2490crx.aspx

Does anyone have any other suggestions?

From what I gather Mavic Aksium looks and performs like the much more expensive Mavic Krysium Elites, at a fraction of the cost. What performance aspects improve with a better wheel?