I ride a Trek 1500. Put a training tire on the back for the winter. Now I think I should get a new wheel set. What are your recommendations? Went to LBS this morning and was surprised at the prices. I don't really want to pay more for wheels than I did for the bike

Why do you want new wheels? What's wrong with the existing set?

Normally, people buying new wheels are looking for enhanced performance, and so the market is weighted towards better high-end wheels. People who don't care so much about performance will more than likely just stick with the OEM wheels that came with their bike.

For road bikes, entry level wheels would be something like Mavic Aksiums or maybe Shimano RS20s, which run about $250 for the set. But again, it's hard to answer the question without knowing why you are looking to upgrade.

If you offered me a new wheel set that cost the same as a new road bike with entry level wheels, or the new bike,
I would take the wheel set every time

yep, kind of helps to know what you do not like about the old wheels, and what you want in the new wheels, or at least what you want to accomplish with the new wheels that you figure you can not with the old wheels.

Have a Big budget to spend ? and is there a Cycling Peer Club you ride with that you want to impress ?


What is the drive train? I have no clue what a Trek 1500 uses unless you bother to say .. it does not matter enough to look up, for Me.

do you like US made Hubs or is Asian stuff good enough ?

Vuelta Corsa Lites on sale at Nashbar. Got mine for $209.

Thanks for the replies. I have a training tire on at the moment and thought instead of taking it off, a new back wheel may be a way to go. Then i have an extra for days I can't ride outside. They don't make the Bontragers I got with the bike anymore - hence a new wheelset.

#1 Correct frame geometry/size
#2 wheels

wheels have advanced far more than frames in the last 20 years. They are the best upgrade on a perfectly functioning bike.

If you are sure that you need/want a new wheelset I'd recommend looking at Psimet wheels, Rob is a member of BF, regular in the Road Forum, his wheels have been tested against the big name wheels by Velo and were very highly rated. Probably, my next wheelset will come from him. Take a look at his site, you can email him for a quote on exactly what you are looking for in a wheelset. He will let you know if others would be better for your needs, if he cannot help you.

PSIMET Custom Wheels

If you want to look at the big name wheels, Ribble has a bunch of different brands on sale right now.

A long time 50+ member, Stapfam, always told us to invest in handmade wheels, rather than a machine assembled, mass produced wheelset. The handmade wheels will have better tension on each spoke than the machine made ones. Right now I am still on the original Fulcrum Racing7 wheels on my CAAD 10, they have not required re-tensioning, or truing, in over 10,000 miles. Until the brake tracks are worn beyond safe use they will keep rolling under me. Ribble has them below 200.00 a set right now.

Bill

Yup.

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They look good on your bike...I like the blacked out look, it looks good with the wheelset.

I also have Vueltas on my winter bike. I am happy with them.

I have only one recommendation, which is to stick with at least 32 spokes per wheel, in a 3X pattern, if you care about long term reliability and repairability. Jobst Brandt had a great article on why 36-spoke wheels were standard for so many years, and, in his opinion, still should be.

If you just want a spare wheel to make swapping between outdoors and indoors earlier, there's no reason to by a whole wheel set. Rear wheels are sold separately. Just remember that you'll also have to buy a cassette that fits your derailleur. And if you don't want to adjust the derailleur each time you swap wheels, you'll want it to have the same set of cogs as your current cassette.

Thanx, Lenny. The wheelset has been very reliable. This particular set was so light it couldnt be ignored. The dropouts take the spread just fine, only a slight spread is required. I put a 7sp cassette on it so there was need for a 4.5mm spacer needed.

I have a set of Mavic Ksyrium sl's 18 front 20 rear, with over 15'000 mile on them. No broken spokes, not even any loose ones. I weigh 215. Not durable? I have a set of 16-20 wheels on my cross bike. Gravel, grass, trails, did break one spoke 2 years ago when I hit a bif chuck hole. Don't know if 32 would have been any better. Good wheels don't have to rely on spoke count to be durable in my heavyweight experience. The SL's were a grand though.

Here is set of wheeels i bought last summer "just because". About same amount as bike so its justified? hah

Rock on!

+1
Just a cheapo rear for the trainer is all you need.
IF you bought an "identical" wheel/cassette to what you currently have, you'd still probably have to tweak the barrel adjuster a bit.

I am new to this thread, so...hello all.

I must concur with those who say that a new wheel set will upgrade your bike.
At almost 67, I have been riding for three years after a 45 year absence.
I ride around 5,000 miles a year on my 2004 Orbea Mitis. (I bought it used.) My average ride is 35 miles with 2,000 - 3,000 feet of climb.
I ride Campy, so I had Campy Vento wheels.
After the need to replace my freehub, which was impossible because Campy changed the specs and the new freehubs would not fit, my local bike shop suggested that they build me the right wheels for my riding.
Campy Record hubs, Mavic Open Pro rims and DT Swiss spokes went into the build.
From the first ride on the new wheels, I was riding faster and with much less pain. I live in the Pennsylvania hills and climbing was where I really noticed the difference. I was able to climb much faster and easier (not that climbing these hills is easy) than with the Ventos.
The wheel set is the best upgrade one can make.

I'm with having the local shop build wheels to your spec, especially if you are a high mileage or are going to be a high mileage rider.

I have two sets of Psimet wheels and two sets of Boyd Altamonts (Boydcycling.com). I would recommend either.

They are just down right Sexy Looking Wheels..

Reynolds RZR 92 Carbon Road Wheelset - Tubular | Competitive Cyclist Anyone have any input on there wheels?

My Guru currently has Mavic Ksyrium Elite S wheels that came with the bike when I bought it used. Anytime I consider a new wheelset I have to ask if the gain is worth the money. So far, I haven't been convinced. But, I admit to being kind of a neophyte on this subject anyway.

They are on sale. And look darn nice