Best alloy wheel
01-31-19, 11:06 AM
#1
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Best alloy wheel
I am looking into alloy wheels. My Lynskey has a pulsing front wheel that needs replacing.
On my Moots I have a Hed Belgium Plus / Sapim CX / WI T11 set and I wonder if I can do any better than that. I've been looking at Campy Zonda and Fulcrum but they are 17C (17mm inside width) and I very very much like the wide rims from Hed (the Belgium Plus C2).
Ideally I'd buy something different than the wheels I have on my Moots. I thought of buying from Hed but their hubs I understand are mediocre and I am done with mediocre hubs after using Mavic's (mediocre) hubs.
Wondering if Pacenti Forza are any good.
Fundamental question: Is a wider rim better at maneuvering / handling or is it just my impression because I am comparing Hed Belgium Plus / WI T11 with some lower end Mavics (the Ksyrium Elite) on different bikes?
On my Moots I have a Hed Belgium Plus / Sapim CX / WI T11 set and I wonder if I can do any better than that. I've been looking at Campy Zonda and Fulcrum but they are 17C (17mm inside width) and I very very much like the wide rims from Hed (the Belgium Plus C2).
Ideally I'd buy something different than the wheels I have on my Moots. I thought of buying from Hed but their hubs I understand are mediocre and I am done with mediocre hubs after using Mavic's (mediocre) hubs.
Wondering if Pacenti Forza are any good.
Fundamental question: Is a wider rim better at maneuvering / handling or is it just my impression because I am comparing Hed Belgium Plus / WI T11 with some lower end Mavics (the Ksyrium Elite) on different bikes?
02-01-19, 10:09 PM
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Have you checked out the Hunt line of wheels? They seem to be really well made. If you want a deep AL rim there is the Vision Team 35 Comp. There is another option with a wheels made by Soul called the S3.0.
02-02-19, 09:04 AM
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Second Hunt wheels...got a pair for my old Cannondale. They weigh about 1.45kg (31 deep I believe) for the pair and cost around $400-$500. They look and feel very high quality.
02-02-19, 11:40 AM
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Fundamental question: Is a wider rim better at maneuvering / handling or is it just my impression because I am comparing Hed Belgium Plus / WI T11 with some lower end Mavics (the Ksyrium Elite) on different bikes?
You may find this informative:
Last edited by Clipped_in; 02-02-19 at 11:56 AM.
02-02-19, 11:45 AM
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02-02-19, 03:26 PM
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In a word, no! There are a lot of great alloy wheels out there, but you won't get anything better than that.
A wider rim really has nothing to do with maneuverability, it has a lot to do with stability of feel and grip when doing high intensity cornering. It has everything to do with the shape of the contact patch. Wider rim = shorter and wider contact patch. For the best handling performance, run tires that are about the same as or only slightly wider than the measured outside width of the rim. Doing that reduces tire "rollover" and makes the tire/rim system more solid when really drilling it in the corners.
You may find this informative: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3I-daSkd62E
A wider rim really has nothing to do with maneuverability, it has a lot to do with stability of feel and grip when doing high intensity cornering. It has everything to do with the shape of the contact patch. Wider rim = shorter and wider contact patch. For the best handling performance, run tires that are about the same as or only slightly wider than the measured outside width of the rim. Doing that reduces tire "rollover" and makes the tire/rim system more solid when really drilling it in the corners.
You may find this informative: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3I-daSkd62E
02-03-19, 06:41 AM
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Check out some wheels with the AForce Al33 - no personal experience, but I'm looking for wheels and am very interested. November bicycles sell wheels with these rims and are big fans. They did some aero testing I liked below, and they did very well. (As did the Kinlin XR31T rim.... which is even cheaper)
November bicycles wheels with aforce al33
November's wind tunnel test pt 1 and pt 2, then a little chat about Meaningful Differentiation
November bicycles wheels with aforce al33
November's wind tunnel test pt 1 and pt 2, then a little chat about Meaningful Differentiation
02-03-19, 11:39 AM
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Check out some wheels with the AForce Al33 - no personal experience, but I'm looking for wheels and am very interested. November bicycles sell wheels with these rims and are big fans. They did some aero testing I liked below, and they did very well. (As did the Kinlin XR31T rim.... which is even cheaper)
November bicycles wheels with aforce al33
November's wind tunnel test pt 1 and pt 2, then a little chat about Meaningful Differentiation
November bicycles wheels with aforce al33
November's wind tunnel test pt 1 and pt 2, then a little chat about Meaningful Differentiation
From the link above:
"Our last wind tunnel trip really has the big guys sweatingUsing a 303 instead of a Kinlin XR31T/FSW3 or an AForce Al33/RFSW3 will put you 40mm (we originally said .4mm - Mike carried the 2 wrong somewhere earlier, and an eagle-eyed commenter caught it) ahead after 40k."
So much for the carbon aero wheels - 40mm after 40km.
02-03-19, 11:44 AM
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Anybody has any experience with Boyd Altamont rims? Are they any good?
02-03-19, 12:11 PM
#10
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Wheel = Rim, spokes, hub, and some labor putting it together an truing it
you seem to be speaking of sellers of wheels , not factories making everything in house..
you seem to be speaking of sellers of wheels , not factories making everything in house..
02-03-19, 12:33 PM
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I am looking into alloy wheels. My Lynskey has a pulsing front wheel that needs replacing.
On my Moots I have a Hed Belgium Plus / Sapim CX / WI T11 set and I wonder if I can do any better than that. I've been looking at Campy Zonda and Fulcrum but they are 17C (17mm inside width) and I very very much like the wide rims from Hed (the Belgium Plus C2).
Ideally I'd buy something different than the wheels I have on my Moots. I thought of buying from Hed but their hubs I understand are mediocre and I am done with mediocre hubs after using Mavic's (mediocre) hubs.
Wondering if Pacenti Forza are any good.
Fundamental question: Is a wider rim better at maneuvering / handling or is it just my impression because I am comparing Hed Belgium Plus / WI T11 with some lower end Mavics (the Ksyrium Elite) on different bikes?
On my Moots I have a Hed Belgium Plus / Sapim CX / WI T11 set and I wonder if I can do any better than that. I've been looking at Campy Zonda and Fulcrum but they are 17C (17mm inside width) and I very very much like the wide rims from Hed (the Belgium Plus C2).
Ideally I'd buy something different than the wheels I have on my Moots. I thought of buying from Hed but their hubs I understand are mediocre and I am done with mediocre hubs after using Mavic's (mediocre) hubs.
Wondering if Pacenti Forza are any good.
Fundamental question: Is a wider rim better at maneuvering / handling or is it just my impression because I am comparing Hed Belgium Plus / WI T11 with some lower end Mavics (the Ksyrium Elite) on different bikes?
The Chris King ones subjectively seem slightly better to me:
https://chrisking.com/products/hed-b...plus-r45-28-28
02-03-19, 02:16 PM
#12
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Boyd Altamont rims are good, but they're not welded, they are sleeved. Usually, the top aluminum rims out there are welded. So rims from wheelset like Hed Belgium Plus, Easton R90 SL, Zipp 30 Course, all have welded rims.
I have both the Belgium Plus and Zipp 30 Course wheelsets, and both are equally nice and relativly comfy when used with a 25mm tire. The Zipp 30 Course is a hair lighter wheelset. Both brakes superbly in the mountains all day long, no need to worry about heat! And nobody on carbon aero wheels have ever dropped me down a mountain yet, yep I keep up with all the fat boys on their aero wheels (I may not be able to pass them, but at the same them if they pass me down a straight I can usually can jump on their drafts and away I go with them).
Look into Zipp 30 Course, some are sold on ebay for very nice price. If you like the Hed Belgium Plus, you'll like the Zipp even more (due to its slightly larger braking surface thus making aligning brake pads easier)
I have both the Belgium Plus and Zipp 30 Course wheelsets, and both are equally nice and relativly comfy when used with a 25mm tire. The Zipp 30 Course is a hair lighter wheelset. Both brakes superbly in the mountains all day long, no need to worry about heat! And nobody on carbon aero wheels have ever dropped me down a mountain yet, yep I keep up with all the fat boys on their aero wheels (I may not be able to pass them, but at the same them if they pass me down a straight I can usually can jump on their drafts and away I go with them).
Look into Zipp 30 Course, some are sold on ebay for very nice price. If you like the Hed Belgium Plus, you'll like the Zipp even more (due to its slightly larger braking surface thus making aligning brake pads easier)
02-03-19, 02:27 PM
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Boyd Altamont rims are good, but they're not welded, they are sleeved. Usually, the top aluminum rims out there are welded. So rims from wheelset like Hed Belgium Plus, Easton R90 SL, Zipp 30 Course, all have welded rims.
I have both the Belgium Plus and Zipp 30 Course wheelsets, and both are equally nice and relativly comfy when used with a 25mm tire. The Zipp 30 Course is a hair lighter wheelset. Both brakes superbly in the mountains all day long, no need to worry about heat! And nobody on carbon aero wheels have ever dropped me down a mountain yet, yep I keep up with all the fat boys on their aero wheels (I may not be able to pass them, but at the same them if they pass me down a straight I can usually can jump on their drafts and away I go with them).
Look into Zipp 30 Course, some are sold on ebay for very nice price. If you like the Hed Belgium Plus, you'll like the Zipp even more (due to its slightly larger braking surface thus making aligning brake pads easier)
I have both the Belgium Plus and Zipp 30 Course wheelsets, and both are equally nice and relativly comfy when used with a 25mm tire. The Zipp 30 Course is a hair lighter wheelset. Both brakes superbly in the mountains all day long, no need to worry about heat! And nobody on carbon aero wheels have ever dropped me down a mountain yet, yep I keep up with all the fat boys on their aero wheels (I may not be able to pass them, but at the same them if they pass me down a straight I can usually can jump on their drafts and away I go with them).
Look into Zipp 30 Course, some are sold on ebay for very nice price. If you like the Hed Belgium Plus, you'll like the Zipp even more (due to its slightly larger braking surface thus making aligning brake pads easier)
"Welded and ground seams provides exceptional braking performance. Extra deep anodization hardens and strengthens the rim. The result is a wheelset perfect for training, racing or general performance riding."
Hed Belgium Plus braking track is plenty wide in their latest iteration.
Last edited by Boerd; 02-03-19 at 02:30 PM.
02-03-19, 06:33 PM
#14
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Your wheelset is excellent. I love White Industries and most of my wheel builds are with Sapim spokes and of couse HED Belgiums are the top aluminum rims out there always well rated, good looking and well made. Sure there are some really fancy hubs out there but WI is tops in quality and also in value for a MUSA hub and their staff is super nice. Chris King makes that beehive noise that people love and their hubs are excellent but I don't know aside from swapping to ceramic bearings (which you could do on your current hubs) what you might get aside from the signature sound and maybe a little more engagement on the freehub.
02-03-19, 07:36 PM
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I have a set of these with Chris King hubs, and a second set with White Industries hubs.
The Chris King ones subjectively seem slightly better to me:
https://chrisking.com/products/hed-b...plus-r45-28-28
The Chris King ones subjectively seem slightly better to me:
https://chrisking.com/products/hed-b...plus-r45-28-28
For a set of nice hubs in the running...I'd put DT hubs or Onyx. All depends on budget. Have a set of Kings myself, and when I wanted a nice set of hubs for my gravel ride got Onyx--don't regret it a bit.
02-03-19, 10:47 PM
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I'd get the Whites of the two. Can service the hub without proprietary tools.
For a set of nice hubs in the running...I'd put DT hubs or Onyx. All depends on budget. Have a set of Kings myself, and when I wanted a nice set of hubs for my gravel ride got Onyx--don't regret it a bit.
For a set of nice hubs in the running...I'd put DT hubs or Onyx. All depends on budget. Have a set of Kings myself, and when I wanted a nice set of hubs for my gravel ride got Onyx--don't regret it a bit.
WI hubs are more traditional and straightforward to maintain, and my front one converts to thru-axle from quick release. You just stab it with an ice pick.
I have two sets of WI hubs. I certainly have nothing against them.
02-04-19, 09:15 PM
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I had a rear wheel built with an Altamont, CX-Rays and a Bitex RAR12 hub. I don’t recommend the bitex hubs because they roll slower than my OEM cup and cone hubs (though that may be due to better seals, who knows?) and the freehub seems to skip every once in a while. Also the drag when coasting is horrendous - I had to remove half the pawls to make it acceptable (fairly simple operation).
The rim is phat and I have no complaints about stiffness or straightness despite bunny hopping a lot, but I’m also a light guy. No issues mounting a 28mm Pirelli tire but those are famously easy to mount. Bike + rider combo weighs around 160 but I ran the rear tire at around 45-50psi in a road race and crit last weekend and had no issue keeping up. I’d say being able to get more rubber on the road without having the sidewall collapse is a big plus. Not to mention the extra comfort and reduced suspension losses.
Overall, yes the Altamont rims are legit. I think good hubs (dura ace or WI) + CX Ray spokes + brass nipples + altamont rims (30mm, nonceramic) is the best alloy wheelset money can buy, period. Boyd sells their wheelset for $700ish and I think it’s a pretty decent deal if you prioritize braking power. I recommend pairing it with a supple 28mm tubeless race tire (or with sealant in latex tubes) at a VERY low PSI. 75 was almost unridable for me.
The rim is phat and I have no complaints about stiffness or straightness despite bunny hopping a lot, but I’m also a light guy. No issues mounting a 28mm Pirelli tire but those are famously easy to mount. Bike + rider combo weighs around 160 but I ran the rear tire at around 45-50psi in a road race and crit last weekend and had no issue keeping up. I’d say being able to get more rubber on the road without having the sidewall collapse is a big plus. Not to mention the extra comfort and reduced suspension losses.
Overall, yes the Altamont rims are legit. I think good hubs (dura ace or WI) + CX Ray spokes + brass nipples + altamont rims (30mm, nonceramic) is the best alloy wheelset money can buy, period. Boyd sells their wheelset for $700ish and I think it’s a pretty decent deal if you prioritize braking power. I recommend pairing it with a supple 28mm tubeless race tire (or with sealant in latex tubes) at a VERY low PSI. 75 was almost unridable for me.
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