Have about $800 to spend on new wheels
 

Ok really want to get some new shoes for the SST. The OEM Oval wheels are boat anchors. I really don't want to spend more than $800 and preferably less. Two main choices are some Far Sports 38mm (or maybe 50mm) clinchers or getting the parts I need from Bike Hub Store to build a custom set of Kinlin 27mm rims with some of their SL hubs. I MIGHT know of a place to get some Reynolds Assaults for $899 which is slightly over my budget. I'd really like to get some moderately deep carbon rims but I had a Kinlin/Formula hub wheelset some time ago and they were a little under 1400 grams and some of the best wheels I've ever had. Any other ideas are appreciated.

Go back to performance, get a set of Reynolds r4 46mm clinchers, they do 20% off every couple of weeks and they'll come I. Around 820 bucks. I don't think you'll get better quality for that price. I have a pair of them and they are stiff under my 195# body and come in around 220g lighter than then factory oval 527 and probably 450 lighter than the 327's if you got those instead. I have not a single complaint.

If you don't want to go over 800 at all, go with shimano rs81's. They weigh 1501g, dura ace 24mm carbon rim but use an ultegra 6800 hub instead of dura ace. No one complains about them either and I believe they usually go for 750.

My preference would be the Reynolds though by far.

I have the shimano rs 80s and love them. They are lightweight, have a great hub, and are still true after a few thousand miles even though I'm 185 lbs and often commute to work with a heavy backpack. Plus they have an aluminum braking surface, which I like.

The rs 81s are on sale at chain reaction cycles for $500 right now.

That said, I am looking at a new wheelset for a recent build and have had my eye on a set of rol alpe d'huez.

Rol used to be local to me and I knew a lot of the guys who work there. They do make great wheels. One of their former wheel builders actually built the Kinlin’s I was talking about. I was bummed when they moved to Colorado – I hear they are actually in the same building as another former Austin bike company – Alchemy Bikes.

The price on the custom BHS build is looking pretty tempting – I did the math this morning after I posted. With Kinlin 24 front/28 rear with the SL hubs and Sapim C-Xray spokes it comes to about a 1400 gram wheelset for $375 shipped. Of course that is just for the parts. I’d either have to build them myself or pay someone to do it. Still would probably have a complete wheelset for well under $500.

If you are thinking of going with Kinlin rims, you might as well go all out on hubs: $830 with CK R45 hubs: White Mountain Wheels - Handbuilt Custom Bicycle Wheels - Made in Alto, NM

Or if you want to stick with aluminum rims, this option from Fairwheel bikes is light, wide and tubeless: https://fairwheelbikes.com/kinlin-xr...ddb5060f976787

If it were me I would get those new November hubs with Pacenti's and have $200 leftover.

Ironically I just received an email for a 10% discount from my first order at BHS - wonder if they are monitoring this thread. ;)

Message me if you'd be interested in some Kinlin XR-300's laced to Ultegra hubs. I snagged 'em for a good price, but I don't think they have enough spokes for me.

Wider rims are the new trend, though. Kinlin's 279's, 31t, or Pacenti's. I like the November suggestion. Maybe a bdop built kit?

Haven't heard of these hubs but these look tempting.

i'll throw out Altamont alloy clincher - Boyd Cycling
Can't beat the handbuilt quality and service Coachboyd provides. You won't be sorry about saving the extra $150 either

At 22mm, those aren't quite as deep most others mentioned here.

Yep – I was wanting something deeper. What is attractive about them though is a.)it is a complete pre-built wheelset so I don’t have to worry about getting the parts put together b.)they’re fairly light c.)They’re 23mm wide – no idea if this is a big deal d.)they are tubeless compatible – this is a big deal to me, and e.)price is pretty darn good. :D

I have to admit I’m being practical with the aluminum stuff. The non practical side of me really wants deep carbon rims though. :D

My practical side has always stuck with good aluminum wheels. I recently let stupid win over and I've got a 38mm set of carbons on my podium and a 46mm set on my Altamira.

The ride is smoother, not extreme but noticeable (everything in tx is chip-seal where the long winding routes are). They do get blown around more but nothing dangerous. I topped a climb yesterday and started bombing down the backside, I averaged 26.7 on this 6 mile stretch where it ranges from flat and a few very gentle grades to severely down hill and hit a max of 41.6 for around 3/4 of a mile. That's 2mph faster than I've ever done that section before and 3mph faster max.

On the contrary through, on other routes that are rolling hills and you're up and down all the time, I've noticed not a single digit of gain over my usual averages that couldn't just be attributed to feeling better that day. One little short route I do early some mornings when I just need to get out and go is a 28.7 mile loop. Not a lot of elevation, I think it's right around 1600 ft gain over the course but there are no real flat portions or extended down hill portions. My best mph average with aluminum wheels was 17.4, best with 46mm carbon wheels, 17.6. Probably just felt a little better that day.

Deeper wheels do have advantages with long flat areas and descending for sure and probably with younger stronger riders than me, but places like that are rather rare where I live so honestly, I just have more bling now. I think I knew it would be that way but I really just wanted the bling hahaha.

this !

Fulcrum Racing Zeros

Do you never ride in crosswinds?

For a rec rider the gains are moot for deeper section...and the cons quickly add up, handling as well as cost, as well abraking, as well as durability. My HED Belgium+ may not have looked as sexy as one rider's SRAM S60 60mm carbon wunderwheels on this year's Tour de Nebraska...but when we had 20MPH sustained crosswinds with stronger gusts, it was not I who was regretting my equipment life choices.

Cost 20% more than the OP's budget, and have the "feature" where you have to pay through the nose and wait week(s) for parts if anything breaks.

To boot, there are better alloy wheels you can get for the money.

^^^^^This!!!!!!
November Bicycles: Race smart. - Alloy Nimbus Ti Wheelsets

Boyd's are good too, but I would go with the November because of the hub set.

nothing particularly special about the hubs, WI are good, but not something that would necessarily stand out to pick a wheel over another. You also aren't getting cx-rays and they use alloy nipples which I personally hate.

I used to race – mostly masters crits kind of stuff just for fun. I did run some Zipp 404’s tubulars for a while back in roughly 2007-08. They did seem to spin up quicker but what I really noticed was that they seemed to require less wattage to hold a given speed. Crosswinds were never a really big problem with those.

On the flip side I had some Kysrium Elites for a while. I guess it was the huge spokes those things used but the wind used to really push me around when I was using them.

Who sells the November hub wheelsets you guys are talking about?

Click the "Buy 'em Here" button on the posted link to order.

NovemberDave is a good guy and posts on RBR, think I've seen him here too.

What other hub gives you great flange design, a steel axle, titanium freehub, bearing pre-load adjustment, and similar weight that pricepoint?

And as far as the CX Rays, November demonstrated quite nicely in the wind tunnel that that is not the place most value minded persons should spend that $100.

Thanks - missed that earlier. I see the big deal about the November hubs now. They're made by White Industries and feature a titanium cassette body. I've always really like that as it keeps the cassette from putting notches in the cassette body on the hub. Not a lot of hubs have that feature. Are the Stans No Tube rims any good? *edit* just noticed they are only 20mm deep.

Hope makes some of the best hubs I've owned and abused.

Industry 9 is another hub to look at however the price is up there.