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Performance sale... Titan wheelset?

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Performance sale... Titan wheelset?

Old 03-05-08, 11:01 PM
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Performance sale... Titan wheelset?

Hey guys:

Performance bike has on sale their Forte brand Titan wheelset for 150 off what they are normally (which means they are outrageously cheap).

I know they aren't good wheels to begin with, but I'm on Shimano R-500 wheels right now and they groan.

If I were to buy wheels in the future, I would be looking for STRENGTH as the most important feature. So would going with these wheels ($60 front, $70 rear) be smart, or are there options out there that are MUCH stronger and not too much more expensive that I should be looking for?

Thanks for the advice
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Old 03-05-08, 11:03 PM
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I see the Mavic Ksyrium wheels are on sale as well... I'd only be able to afford but one, however.

Hm... what would you suggest?
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Old 03-05-08, 11:06 PM
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$130 for the pair is pretty much the regular sale price and they seem to be on sale 40 weeks a year. That said, they are good wheels for the price. As for their strength, it kind of depends on the type of rider you are. If you are less than 185 pounds and aren't too hard on wheels, then these are worth a try. If not, I'd spring another $70 and get the Open Pro/Ultegra combo at Performance.

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Old 03-05-08, 11:11 PM
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I'm sub 160 but go pretty hard (Michigan streets...)

If more people attest to their good strength then I'll go for them.

The R-500s I'm riding came with my bike that I bought used and look to have seen several thousands of miles and quite a lot of abuse. The rims are pretty crappy now.
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Old 03-05-08, 11:16 PM
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This is one guy's opinion, but at 170lb I found them to be as flexy as hell, and returned them for a set of Aksiums.
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Old 03-05-08, 11:17 PM
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55/Rad is correct, I don't think I have ever seen them for more than $150 per pair, and usually $120-130. Anyway, I have them and even at my 150 lb, the front flexes a little, rubbing the brake on a strong sprint with a fairly soft fork. fwiw I only use them for racing and group rides on smooth rodes. My 32h Reflex/Ultegra wheels commute and train with me most of the time. 16 spokes is few enough to mean you're stuck if you break one.
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Old 03-05-08, 11:19 PM
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pair of aksiums at nashbar for 139 also get the 10% off (campy type) either silver or black

The also have the ksyrium equipe silver for about $200 for the pair.

Other people have mentioned they're heavy but bombproof.
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Old 03-05-08, 11:22 PM
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I've seen the price go as low as $85 for a set of these. They are on the heavy side, but fairly sturdy. They reportedly have quality control problems, so don't be surprised if yours don't last too long.
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Old 03-05-08, 11:44 PM
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I got a set of Titans, actually I got a set of Supergo Korsos that are the same. The front seems to be indestructible but rear hub cracked on me. I was able to ride home on it when it happened. Performance honored the warranty and replaced with a new Titan at no cost. I would not hesitate to buy them again, especially for the price. I payed $90 at local Supergo closeout sale.

I will second 55/Rad that Open Pro/Ultegra won't be much more expensive but will be way more reliable.
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Old 03-05-08, 11:47 PM
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Save up a little and get some soul wheels or neuvations. Budget wheels are a great idea, but there's a difference between budget and cheap.

Depends on what you're looking for though. The aksiums will be great if all you want is performance.
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Old 03-06-08, 12:11 AM
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I have gone back and forth on the Titans. I have had a few of them. The rear was replaced twice for me when popping developed. They have a pretty well known rear hub/flange issue.

That said aham23 just bought a rear to use on the trainer and it was in his car the other day. I checked it out to see if they had updated anything...

...they have. The rear flanges are about 1.5-2X as thick. They have added a web of AL between the spoke "ears/tabs" on the drive side to effectively make it a full round AL flange. Much beefier than they used to be.

That said you are buying a cheap wheelset. What do you expect to get from them.

I would follow Rad's advice and go with the OP/Ultegra combos that Performance sells at an amazing price. Also as noted Nashbar has the Aksium sets pretty cheap as well. Aksiums - while much heavier than the Titans - will long outlast them. So much so it's kind of pathetic.
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Old 03-06-08, 12:30 AM
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I worked at Performance for a year..... yikes. I'd be scared if anyone near me had this wheelset. Invest some money bro. Don't let a price tag tell you what wheel you should buy.
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Old 03-06-08, 01:13 AM
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P.S.- From what I've been told, John at neuvation warrantys and guarantees his wheels, regardless of who owns them or whether you bought them used. Maybe look into buying a used set of neuvations online? Ebay has a set right now that I was interested in but I decided not to bid.
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Old 03-06-08, 01:35 AM
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im a heavy guy so im naturally hard on wheelsets. that said, i broke the rear hub at one of the spoke nipples while cranking out of the saddle. i dont trust those wheels.
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Old 03-06-08, 06:49 AM
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rear wheel was completely misaligned. Not of of true, but off from the start,
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Old 03-06-08, 07:07 AM
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It's only a little more for Ultegra/Open Pros or Aksiums. I got my Aksiums on sale with a $20 off coupon for $150, and I've seen the Open Pros for ~$200. You might as well upgrade to something worth upgrading to.

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Old 03-06-08, 08:01 AM
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Those wheels are always on sale, and they are always worth about what you will pay -- very little.
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Old 03-06-08, 10:08 AM
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ridethecliche, the Forte Titans are rebadged Neuvation M28 Aero 2. I've even compared the two side by side. Although I'll consent that the Forte ones might be factory seconds or something, there can't be that much of a difference without going into a safety/liability issue. I just checked the hubs and spoke tension on mine before buying them and they're fine, so I don't see how getting a set of M28 Aero 2 would be any better than the Titans. They're both a little flimsy. I can't speak for the other Neuvation wheels though.
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Old 03-06-08, 10:43 AM
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I've got two pairs of titans on both of my current road bikes.... Had them for about a year now. No problems, issues, or any truing.... Then again, I'm about 120lbs.... so I'm easy on them...... If you're light enough, you can use any wheel and get away with it.




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Old 03-06-08, 11:00 AM
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Originally Posted by ridethecliche
P.S.- From what I've been told, John at neuvation warrantys and guarantees his wheels, regardless of who owns them or whether you bought them used. Maybe look into buying a used set of neuvations online? Ebay has a set right now that I was interested in but I decided not to bid.
The Titans are pretty much equivalent to the Neuvation M28 Aero (slightly different spokes).

I have a pair of Titans with the reinfoced hub, I love them. Probably the lightest, most aero wheelset you can get for $150.
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Old 03-06-08, 10:54 PM
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The number of people who've had issues with the Titans seems a little disconcerting. I'll hold back on my impulses and wait to get some nicer wheels

Thanks for the feedback everyone
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Old 03-06-08, 10:59 PM
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Originally Posted by kill.cactus
The number of people who've had issues with the Titans seems a little disconcerting. I'll hold back on my impulses and wait to get some nicer wheels

Thanks for the feedback everyone
Honestly, they're hit or miss. Some seem to last a long time, some don't last long. Good thing about Performance is that they take back anything. So when you break them, just bring 'em back and exchange them for a nicer wheelset.
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Old 03-07-08, 12:26 AM
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^ Yep, none of the stories I heard involved a crash. Just broken spokes or hub flanges. That makes me feel better and since I checked the spoke tension, they're decent enough.
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Old 03-07-08, 12:40 AM
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I just got a front Open Pro with Ultegra 6600 hub (online it says 6500, but it came with the 6600 at the Performance store I visited) for $117 + tax (got it on Tuesday lunch time when they offer 10% off) and I already had an Open Pro with (Ultegra) 600 on the back (I've kept this hub from a long time ago and I keep using it). I've only put about 200 miles on the new front, but, so far, so good...
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Old 03-07-08, 08:32 AM
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Originally Posted by urbanknight
^ Yep, none of the stories I heard involved a crash. Just broken spokes or hub flanges. That makes me feel better and since I checked the spoke tension, they're decent enough.

The hub flange has been redesigned. As far as spoke breakage - perhaps carry a Fiberfix spoke if you're going on a longer ride?
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