Recommendations please. <1450 grams (real world weight, without skewers), preferably 1400 grams or less. CF not necessary, aluminum rims OK.

Shimano has a set of CF/alu rim wheels (7850 carbon clinchers) that can be had retail for $1000 or so, very light, 1380 grams without skewers, but I've read some disturbingly mixed reviews on those wheels. Does anybody here have those Shimanos (they're rather new to the market, less than a year). They look beautiful in the pictures.

I PM'd Psimet to see what he can come up with.

Please bear in mind that any successful mating of Pcad and Wheel could result in another entertaining Epic Pcad Rue-athon, so it would behoove you weenies to get your friggin thinking caps on and come up with the goods for your Uncle Pcad.

You can do <1400g for $500+/-. Just get them Novatech hubs, CX-Rays and Kinlin XR-200's. Spoke count depends on how fat you are.

I have the same CF/Al wheels, but in the Ultegra version. Same wheels except steel cassette body, versus Ti in the Dura version. The Ultegra wheels cost about 550/pair from PBK. I'm 175 lbs and a strong sprinter, they are smooth on bumpy pavement, great wheels for every thing other than crits...as they have very few spokes. I like them.

Considering Williams 19s too.

What are you implying here?

That the spoke factory will be paying overtime?

Nice.

Listen, we're all too fat for this idiot sport, let's get that out of the way first.

Myself, I err on the side that a couple more spokes won't hurt. I'm not sure on your exact weight, but I'm thinking you'd be fine with 28 in the rear and 24 up front. You don't ride much, right?

I never exceed 14,000 miles in a calendar year. I don't want to overdo it.

Hoops? That's bike reviewer speak. Next you'll be wanting new 'stoppers' and 'rubber' and talking about how vertically compliant you are.

Since this is BF, surely someone has to recommend Souls. And CAAD9 just for good measure.

I was about to pull the pull the trigger (like within 1 hour) on the WH-Dura Ace 7850-C24-CL instead of the yet to be released iPad. The USD/EUR is just too good to not lock in; you can get the DA wheels for the price of an iPad.

Please share the "disturbingly mixed reviews". Maybe I'll hold off on these and contact Psimet.

The only downside I read was that Shimano uses wider rims (like HED) so you have to adjust your brakes and that can be a real b**** if you swap wheels a lot. I planned on using these exclusively on one of my bikes without swapping.

I was going to contact Psimet about the following:

Kinlin XR-270 rims (27mm depth)
Alchemy ELF/ORC or Tune Mig70/Mag180 hubs
Sapim CX-Ray spokes

I'm probably going to go 24 radial up front 28 3x rear all around.

If you go with Tune Mig70/Mag180 hubs, Kinlin XR-200 rims, and alloy nips, you can get into sub 1300g real-world weight, quite easily.

I am a newbie - so easy but...I have the following:

for around $700 - includes building

- WI hubs H2 - front and rear
- Sapim C-Xray spokes - 20F - 24R
- Kinlin Xr 270 Rims
- Allow nipples

Approx 1440g with KCNC skewars add 46 grams per pair. I have around 3,000 K on them and they have been great. By the way, I ride in New England and have hit many a pot hole etc. PM if you want the builder name/spec sheet

Where did you see that price? They were like $930 @ PBK with the shipping surcharges. As for the negative comments, I saw them on some website someplace, can't remember where. Try Googling WH-Dura Ace 7850-C24-CL reviews.

Take negative reviews with a grain of salt. You can find more positive reviews out there than negative. The D.A. hoops are also the best looking of any of the lighter wheels. Very slick.

Easton's ea90 slx are under 1400g and you get ceramic cartridge bearings ~$700

I looked at the those 7850 and was about to purchase but I'm a little leery of the cone and loose bearings for longevity.

Besides soul, there's a company in TX - nimble that makes really light clinchers.

The hed ardennes are nice as well.

HED Ardennes with the ceramic bearings. See reviews at: https://forums.roadbikereview.com/sho...d.php?t=127877

Especially note the utility of wider rims for the type of riding you do.

The 7850s are great. $810 with free shipping on wiggle.

I guess folks like to overpay for lightweight clinchers. The bonus is, if you break something, it will cost more to repair.

What does this even mean?

Explain it to me like I'm a newbie Fred who hasn't ridden road bicycles over 100K miles, so I can understand.

I just weighed my build: American Classic hubs, Kinlin XR-200 rims, 28 Revolution spokes radial laced up front, 28 Competition and Revolution spokes 2 cross in back, brass nipples. 1375 grams. Psimet could build you something like that (I would have gone with 24 front, but I got a deal on the 28h hub).

I just think you can get an awesome set of hand built wheels that meet your criteria at a fraction of the cost of some of these boutique wheels (which aren't anything special and use proprietary parts).

If I wanted light, I would go with the following (for myself)

Novatech hubs 24 front/28 rear (I'm cheap and care less about bling)
Kinlin XR-200 (you want light, here it is)
CX-Ray Spokes (These spokes are awesome)

~1385g w/brass, under 1350g w/ alloy

Substitute flashy hubs for the Novatechs if you wish. You could shave some additional weight, and look good at the coffee shop.

Ultimately, Psimet will have the right combo with a little more info from you.

Basically the same build except an AC disc front hub, 32 spokes/3 cross front and rear (I commute on these) and aluminum nipples: 1450 grams for $530 (built myself).

For the true weight weenie, built with AC road hubs front and rear, same rims, 20/24 front/rear spokes, and aluminum nipples: ~1260 grams for $470 (build them yourself). I'm thinking of building these for my wife.

Those XR-200s were quite noodley while building, so I'm happy to have more spokes on the build. Of course, someone lighter would be fine with fewer spokes, but you will have an exercise in patience bringing them to even tension.

I'm following this with interest. Next purchase for my bike will be a set of light wheels for climbing.