Thinking of getting new wheels
I don't race but do a few charity centuries and the local bike club rides
Is it worth getting $2000+ wheels (Zipp 303 for example)
Or is Zipp 101 or Reynolds Assaults enough?
What are you getting for the extra money for a rider like me?

I think you're going to hear a lot of people tell you that it isn't worth it.

At the end of the day you're getting not too much faster for a bunch of money. If you want to do it, do it, but I don't know that five or ten minutes off of a century is enough to spend $2k on.

How do you expect to benefit from new wheels ? What don't you like about your current wheels ?

Posing at the coffee shop and at the beginning of rides ain't free ya know !

Let me provide you with my experience. I purchased a set of brand new $1,250 wheels last year with a bit of a discount (in other words I got a deal on really good wheels). I signed up to do my first ever century. 31 miles in, the rear wheel ended up falling a part pretty much. So, I paid for a century, did 31 miles out of 100, and had to pay a fee to get them repaired because said company considered the riding style a race and said damage was consistent with a crash. Sure I crashed, after the wheel feel a part. Now of course this isn't going to happen to you or anyone else for that matter. I can also comfortably say no matter the wheel or the price, I can make it slow. Damn slow!

Current wheels are Ksyrium Elite
They are fine and faster than Bontrager wheels that came with Trek
But something a bit more aero and lighter
That being said full carbon wheels will be faster but also want them to not break
Not sure spending over $2K to make me a bit faster is worth it
Could also get carbon like Reynolds Assaults for the same price as Zipp 101; which is better choice?
What will I get for extra money?

if i had zipps i couldnt' live with myself if anyone passed me, despite all the potential variables.

I find Zipp's overpriced, yes there nice but there way too expensive. Look into Williams or Soul wheels if you want quality, inexpensive wheels.

Clincher aero wheels are heavy. You need to get serious and go tubular to get aero and lightweight. If it's at all a financial strain, don't do it, because the benefits are very small and only significant in all out competitive racing. And dealing with tubulars in general isn't that much fun either.

Not too much imo. A nice alu clincher will do pretty much everything (save high speeds, e.g. 25+) just as well. Its really the hubs and low weight that most people are after.

But heck, they do demo carbon wheels (or at least Zipp does). I'm sure there is a fancy shop somewhere around long island. Stop in, drop off some collateral, and try the fancy things for a week. At the very least you'll be blingin'

Why do recreational riders really believe that wheels will make them faster? Save your money. $2000 wheels will do squat for you. Tell you what, OP. Go get some Forte Titan wheels from Performance bike for $150, and give me $1000. I will be your personal trainer for 3 months. In that time I guarantee you will lose 10-15lbs and at the end you will have saved yourself about $800. Your bike will feel lighter and you will be faster.

my experience with Forte Titans is they were very flexy. I was not satisfied with them so I returned them. I assume it would be an ok training wheel but those are my thoughts

OP I was in a similar position with a similar budget. I ended up going with Easton EC90SL's from a friend and had a custom wheelset built. Still waiting for the custom wheelset.

I test rode some Zipp 101s this weekend and they were great. Great enough to spend 1300 on ? Not for me. They rolled really well though.

In the end its your money but out of all the bike goodies ive purchased a new set of hoops always makes me happy.

Are wheels worth it ? imo yes. I have a couple sets of wheels and I do notice a difference. When you talk times it may not be a huge difference. Some wheels are stiffer, some wheel accelerate better, some wheels I can hold speed just a little easier.

If everything else is in top condition (motor, components, rider skill...) then maybe wheels would make a SLIGHT difference to a competitive racer. But the OP would NEVER notice a difference as a casual rider doing the occasional century and local fun rides. Sounds like he just wants to spend some money.

To answer the OP's question...a rider like you (casual, fun, local rider) gets bling and maybe some oohs and ahhhs. That is all.

My Reynolds Assaults are slightly lighter than my previous Mavic Ksyrium SL's but I get a lot more benefit out of them. So far have been pretty durable too but braking isn't as quick as aluminum. I'm not sure if you're recommending tubular or not but I don't think the OP is going competitive. He seems to be looking for an all-around great wheel that would suffice for a club ride. I'd recommend the Assaults. If $$$ is tight then I'd probably consider the Souls but I have no experience with those. Good luck!

I disagree here, just because OP is a casual rider and doesn't race doesn't mean he won't see a difference in a quality set of wheels. Stiffness while climbing, spin up speed from a dead spot, hub quality, how aero wheels are at speed are all categories you should notice a difference in depending on what kind of wheels you get. Maybe you don't feel a difference between a set of Forte wheels and some Williams carbon clinchers or any other higher end wheel for example but high chances most will, racer or not.

Can you train/coach a cyclist?

Nope, but I guarantee I can get him in fantastic shape. I believe losing 5lbs of bodyfat is cheaper and more effective than losing 1lb of bike weight.

Well, this has been hotly debated numerous times. I'm just saying that until everything else is tip-top (including personal fitness levels), a set of $2000 wheels is not going to make a difference to a guy casually riding a century. I'd like to know what bike he's going to put such high-end wheels on.

Tell me again why you don't have your Fuji and now have a shiny new Felt then?

Mostly because the triple was driving me crazy and because I wanted a Felt. I also lost about 5lbs off the bike as well, got 105s, compact chain ring, 10 speeds...Got a better bike all around and put my Forte Titans from the Fuji on the Felt. And for $2000 I could have bought two Felts.

Sounds just as irrational as buying new wheels.

Zipps are the only wheel that I have ever actually broken. 3 years ago bought Reynolds Assaults. They are still going strong, for less than half the price.

Pretty much. With a new wheelset he would lose some rotational weight, possibly a more aero wheel, and depending on which wheelset he goes with a much stiffer wheel.

OP you might also want to consider a custom built set from a wheelbuilder. Theres many out there that are willing to work with you and talk you through which is the right wheel for you. Thats one thing you wont get with a factory built set, something specifically for you. For the budget you have you could go with Kinlin XR270's, Alchemy Hubs, CXRay spokes and come in pretty light still.

Depending on your weight OP.

@pgjackson. Have you tried any other wheels than the ones that came on your fuji or the forte titans ? It wouldn't be fair to pass judgement unless youve tried any of the wheels the OP is talking about. it is cheaper to lose 5lbs but losing a whole pound in rotational weight off the wheels will make the bike feel faster. It will spin up faster and be easier to climb with. if you have a chance demo a nicer set of wheels I would do it. I thought the Forte Titans were great till I tried out a set of nicer wheels. Now im hooked and also broke. Im a bit of a wheel ***** though, at one time I had 4 sets of wheels for my car. Still dreaming of some 404's but thats down the line. Ive decided i'll make that my cat 3 reward.

I'm eyeing some Williams wheels right now but can't decide on the 38's or 58's. Anyone ever run a mixed set, i emailed Keith and he said he can sell a 38 front and 58 rear if i wanna go that route.

I don't know that I would buy wheels for $2K but last summer I bought a new set of Topolino wheels for $900. They were $1500 wheels and the manufacturer let me trade in my broken wheels for them. If they made me any faster it wasn't buy much; but, I didn't buy them to make me faster I bought them because I love their ride quality. I had been riding with my backup wheels--Mavic CXP33 but I don't like they way they ride. My new Topolino are much much more responsive, much livier, spin up faster, climb better and they are outstanding at smoothing out a bumpy road. They have completely transformed the way my bike rides and for that, they are worth the price I paid.

I was seriously looking at the Williams 38's and 58's. I have system 30's and use them to train on and they've been bombproof. I've even raced on them. Needless to say im very happy with Williams products.

I know PCAD raves about the 38's. What kind of riding do you do ? How windy is it in your area ? What is your weight ? I went with 38mm clinchers from easton mainly because I climb a lot and the winds could get nasty where i'm at. I rode some 60mm clinchers before and they were a PITA when the wind started gusting. I liked them though. Somebody correct me if i'm wrong but wouldn't it be more beneficial to run a 58mm frt and a 38mm rear opposed to a 38mm front and 58mm real. I imagine a 38mm front would handle better in windy conditions though.

Completely agree with you. They may only make you marginally faster (or faster in your head hahahha) but they completely change the bike.