I have ridden maybe 300 total miles and I am already starting to wonder if I should start thinking about some new wheels. I have not seen any significant weight loss yet. I am 6'0" and 235lbs. If I did get some new wheels it would probably not be for maybe a month or two. I would just like to start the researching early. My thoughts are maybe I should just continue to ride for a few hundred miles and then make a decision. I just wanted to start the research process. Any advise would be welcome.

wait til next season and until after you've crossed the 200lb threshold... unless you've already broken the stock ones... just my .02

This. You probably won't notice that much of a difference from them performance-wise until you shed some more weight(in my opinion, bling factor excluded from this calculation), not to mention that a lot of good wheels have weight limits.

It would definately be nice to start seeing some weight reduction soon. I definately need to focus on my diet some even though I don't feel like I consume a huge amount of calories. Then again I guess that type of thinking is a huge factor of my current weight. LOL

As was said before, this is good advise. It's good to have a ride that you're comfortable on and that you have confidence in. But, there is just no substitute for getting some miles under it.

If buying new wheels helps you ride more, which in turn will help your weight loss, and you have the money, I say buy new wheels.

I'd wait until you shed more weight. Doing research now on wheels that support your current weight will be totally different if you drop down to say 200 lbs. You'll have several more choices once you shed the weight. Keep riding and when your at or close to your goal weight then start researching.

Buy wheels now as the act of doing so will, ideally, motivate you to ride more. Then buy another set when you get down to your ideal weight. Unless your kids are starving because you are blowing the money on bike stuff, spend away.

300 miles? That is like 2 weeks of riding for most on here. What wheels do you currently have on your bike? I would just keep using yur current wheelset until you get below 200 pounds. It will give you a goal to shoot for as well as open more options.

i totally get the urge to upgrade so quickly.
generally, upgrading wheels will mean lighter or more aero, and there are lots of options.
the bad news is that really light wheels might have a weight limit.
the good news is that if you just keep riding more, the weight will fall off and you'll gain the experience and fitness to help you better make this decision.

how about this: take a look at the Soul S2.0 Max - it's a little beefier to handle heavier riders (I got the S2.0 at 175lbs.) and not expensive.

i'd just ride the hell out of your current bike until you reach a goal weight and use upgrading as your reward

mate... just ride your bike. As you start putting on the mileage, you will feel the results and over this time you will look at all sorts of solutions. Replace wheels, groupset, frame! Then after a season you will have the knowledge to make informed decisions that might be about weight, or even due to the change in your body shape. But first... just get out and ride!!!

300 miles... but over how much time? If you've ridden 300 miles over the past 3 months, would you even enjoy the new wheels? Meaning, do you spend enough time on the bike each time you're out to justify the purchase. Anyway, I would agree. Continue to ride. You have a good season length down there, so if you ride these for another 2 months, you'll still have plenty of time to enjoy new wheels come september.

Lots of good advice here and I suspect that you already know the answer in your mind. I particularly like the "buy baby buy" answers - lets get this economy revved up! If you have the cash it certainly won't hurt. That said it isn't going to affect your weight loss goals at this point. I typically start riding in March and ride about 300 miles per month and the weight loss starts after about 3- 4 weeks without a change in diet. Then I lose 2-4 lbs a month for the rest of the year. Unless the cash is burning a hole in your pocket, I say ride what you have for the rest of the season and if you are still into it, pick up a better bike at the end of the year and really get after the miles next year.

ftfy

Well, I started riding last year at 238. Waited until I got under 185 before I "rewarded" myself with a new set of wheels. That opened up a whole lot of reasonable priced light wheels that I could consider and still be safely under there "max" weight limit. This also meant I was a much better and stronger rider and could then take advantage of the new wheels. By then I have somewhere around 3500+ miles under my belt. Now I'm under 170 and looking for an even lighter pair to help with all the climbing I'm doing nowdays. My vote is wait, lose weight, research, and figure out what you really need.

If I waited until I was under 200 lbs to buy new wheels I still wouldn't have bought new wheels. I don't know what you are riding now but keep them around as backups. Look for a decent set of wheels that will handle your weight. I ride a set of KinLin XR-300 (30mm alloy if you don't know) laced to the Formula hubs ElJam is selling the group buy with Sapim CX-Ray spokes....24 front radial, 28 rear 2X and Radial. They are sub 1500g wheels and as compared to some others I have ridden the difference is quite obvious. They hold up just fine to my weight (as high as 235lbs but currently 216lbs).

If your goal is weight loss, putting in lots of miles, at a medium-low intensity is probably the best thing you can do. When you get home after the ride eat healthy food, and then resist the urges to eat more. It is easy to overeat after a ride.

I would not worry about the weight of the wheels as they are a very small percentage of the total bike+rider weight.

If you look into custom wheels you can pick and choose all of the components that go into the wheels.

Here are some rims to consider:

1. Velocity Synergy or Dyad (23mm wide (Dyad is 24mm wide), very strong rims)
2. DT Swiss RR585 or Velocity Deep-V (strong, 30mm deep rim)

Hubs:
1. White Industries
2. Shimano (105, Ultegra, or Dura-Ace depending on your price range)
3. Alchemy

Spokes:
I would stick with 32, round, double-butted spokes per wheel.

I would use brass nips.

I also recommend 700x28 or at least 700x25 tires. You need to double check that your bike has clearance for 700x28 tires if you want to try them.

Easton wheels have no weight limit, also the zipp 101 has a weight limit of 250. Check out Rol wheels also they have a couple wheels with a 240 weight limit.

This. Don't buy wheels because you think they will make you go faster or "perform" better. They won't at your stage of the game. But, if you just want to customize your bike with some cool bling, and that makes you want to ride more often, then it is a wise purchase.

My first bike came with cheap silver rims and spokes. Didn't like the look. Immediately went out and got some Forte Titans for $150 and it completely changed the look of the bike. Got a lot of compliments, which in turn motivated me to ride more.

I purchased my Team bike used and it came with American Classic CR-420 wheels which really ride great and are lite, but with my weight @ 225# they seemed to flex a little when I get up on the pedals. I picked up a set of Vuelta Corsa Pro's and they ride great and carry my weight well and at around $200 for the pair they are a great bang for the buck, and they look good also..

Thanks for all the replies. Some useful info there.