Carbon fiber wheels
 

specifically a trispoke specialized or spin, or a four spoke spinergy up front....are they as strong as a typical wheel set---would it shatter if i say road off a curb, etc...

there aren't any curbs on a velodrome

velodrome? this aint no 'track cycling' forum.

i wont be on a velodrome....i just want a cf wheel up front

They're plenty strong. You don't really have to worry about anything besides maybe the Spinergy Rev-X's breaking (heard a couple stories...), just getting a little bent. But what happens when one gets bent? Hope you don't mind the wobble. Apparently you used to be able to send a lot of the plastic ones (tri-spoke, etc) to the manufacturer and they would straighten them for you, but it wasn't free, nor was shipping. I don't know what the case is now. They're probably better when used for their "intended purpose", but whatever, this is a bunch of people who ride track bikes on the street.
Bottom line: those wheels look fly as hell and if you want to run one go for it, just be aware of the shortcomings.

I find it kind of funny how many people on this forum are looking for cheap tires and want the cheapest build for a fixie but eyein those $1000+ wheelsets that can't be trued. Totally Ghetto...keepinitreeeeaaal

actually...the speciailized trispokes go for about 150-200 on ebay....comparable to a phil wood

i don't think it's contradictory, i think it's different people.

although i have no idea at all about carbon wheels, i see messengers rocking trispokes all the time (well not all the time, but enough), so they can't be that fragile

Who said contradictory? I said G H E T T O.

you say this like it's a bad thing.

wow...guys all of your answers have been soo informative

(that is sarcasm btw)

I was at the local tri-spoke factory (HED- they bought out the Specialized patent) and asked how they "true" a tri-spoke. Apparently they can't- although they are able to make adjustments using shims.

Do what you want, but I think it is very freddish to have carbon wheels on the street... on any bike... messenger or not.

I've heard that the Aerospoke wheels are bulit proof but the tri-spoke are much lighter, prettier and faster. As for durability, if your streets are like Cleveland streets I wouldn't expose any "race" components especially wheels to that enviroment and expect it to last long. Hence the suggestion of Aerospoke which are more touring wheels than performance wheels. Ofcourse I havn't ridden any so I don't know nothin.
Craig

Aerospoke wheels may well be bulletproof. They are very Very VERY HEAVY. I had a spinergy up front, hit a pothole in an alleycat at night, and cracked one of the spokes. But I repaired it with some epoxy and it rode fine, just made a little squishing noise as that spoke flexed a bit. No offense intened, but IMHO it is stupid to run wheels that are heavy and aero on the street. They are designed for steady speed or very high speed with subtle acceleration changes so that inertia is not a big deal. Riding on the street or messing with stuff that is super heavy and not designed for the repetitive cycles of speeding up and slowing down, and that have suspect durability...it just doesn't make sense. But hey, its a free country, its your money, and your bike, and if it makes YOU HAPPY then do it. I just wouldn't. FYI I run a 20 bladed spoke Phil Wood/Sun Mistral rim on the front to get both aero and light. Think about that. Also, if you want to do it right, get a Zipp 404. Those wheels are quite durable, comfortable and fast, just not cheap.

yeah, I laughed when I saw the full page of text that they feed you before they tell you
the weight on their website.

the only carbon wheels that make sense to me are these:
http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/?pg=fullstory&id=2761

one of the lightest around but also with excellent stiffness, aerodynamics and durability.
the manufaturer doesnt restrict the use at all. you can even use them for cyclocross.

"The standard set ordered (and paid for) by the pro’s is 16 spokes front 20 rear. That wheel set has a rider weight suggested max of 220 lbs! An 1130 Gram wheel set OK for riders that would more likely use 36 spokes on one wheel, not two…"

ugh...I think I wrote an ad :rolleyes:

Really, I think Zipps compare well with Lightweights, and they cost 1600 retail instead of about five grand. I've been racing a pair of 404s every weekend this season on some rough roads: 20 radial sapims F/24 round butted brass drive side 2x - radial alloy nips non drive and the thing looks like it just came from the factory. Totally true. And I'm 178 and not shy about hammering and hitting potholes. And they're made in Indiana so you'd be helping settle the trade imbalance.

The reviews of the Spin tri-spoke wheels vary quite a bit, but it seems that a lot of them praise the strength of the wheels, they were made for offroad use afterall. The Spin wheels I've seen around have been 26", but I'm sure you could figure out a way to get one on your road bike. They are a bit heavy, but they look sick. The downside is that they are impossible to true.

i dont care about aerodynamics

weight is not essesntial, but nice

strength and coolness are imperative...im gonna check out those aerospokes

Stay off Chestnut by 5th and 6th with those.

Well do you really want to find out on an expensive wheel? In the flip side if you had a cheapo box rim, alloy wheel you wouldn't miss it that much. But if you for some reason destroy that wheel, that's going to cost $$.

I was lucky enough to fondle a set of Lightweights at Interbike last year. Sooooo nice. They just oozed handmade quality. The special Alpe d'Huez set was absurdly decadent, with the bearing caps that had "For Uphill Use Only" printed on them. That rocks.

I'd go for the trispokes, if you can get them cheaply enough. They ride like poo, they're heavy, and not repairable. But they do make that cool Darth Vader sound when you pedal, which is worth the price of admission right there.

These wheels are very strong. I have a set. I have also broken a specialized tri spoke. But this was on the track. Someone hit my handlebars at 50 km/h and turned my front wheel 90 degrees to the direction i was going in. Carbon is very strong, but only likes to bend so far. Because of the crash, one of the spokes cracked right across the one side. I'll tell you right now, an expensive wheel to replace. On Ebay, these things go for over 200$$. for the most part, they can get as high as 500$$.

The wheels are super strong in a vertical plane. Make sure that they don;t get dinged around either. Carbon develops unseed weak spots if it gets hit hard enough. Enough of these in the same area and the wheel will inexplicable break on you in a turn or the like. Myself, i would never take these wheels on the street, a carbon rimmed wheel, yes. But a one piece jobby no. Have fun with it tho.

taras

EEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!