I'm building up a track bike, and I need wheels. It will see mostly velodrome, but will occasionally hit the streets. So far, the Mavic Ellipses are looking like a really good choice. Is there anything else I should be looking at, in the same kind of price range (~$500)?

You could go custom at that price range.

IRD Cadence aero rim
American Classic track hubs
Sapin CX ray spokes

It should come out to be almost a pound lighter than the Mavic ellipse wheel set. Using internet pricing as an estimate (www.prowheelbuilder.com) it looks to be about a hundred bucks more.

I've known a handful of people who have liked racing on Mavic Ellipses.

Unfortunately I know many more who have used them for street/regular use and have been frustrated with them. Broken axles, soft proprietary lockrings, ornery bearings - they've had to rely on shops that are familiar with these wheels and can get things directly from Mavic, quickly.

Me, I prefer things that don't break.

Substitute a Novatec rear hub and a light low flange road hub (with bolt on skewer), build it yourself, and you are looking at spending maybe $350 and still end up with a track wheelset that is at least 500 grams lighter than Ellipses.

Yeah, I'd just go custom. Or ask the track forum. Asking this forum about track racing wheels is like asking the track forum what wheelset is best for barspinz.

I will throw it out there that I have been running Ellipses for a while, I ride just the street, but also do some long distance road riding on them. I love them. They are not the lightest things in the world, but not so heavy that I'm worried about it.

Two things you have to be weary of:
1. Proprietary lockrings
2. Needs cog spacer or cog can slip

Outside of that I love them. I've never had bearing problems, but I keep pretty good care of them in terms of servicing.

I bought them used from a girl that did all velodrome with some occassional road. She said they were the best wheels she has used, but her sponsorship changed so she was selling them. I got them for $250, and don't regret the move a single bit.

Oh man, I reeeeeally like how those black American Classic hubs look. I'm now leaning towards a custom build...not sure I'm a fan of those IRD rims, though. Machined sidewalls ftl.

WTF? You wanna ride your bike on a track? That's the stupidest thing I ever heard!