Currently have a jamis Sputnik...i am thinking of upgrading wheels....i ride in nyc and care more about performance and weight than looks....
Was curious what people suggested? I don't want something crazy expensive as an everyday bike but still better than stock

Unless the stock wheels are giving you real-world problems, there probably isn't any need to upgrade. If you really need to upgrade, look for something with good sealed bearing (Formula and Novatec are both popular and inexpensive), and maybe a semi-deep rim. Lots of people buy from Velomine for online purchases. If you can afford to spend more, having a set built by a local bike shop is probably the best way to go.

edit- A local bike shop with a good wheel builder/mechanic on staff.

The reason I want to upgrade is mainly for back wheel... The lock ring stripped the hub when trying to change cog.... And with a new stock wheel the lock ring does not stay tight causing cog to get loose... So just thinking about overall upgrade

I suspect improper installation of cog and lockring.

It happened on original wheel...i think that's why it was over tightened and stripped part of hub thats why I think they must be poor quality

Formula hubs laced to deep Vs are strong, easy to find, and aren't particularly attractive to thieves.

The nicer the wheelset, the more attractive they are to thieves.

Don't worry about weight. Why? Think about this: Street clothes are heavy compared to cycling clothing. How often do we wear heavy blue jeans? Bags (back pack or messenger bag) are also heavy. Then we carry cell phones, keys, wallets, baseball caps, jackets, etc...

All of those things are SEVERAL times heavier than the difference between some Deep V type wheels and some "light" wheels. So why bother?

Remember, you have to not only move the bike up the hill...but everything on the bike. That includes you and everything on your body.

Try these.

https://bikeisland.com/cgi-bin/BKTK_S...ls&ProdID=2038

They are on the heavier side, but if you take what Carleton said, you shouldn't worry about the weight as much as you think.

Gotta define your budget for maximum SSFG forum results.

My next set (when my stock set is plunked) is probably gonna be from velomine. They have a range of options and combinations of different components that can suit different needs, and the prices are hard to beat.

posts #2 & 6 suggest, the wheels mentioned in #7, & a lot of velomine's more reasonably priced wheels are built with formula hubs...

which is exactly what are used on stock sputnik wheels

so obviously not an upgrade over what op already had. yes...formulas are very nice hubs for the money, in fact i put tons of trouble-free miles on my own wheelset with them, so one has to wonder what user or shop error led to, if i am reading correctly, 2 rear hub failures? & considering his problems with them, would duranh62 even consider another formula hub?

if its a simple instillation issue..than i have no problem returning to formula hubs, especially after they seem to work decent after over-tightenning them...that being said i am a little apprehensive about my cog sliding again

i have both what are probably the best fixed hubs in the world (phil wood) and formula hubs. i definitely have more miles on formula hubs than the phils. i've never had a lock ring problem. ensure you are using a good quality cog, with flat faces, make sure the cog is threaded on fully, and there is enough exposed locking ring threads. next, use a good quality lock ring. thread it on by hand carefully, use plenty of grease, and ensure it sits squarely against the cog, no gaps. tighten down securely. recheck tightness after a few hundred miles. if you do this, you'll be trouble free. formula hubs are inexpensive, use easy to find and replace bearings and are generally decent quality.

O pros on surly flip flops.