I'm rediscovering my old steel Schwinn Crosscut (c. 1990, pictured) and considering updating the drive train to nine-speed and updating the wheels. The bike will be for packed gravel trails and multi-day supported touring. I weigh about 220.

My LBS recommended some Aksiums which are good for up to 700x32s, but the wheels look a bit light to me for this bike compared to the stock steel wheels it currently has. Shop owner seemed very confident in his recommendation a will stand behind the wheels I'm sure... but I would welcome other input.

Alternative recommendations to these wheels would also be welcome!

I would not recommend the Aksiums - they seem to be marketed to people who can't afford Ksyriums. What worries me most is that the Aksiums only have 20 spokes, so if you break one, it could ruin your whole day. 32-spoke wheels can usually lose a spoke and keep going long enough to get to a bike shop. If you do decide to buy Aksiums, make sure you have a few extra spokes, because you might have to replace one on the road, and because they use proprietary spokes that may or may not be in stock at smaller bike shops.

I ride a pair of aksiums on my roadie. i weigh something like 240lbs. after well over a year (possibly 2 years?) on these, they're still true and spinning good. Mine are the Romanian version. I think last year's were made in China; this year's may be chinese, too. Bottom line: if the new ones are as strong as my romanian ones, they're great road wheels, even if they're a little heavy...

that being said, i wouldn't even dream of touring with these, basically for the reasons gorshkov listed. Go with something with at least a 32spoke count, preferably 36. I bought the aksiums, not because i can't afford ksyriums (which i wouldn't tour on either), but because Nashbar had them for super-dirt-cheep a few years back, and i needed a cheap road wheelset for a project. I realise that you're talking about "light" touring, but if there's any sort of load involved, i wouldn't want to be too far from home.

Most i ever had in the panniers with the aksiums was a 6pack of brew on each side...

hth,
-rob

CXP33 rims, not much difference in the weight. I did lite touring on them.

Aksiums are a pretty damn tough training wheelset. I use them for winter wheels on my Giant and have never had a problem. I would use them for light touring in a second without worry. For loaded touring......... nope. I would go with something with at least 32 or better yet 36 spoke hubs.

Not saying that it can't be done. It might work?.... Is your bike shop going to come pick you up if they go bad? I'm guessing not.

A little overkill on wheels brings peace of mind when on the road.............priceless.

I ride Ksyriums on my road bike. I think the spoke count is 20 rear, 16 front. I weighed in about 280 and commuted on them carry a 25 lb bag. They have a maybe 5000 miles on them and are as true and solid as the day I bought them. I bought them after I talked to a Mavic rep at the Tour of CA a few years ago and he said they were much stronger than the 36 spoke Open 4CD's he saw on the bike I was riding. I'm guessing the Aksiums are just as strong, but you have to be willing to take the risk. That should give you some weight parameters.

I ride the aksiums on my road/commuter/touring bike. I weigh 190 and haul 20 lbs (est) per pannier. No problems.

What size/model tire do you run? Supposedly they can handle up to 32s...

I have IRC Mythos CX Slick 35s on mine. No fit problem. But then again I think they should be labeled 32s.

I am still uneasy about the Aksiums... was thinking of something like this: Vuelta Corsa HD 36 spoke. Anyone have them?

i ran 700x35s on my aksiums at one point. it was a tight fit, but it worked. hardest part is finding fat tubes with long valve stems
-rob

700 x 23 using Specialized S-works Mondo