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Alloy wheels

Decided against carbon wheels for my bike.
My frame wouldn’t take the modern 25mm tyres. Apparently it’s common to have small clearances on Italian bikes.
Therefore I’m looking at a sub 1500g wheelset with as deep a rim as possible.
Looking at Hunts and many others but the ones I really like are the Mavic R SYS clinchers but about £1250 and that’s more than I’d like to pay. Maximum £700 ish . Any ideas?

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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22 comments

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matthewn5 | 4 years ago
1 like

+1 for Campag Shamals, it's the feel of really stiff wheels that's so great. I've always bought them second hand and am running the latest C17 version with a 23mm tyre on the front without problems. You can really feel how good the bearings are when you put them on after the winter wheels.

But talk to David at DCR, he can build you something lighter and cheaper, and with your budget you could choose lovely light exotic hubs and come in at around the 1350g range without much difficulty.

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check12 replied to matthewn5 | 4 years ago
1 like

Carbon ti hubs *drool*

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Chris Hayes | 4 years ago
4 likes

Shamals.  Not deep section, but light, fast and look great on Italian bikes... 

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PRSboy replied to Chris Hayes | 4 years ago
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Agreed.  I have these as my 'best' wheels and they are brilliant!  They have superb bearings, and feel noticeably fast to me, particularly when you put the power down up a short hill.  

Thought I have mixed them with a Shimano groupset on a canadian bike so I'll burn in hell.

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casati53x11 replied to PRSboy | 4 years ago
0 likes

Thank you. 😂👍👍👍

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check12 replied to Chris Hayes | 4 years ago
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They seem very expensive for what they are, 30mm and 1450g (claimed) £620? 

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casati53x11 replied to check12 | 4 years ago
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Seems one of the big cycling magazines thought the same in their review.

They seem very expensive for what they are, 30mm and 1450g (claimed) £620? 

[/quote]

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lio | 4 years ago
1 like

My vote would be for DT Swiss PR 1400 Oxic.

They're really "deep" but you'll get light weight, tubeless compatible wheels and the best rim braking from ceramic coated rims that will last a long time.

I think if you shop around you should be able to get them close to your budget and the black colour looks great too.
 

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casati53x11 replied to lio | 4 years ago
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Just looked at them . I like the look of the 32mm deep rim and the narrow rim width would suit my bike. However, I've just been reading about someone's bad experience with the rim brake material coming away after nine months use and DT Swiss didn't want to know.

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lio replied to casati53x11 | 4 years ago
1 like

Oh hadn't heard about that.  That's obviously not great as it's the major selling point.

My fallback option would be Campagnolo Zonda then (or Fulcrum equivalent).

The Zondas aren't that deep but they are in the weight range, brake really well, are really reliable and about half the price.  I have a set of C17 and before switching to disc brake they were my favourits.

 

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check12 | 4 years ago
1 like

Shimano C50 or C60 from eBay (rs81 or dura ace)

kinlin 31 (19mm internal iirc)

borg 50mm carbon though and maybe too wide

ebay swissside hadron 425 625 

Mavic cosmic elite
Shimano c35

hed jet 

that should occupy you for a while and break up the lockdown boredom!

(not all fit you criteria, but that's half the fun, make a spreadsheet of wheels and various attributes)

 

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check12 replied to check12 | 4 years ago
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Or Shimano c24 rs80/rs81/dura ace 1378 (or whatever 4 numbers, it's their weight) or the ultegra tubeless ones can't remember what they are called,  

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casati53x11 replied to check12 | 4 years ago
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Ultegra Rs700 C30 I think are the ones your talking about. They were almost £800 but many places are selling them for around £450.

However I've seen them for £400 and a pal reckons he can get them around half that price for me through a contact. That sounds a deal clincher for me! 
what do you think?

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check12 replied to casati53x11 | 4 years ago
1 like

They are a shallow rim, but light and tubeless if you want that, get some 23mm 5000s while your at it and latex tubes for the whole I got new wheel experience. (If you haven't already) 

If you want aero I'd look elsewhere 

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Joe Totale replied to casati53x11 | 4 years ago
1 like

Well if you can get the Shimano wheels for around £200.00 then definitely get those. 

They're pretty narrow by modern standars which could be a godsend for you as they won't stretch tyres out, you may even be able to squeeze in 24 or 25mm tyres in there which wouldn't happen with wider wheels. 

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Richbeck | 4 years ago
2 likes

Still handbuilt - speak to David at DCR wheels.
I have alto hubs, CXray spokes and Aforce AL33 rim- dream wheelset which wont break the bank.

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Joe Totale | 4 years ago
2 likes

With that kind of budget I'd definitely go to a wheelbuilder as you get far more customisation and can speak with them about this. 

A quick look and you can get the Wheelsmith Race 30 Wheels with DT Swiss 240 hubs or the Borg 31 wheels and ask Malcolm from the Cycle Clinic to build them with Carbon Ti hubs which would also make them very light. 

You also get a far better guarantee with a wheelbulder, the Cycle Clinic will even have them retrued for free! 

https://thecycleclinic.co.uk/products/borg31-wheelset

https://www.wheelsmith.co.uk/product-page/race-30

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The Gavalier | 4 years ago
2 likes

I was exactly the same, ended up going for Fulcrum Racing Zero Nite. Under 1500g, look like carbon, ceramic bearings, carbon hub shells and with the fancy braking surface they have absolutely the beat braking of any rim brake wheel I've ever ridden. I paid about £800. 

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casati53x11 replied to The Gavalier | 4 years ago
0 likes

Yep. It seems if you want/ need to use 23mm tyres then its only shallow section alloy rimmed wheels that are out there unless you pay a big weight penalty.

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joeegg replied to casati53x11 | 4 years ago
2 likes

You could have a look at the A force rims. Deep section alloy that can be be built up to just over 1500grams a pair.Also Kinlin do alloy rims of different depths.Plenty of info on DCR wheels.

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casati53x11 replied to joeegg | 4 years ago
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Cheers buddy. I'll check those out.

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The Gavalier replied to casati53x11 | 4 years ago
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I just didn't want the typical braking performance of carbon rims but still nice and light (and robust). Plus they do look really good.

casati53x11 wrote:

Yep. It seems if you want/ need to use 23mm tyres then its only shallow section alloy rimmed wheels that are out there unless you pay a big weight penalty.

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