Road Race Wheels - Suggestions Needed...

Just to take up Simon's point about wheel depth. He's right in that in a bunch wheel depth makes little difference due to the sheltering effect, but then can't claim for the 'normally exposed' nature of a course affecting the need to limit the depth.

I ride 50mm carbon FFWD tubs in crits and all sorts of raod races. I've never been adversely affected handling wise in winds, and have raced in some gales.

The profile is more important than the depth, but my 35 years of racing  tells me that anything below 60mm is absolutely fine handling wise. In crits and road races most riders ride between 50-60 mm rims. 

As Simon points out, in the bunch aero depth / shape makes infitessimal difference, so on that basis simply the lightest wheels are best.... in the full knowledge that small amounts of wheel weight (+/- 300g) have a virtuably un-measurable effect on your performance level. It's when you're off the front, or on the front that you want the effects, and this is inevitably going to happen, so buy a fairly aero set of wheels. 

For crits predictable handling is paramount, and over my long experience nothing handles more predictably than tubs.  

Best choice : 50-60 m, deep carbon tubs

Good choice : 50-60mm deep carbon clinchers that work well with GP400s tyres.

Sorry David at DCR wheels.

Give David at DVR wheels a call - he'll build you a set to do exactly what you want and at a very good price.

Very happy with my Hunt 36 Carbon Wide clinchers. 36mm deep, 19mm internal. 

Another vote for Borg wheels. Having met the man himself, I can tell you that his wheel building knowledge is insane.

I'd also suggest diving into the world of tubular. I know that sounds rather old-fashioned these days, but for crit racing, nothing feels as fast out of corners.

I'd suggest something nearer a 35 or 40mm rim depth. Unless you spend a lot of time off the front riding solo then you'll be in the bunch and any extra rim depth above that won't make any difference to your speed (it doesn't make much anyway, profile appears to be a more crucial factor).

Also, if your crits are on closed circuits they can be quite exposed and a deep rim can be a bit of a liability.

I've heard good things about Malcolm Borg so would be happy to buy from him.

Aero wheels from Wheelsmith with their own brand hubs would fall within budget.

Borg wheels are a good shout as I'm fairly sure that they do crash replacement for the price of parts only. If you're Crit racing you'll probably crash sooner or later.

Hunt wheels have good reviews. You can mix up the profiles of the front and rear too. Personally i have Cero RC45 Evo's from Cycle Division and rate them highly.

Borg wheels from the cycle clinic, £800 and ideal for crit stuff, anything deep and aero should do what you want it to.