What cheap-level wheels

seamus

I've been riding my current stock bontrager wheels on borrowed time for a while now. Early this year I discovered that the rim on the back wheel was a lovely concave shape on both sides. But I kept riding it anyway because I didn't want to buy lovely new wheels and wreck them on the ride into work.

I've never been able to notice any difference between wheels on a bike, so I'm pretty ignorant on this front. I don't want to spend the stupid amounts I see here of €600 and €1000 on a pair of wheels. If I had that to spend, I'd be saving up for a new bike
They're going on a 2 year old Trek 2.1, which is no longer being used for commuting, so the wheels don't need to be super rugged or anything.

This seems to be the best deal I've found in flicking around. RRP on that is €200, but I haven't been able to find this wheelset much below €250 on any other sites. bike24 comes out to €150 after delivery, so it seems like a steal. Reviews online seem to scoff at Shimano wheels, but this wheelset seems to be liked overall.

Opinions?

Surveyor11

What about Mavic Askiums? just under €150 a pair at the CSS http://www.cyclesuperstore.ie/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=89&idproduct=37184 I replaced my Alex D22 rims with these, have found them to be bullet proof up to now (nearly one year on, road bike used as a commuter and weekend spins) and they look fab as well!

Edit - just noticed they're out of stock, if CSS no longer stocking they should be available from CRC / Wiggle, etc.

seamus

Cheers. Yeah the old stock Askiums appeared to be going for around €150 on some sites, but I can't seem to locate any at the €150 point now.

bike24 are also doing the RS30's for €170 delivered, nearly €90 cheaper than CRC and €100 less than Wiggle. They seem to be at the same level as the Aksiums, though there seems to be a considerable Mavic fanboy club out there going by online reviews. I really don't think that wheels can make that much difference at my level.

penexpers

If you check ebay.de you can find some good deals on handbuilt wheels. I got my front wheel with a dynamo hub (Mavic A119 rim and Shimano Something hub) built and shipped for 42 euro for example.

mfdc

I've been using a pair of these on my commuter for the last 5 months and they've been fine, relatively quiet freehub and still perfectly true which is all I want really. Had them lying around after bying a PX bike a while back (a bike onto which I put a pair of those stupidly expensive €600 wheels ), so when I built up the commuter figured I'd use em until they broke. I'd recommend them, they've impressed me enough so far that when they go - provided it's not in a catastrophic fashion - I figure I'll get another pair for the commute.

not sane

Askiums for me. I've a pair going into there 3rd winter. Although I do think it can be all luck.

coolbeans

I found Shimano RS10s really fine for commuting and training. I've never spent that much on wheels as I am not at an appropriate level either financially or physically but they were really excellent for me and I'm not lightweight at 86KGs. They've got a low spoke count too which looks pretty decent with the red anodised spoke nipples. I'd buy again.

CptMackey

I'm changing my wheels. Looking at mavics aswell. I'm going changing the groupset too. Got quoted 250 on mavic askiums I think 500 on mavic elites, they look like they have parts milled on em. The lads I cycle with use em for all occasions.
I'm riding a trek 1.2 btw.

seamus

Thanks for all the responses. I've folded under the pressure, but let's hope my new wheels don't. Everyone seems to be riding Aksium's and Mavic have been doing wheels for a little while now, so they're probably decent.

I checked out mfdc's PX link and found they're doing Aksiums for €170 delivered. And the nice crow's foot lacing on the rear wheel sealed the deal.

ThisRegard

The Aksiums are todays cycle superstore Wednesday deal, gatorskins and tubes included for 184.95
http://www.cyclesuperstore.ie/shop/pc/deal.asp

seamus

lol?

FFS, let's see if I can cancel this PX order.

FatSh!te

ThisRegard wrote: »

The Aksiums are todays cycle superstore Wednesday deal, gatorskins and tubes included for 184.95
http://www.cyclesuperstore.ie/shop/pc/deal.asp

Are those suitable for 9 speed cassettes?
Cheers

Morrisseeee

Q. Why do Cyclesuperstore advertise "free delivery on all orders" and then charge €8 on the deal above ????

smithslist

Morrisseeee wrote: »

Q. Why do Cyclesuperstore advertise "free delivery on all orders" and then charge €8 on the deal above ????

Its part of making the deal price look cheap, with the delivery and also the tyres used on the wheels as they wouldn't be the top end tyre's to use esp for winter

ednwireland

smithslist wrote: »

and also the tyres used on the wheels as they wouldn't be the top end tyre's to use esp for winter

huh ?

smithslist

ednwireland wrote: »

huh ?

Iv'e heard more bad things about them than good, even though they are durable they are very slippy in wet, hard to get off when punctured, these are the type of things i hear from people using them

Bambaata

Ive been riding Gatorskins for 3 years now and havent had any slips on them. I think riding style has a fair part to do with that. If its wet you obviously have to ride to the conditions.

justo

seamus wrote: »

I've been riding my current stock bontrager wheels on borrowed time for a while now. Early this year I discovered that the rim on the back wheel was a lovely concave shape on both sides. But I kept riding it anyway because I didn't want to buy lovely new wheels and wreck them on the ride into work.

I've never been able to notice any difference between wheels on a bike, so I'm pretty ignorant on this front. I don't want to spend the stupid amounts I see here of €600 and €1000 on a pair of wheels. If I had that to spend, I'd be saving up for a new bike
They're going on a 2 year old Trek 2.1, which is no longer being used for commuting, so the wheels don't need to be super rugged or anything.

This seems to be the best deal I've found in flicking around. RRP on that is €200, but I haven't been able to find this wheelset much below €250 on any other sites. bike24 comes out to €150 after delivery, so it seems like a steal. Reviews online seem to scoff at Shimano wheels, but this wheelset seems to be liked overall.

Opinions?

My LBS pointed out to me that I rely very much on my right hand break (back wheel) and this results in the rims wearing away more quickly, on that wheel. I replaced my original wheels with Aksiums last week and now try to use both breaks more evenly. Might be worth trying...

davidsatelle100

http://www.cyclesuperstore.ie/shop/pc/deal.asp

Might be of interest. Today only

jimm

FYI.

Just rang CSS. Tyres are wire bead and not folding, and tubes are Conti Race 28 Light. Good deal all the same.

penexpers

smithslist wrote: »

Iv'e heard more bad things about them than good, even though they are durable they are very slippy in wet, hard to get off when punctured, these are the type of things i hear from people using them

I've been using them for 2 years and I can't say that that's been my experience with them. I find them quite easy to get on, quite durable and not slippy at all.

Lemag

penexpers wrote: »

I've been using them for 2 years and I can't say that that's been my experience with them. I find them quite easy to get on, quite durable and not slippy at all.

Do you cycles in straight lines :pac: I've never actually used them. I'd much rather grip over puncture resistance. Harder compound tyres are less grippy.

doozerie

Bizarrely, that CycleSuperStore offer has no mention that I can see of whether the freehub is for Shimano or Campag. It's probably Shimano, but it's a fairly important piece of information that they seem to have left out.

As for GatorSkins, I used them on my commute bike for a few years and my perception of them was that they started out grippy but got fairly slippy after a few months of use (over not many miles). The last pair that I used seemed more slippy from the outset than the previous ones. I stopped using them after that. They seem to divide peoples' opinions though, some people considering them very grippy, some considering them very slippy. They may be the Marmite of tyres.

Lumen

doozerie wrote: »

Bizarrely, that CycleSuperStore offer has no mention that I can see of whether the freehub is for Shimano or Campag. It's probably Shimano, but it's a fairly important piece of information that they seem to have left out.

Gatorskins are incompatible with Campag.

doozerie

Lumen wrote:

Gatorskins are incompatible with Campag.

There's a joke in there about Gatorskins being Camp compatible and this being related to why they go all aflutter and fall over themselves at the first sign of a wet manhole cover. ...if someone were crude enough to sink so low as to suggest that, that is, which I'm not...