"weighing in" on wheelsets

[extra-vert]

Anyone want to weigh in on wheelsets? Good, bad, ugly, favorite, light, heavy, reliable, prone to issues, cool looking, expensive, cheap - all that jazz

If one is in the market for a new race worthy light wheelset, what might you recommend?

[SadieKate]

You need to give us more direction. What do you want to do with this wheelset? Race on the road? Race downhill? Race XC? Race tri's? What?

[DebW]

I can tell you that high flange hubs are noticably stiffer than low flange hubs. But since there are almost no high flange hubs on the market these days, that may be a moot point. I build my own wheels (36-hole, 3-cross, sew-up rims) but know nothing about the current fad of low spoke number and fancy rims. I would always go with a hub that had serviceable bearings, but that may not be best for everyone.

[extra-vert]

Sorry SadieKate - road race I guess (for me). But also, in general just to get some banter going about people's wheelsets to get the chance to know more in general.

[velogirl]

I build my own wheels as well. I use 32-spoke Velocity Aerohead rims (OC in the rear). Front is laced radial and the back is three-cross. The front hub is a pink Chris King and my rear hub is a PowerTap SL.

If I were to buy a set of wheels out of the box it would be the Mavic Ksyrium SSL -- unarguably the best pre-built wheels on the market for road or cyclocross and a killer value.

[DebW]

I build my own wheels as well. I use 32-spoke Velocity Aerohead rims (OC in the rear). Front is laced radial and the back is three-cross.

VG, what's the advantage of radial spoking, other than saving a tiny bit of weight?