Is there any diffirence in practice

[g19]

I would like to know if there is a difference noticeable in everyday riding when i switch from my standard Mavic Aksiums to lets say Easton Circuits, Fulcrum R3, Campa Eurus or a handbuild set.
The weight is a non issue as that is only a minor if not theoretical gain and mostly for pro's.

Bike info.
Alu frame
Me: lightweight and i ride light gears
I ride mostly on the flats and occasionally some hills. No competition of any kind.

Can anybody give me a reason or better a good argument to switch or is it more a bling bling affair switching to other wheels for my kind of riding.

Lets hear it.

[indysteel]

I'll let you know as soon as I put my new handbuilts on my bike. My biggest hope is that the new wheels will soften out the ride. I weigh about 116 pounds and the wheels were built with that in mind. I'm also hoping that they'll spin up faster and stay that way more than my Askiums.

My wheels were built by Troy Watson at Ligero Wheelworks in TN with Velocity Aerohead rims, Sapim double butted spokes and White Industries hubs. They're quite similar to handbuilt wheels that SadieKate rides and loves. Troy was great to work with and, at $490 and 1400 grams, the wheels are a better "bargain" than factory wheels at that same weight.

Kate

[g19]

Yes, i love to hear about the improvements compared to the Aksiums.

Keep us posted.

Thanks for the reply.

[Pedal Wench]

Campy wheels (especially Eurus and Zondas) are notorious for being very difficult to change. If you flat alot, that might be an issue. I've spent alot of time trying to change a flat or just put on new tires.

[SadieKate]

Indysteel has it right. Handbuilt custom wheels can be tuned to your riding style and offer a vastly different ride - whether you want it softer or harsher. Also, many of the pre-built wheel sets have wide spokes which are miserable in cross winds.

You may find that the tires you really like don't mount well on the rims because the tires are a bit undersized and the rims a bit oversized. I had a very unhappy experience with Michelin carbons and Ritchey rims once.

Handbuilt customs are easier to repair. Most shops will stock the spokes to get you back on the road and you can do some tensioning out on the road if neccessary.

Custom - you can pick the colors for rim, hub, nipples and spokes - just for fun.