Custom wheels.....where to start?

[indysteel]

Since so many of you helped me with my decision to buy custom wheels, I wanted to (finally) give you a ride report. After two months of lousy weather here in Indiana, I took my first test drive on Sunday.

After 40 wonderful miles, I'm in love. The wheels totally exceeded my expectations. The ride is now extremely plush, which is what I wanted most out of them. I used to feel beat up on my Mavics--even at lower psi--but these were like riding on butter. The White Industries hubs spin up very quickly and stay there. I found myself really having to watch it in our paceline.

It's hard to say what effect, if any, the new wheels have on climbs. I felt stronger, but that may have more to do with all the spinning and yoga I've been doing this winter. I did lose about 2 1/2 pounds off the bike from changing out the wheels, tires, tubes and cassette. Either way, the whole ride was sublime from beginning to end. I think the wheels were a great investment. For anyone out there, thinking of going the handbuilt route, I highly recommend it. From a cost and quality standpoint, they just make sense.

Kate

[SadieKate]

Fabulous! Glad you're happy.

[indysteel]

Fabulous! Glad you're happy.

Thanks Sadie Kate. Since your Velocity/WI wheels are very similar, I think you know what I'm talking about when I say the ride is smooth. Who knew that roughly 1400 grams of metal could make that big of a difference?

[SadieKate]

After I posted I began musing. Over the last couple of years I really did myself a disservice. I've always been a better descending mountain biking than road riding, but then I built up a new bike just for climbing the big hills in California. I became a horrible road descender while my mtnbiking stayed the same. I couldn't figure out what was going on in my head.

Last fall yellow came to visit and I loaned her this bike. She commented that she could feel every single little bump in the road. I rode my Litespeed Tuscany with Topolino wheels that same day and suddenly realized I was descending like the old days - and felt rock solid on the steepest and windiest section. Well, duh! It's either a too stiff frame or harsh, rigid wheels. I did a little swapping of wheels and ruled out the frame. It was the wheels with aero rims (low profile but still aero shape) and radial-laced bladed aluminum spokes. Maybe great for someone 170 lbs or more, but not me.

So I asked Santa for the WI/Velocity wheels. My descending confidence is making a huge comeback. This winter I caught up to someone on a long descent on her home turf (and unfamiliar to me) and yesterday I descended as fast (adjusted for weight) as my 200 lb hubby, and no one was in front to pick the line. The woman with us had a pair of very popular bladed/radial spoke wheels and said she feels bounced around on the descents at times and cross winds are a problem, "but the wheels are fast!" How fast can they be when you're slowing for descents? And at 6 mph, how much benefit were they to her on the climb? None!

Long musing, but I wish the LBS would quit pushing these bladed wheels with fewer spokes and harsh rides to us small folk. One needs to be very, very sure that it's the right thing for the job. Stiff laterally is a good thing, but stiff vertically can just pound the crap out of you and decrease control over the bike.

So, I too, got to go through the learning lesson. I thought the low profile rim would make the ride OK. I did my research and everyone said for my weight they'd be great. Well, maybe if all I was doing was racing criteriums but not for much else.