Wheel question

[JaneE]

I'm teetering on making a decision for a new road bike and could use a little expert guidance.

I'm leaning toward a 2008 Ruby Comp with some components upgraded to Ultegra (shifters and derailleurs) which my LBS will sell to me for the stock price. The bike felt completely, totally, comfortable. It fit like the proverbial glove. I wasn't thrilled with the stock wheels, however. The bike didn't brake smoothly and it just felt a little sluggish, somehow.

I'm test-riding the bike again with a set of Bontrager Race wheels which do feel quite a bit different (better) than the stock Ruby wheels.

My question is about the various Bontrager wheels. Would it make a noticeable difference if I upgraded the Race wheels to Race Lites? I'm not even seeing the plain "Race" wheels on the Bontrager website so am unable to make a direct comparison. Any ideas about just how the two models differ? I realize that weight is one big difference. I guess I'd like to know just how that might change the feel of the ride of the bike.

TIA! Any advice or information you could pass along will be greatly appreciated.

[indysteel]

Do the "Race" wheels come stock on the Ruby Comp or are you trying to tell the difference between two wheelsets, both of which would be an upgrade to the wheels that come standard on the Ruby?

In general, you will feel a difference in how a better quality wheelset rolls, both in terms of the quality of the hubs and in their (presumably) lower weight. Higher quality rims may also provide a smoother braking surface. However (and this is a big however), some of the difference you're feeling may be attributable to the tires. Tires affect ride quality quite a bit and are a cheap and easy upgrade.

How much would the upgrade cost you? Depending on your answer to that, I would really encourage you to further explore your options. I'm a big fan of custom wheels, especially for women, over and above a lot of factory built wheelsets, most of which (if not all) are built with men in mind. For the money, they remain a good option, but most shops in my experience will not steer you in that direction.

[JaneE]

Do the "Race" wheels come stock on the Ruby Comp or are you trying to tell the difference between two wheelsets, both of which would be an upgrade to the wheels that come standard on the Ruby?

The Ruby Comp comes stock with Shimano RS-10 wheels and hubs. When I described what I had felt (and didn't like) after first riding the bike and then riding a Madone on some variation of Bont. wheels, the shop guy suggested I try different wheels (Bont. Race) on the Ruby. I don't know (yet) what the price differential would be between the Race and Race Lites.

Never considered custom wheels. Gosh, I don't think I'd even know where to start that search!

To hijack my own thread: if I were to consider custom wheels, how would I go about deciding what to get and whom to get them from? This is something that I really know nothing about.

[ms pepperpot]

also hijacking this thread and steering it towards custom wheels:

I have just started discussing the build for my surly LHT with my LBS. They have suggested custom wheels. If they're doing the build they offer quite a good deal, so it wouldn't be that much more expensive than pre-made.

What would the advantages be? tbh, i don't really know much about what i'd want in terms of wheels anyway. In what way are they generally better for women? I would need 26", so would I have more options if i went custom?

[DebW]

I built my wheels for my custom touring bike last year. 26" MTB rims on road hubs. 36 spoke rear, 32 spoke front. Mavic X618 rims, Ultegra hubs, butted 14-15-14 spokes, 9 speed cassette. I run 26x1.3 tires on the road, 26x1.5 off road.

By going custom, you can pick rims of the width for the tires you'll use touring, and for the weight you'll carry. You won't want wheels built for MTBs, and pre-built touring wheels may not exist. You definitely don't want low-spoke count wheels or bladed spokes or proprietary spoke/hub designs.