Oh I KNOW the feeling!!! I upgraded my stock wheelset to Mavic Cosmic Carbones (it was a gift from Mom). Now, I wished I asked for a different wheelset...looks like I'm going to have to save up for one. These are "bombproof", but heavy. I would like to have a wheelset for routes that I know that will have a lot of climbing.

SO....I've been looking at Titans and Neuvations M28. They're known to be very sturdy, great on climbing, and has a mild aeroness to it to give you a little bit more boost on speed on decents.

They are between 250-300, depending on where you find them. When I save up enough money, they'll be the first thing I buy. That's just my opinion. I think from reviews, they look to be a well all around wheels for a nice price.

Tires - dependent on what road conditions you ride on. If you find yourself riding on rough roads, chip and seals, you'll be better off getting Gatorskins. They last quite a while and much more puncture proof than others. I personally don't use them, but I've heard good things about them. Some people don't like them because they're heavy.

Vittoria Rubino Pros are another good choices.

Some people have gone away with really cheap tires and still last a long time. Others, buys something expensive with 320 TPI (Vittoria Open Corsa) and get a lot of flats. So, it's really dependent on road conditions. If you're just riding around the town and not in races, you can get away with Gatorskins and Rubinos and they'll last you a long time. I haven't really shopped for prices. I know I definitely will not use Vittoria Zaffinos. They came in stock with my bike...and wore out within a few hundred miles.

Good luck!!