Can we talk about upgrading wheels?

[Eden]

Yeah customs aren't necessarily super expensive. I think it costs me 200-250 or so a wheel to have my commuter wheels rebuilt every couple of years (cause I ride them in all sorts of crappy weather and wear out the rims...).

If you want some super light, but comfy wheels (they may be a bit over your price point.... but search around for the best deal and it is entirely possible you could find them under $1,000) I love, love my Dura Ace C-24 carbon wheels. Light as a feather, but handle and feel like a dream - they really damp down chip seal vibration. I have the tubular version, as I use them for racing and thus have someone following me around that can give me a new wheel if I flat..... but there is a clincher version too.

[Wahine]

Hmmmm, I always feel a bit weird about posting this because it feels like advertising in the wrong place. Having said that, I agree with those above who recommend a custom wheel build. It really is superior and often can cost significantly less than an equivilant quality production wheel.

So here's the advertising bit, my BF, Tom, owns a mail order/boutique bike shop and custom wheels are a huge part of what he does. He has built thousands of wheels. He's built all of my wheels and none of them have failed. I had a spoke break once and the wheel stayed true enough for me to ride 30 miles home in spite of it. I'm not saying you should buy from Tom, but it really is worth it to buy from an experienced wheel builder.

Tom loves Mavic rims, especially open pros, for their durability and performance and he leans towards sapim spokes. What hubs you get is highly dependent on your budget, how important weight is etc. He often recommends White industries and Shimano dura ace. But what a good wheel builder will do is talk to you and help you decide what will work best for you depending on your goals. You shouldn't feel like someone it trying to sell you something without considering what your needs are.

I think that Tom is the best wheel builder on the planet, but then again I'm very biased. An added bonus is that he loves working with women and manages to make you feel comfortable when asking questions. It's part of why I fell in love with him.

[Owlie]

Eeeenteresting.

Sort of threadjacking: I don't need a really aerodynamic wheel. I am looking for lighter ones. Of course, anything would be an upgrade from my current wheels (the stock ones). I'm not regularly going fast enough for aerodynamic wheels to make a difference. I realize that I'll have to compromise performance and comfort.

[indysteel]

I'm glad you weighed in, Wahine, to sing Tom's praises. Wahine's bias is well deserved as GVH has long enjoyed a great reputation.

I can honestly say that having wheels custom built for myself was a great pleasure. It's one of my favorite gifts to myself. It was both incredibly functional and indulgent. I highly recommend it.

[Veronica]

I'm also glad you weighed in Wahine. You're a long established presence here and what you say has merit. Other people post about their experiences with various shops and wheel builders, so why shouldn't you? You're up front that you may be a little biased and you should be biased.

Veronica

[ttaylor508]

I have a Ruby Expert and have been riding the original Ultegra Wheels that came with it. Last month I did a century ride and borrowed DH Mavic ES wheels (he hurt his back so wasn't riding). Lovvvvved them so much, I decided I had to have a pair for myself. I searched CL and found a guy who was selling his bike with Mavic SL wheels. I contacted him and asked if he would be willing to sell me the wheels and I would give him my Ultegras so he could still sell his bike. He agreed, so I go the wheels for $500. He said there was about a 1000 miles on wheels, but really other than his word I couldn't tell. At the finish line of the double century we did last weekend there was a Mavic booth. The guy took a look at the wheels and said that they had very few miles on them, so I feel like I got a great deal. I absolutely love the wheels, so thumbs up from me on the Mavic Ksyirum SL's!!!

[Wahine]

Muirenn, I have held that frame in my own little hands. It is beautiful. I knew exactly what you were refering to.

[indysteel]

Muirenn, I have held that frame in my own little hands. It is beautiful. I knew exactly what you were refering to.

I knew what Muirenn was referring to, too. I said I was glad Wahime weighed in because I was glad to see her give a shout out to Tom.