Wheel Upgrade - recommendations?

[murielalex]

I recently upgraded to low-profile aero wheels: 35mm front, 45mm back. I ride primarily along the ocean, and I deal with all kinds of wind, crosswinds included. I love these wheels. I've not noticed any significant problems with crosswinds, but I instantly noticed improvement, especially when riding in a group. I'd never been able to sustain 20+ speeds for more than a minute or two. I now can hang for about 10-15 miles, even with a headwind (only with the group, but can do 16-20 alone, depending on how hard it's blowing). The first day out with them, I felt like I was cheating, as if they were rolling on without me trying. I can't describe it any better. The wheels are far better than my ability. I feel almost foolish with them, since they should rightfully belong with a better rider, but I bought them for a bike (dream bike) I'm having built and will not see for about a year, so I figured I'd get this expense out of the way now. I wouldn't go deeper, but these are perfect for me, even if I am a bit of an old fool for having them. I'm a very happy old fool.

There are a lot of good wheels on sale right now if you don't want handbuilt. I've had a few friends pick some up at local shops the past month for 50% off (demos), and I've seen some deals on Clymb and Chainlove that come and go.

[indysteel]

As for not going handbuilt because you don't know what to ask for. I don't think you really need to have a clear idea of what you want. A good wheel builder will be able to guide you based on your budget, riding conditions, weight, riding style, and priorities. I'd at least talk to a builder if I was in the market for wheels and was on a budget.

[jyyanks]

I agree with indysteel. I'm having a set of custom wheels built and I had no clue what I was looking for. I contacted a person highly recommended by another forums and gave him my weight, riding style, budget and what I was looking for and he recommended a build. I wasn't sure at first if what he gave me was ok so I did a lot of research online, asked a bunch of cycling friends for opinions and made some tweaks. Now, I'm getting custom wheels built for less than what it would have cost for me to buy comparable off the shelf ones. Good Luck!

[pll]

I think the problem with custom builds and wheel descriptions is that they are very subjective. In one bike shop, where I bought my bike and was asking about wheelsets, I was told the Mavic Ksyriums SL and the Zipp 101 would be stiffer rides than what I had (DT Swiss R1700, stock with my bike). As it turns out, the Zipps feel plush to me.

Another issue that catches my attention in wheel discussions is that it seems the only case I know off (in an industrial economy) in which custom is cheaper than off the rack.

[indysteel]

I think the problem with custom builds and wheel descriptions is that they are very subjective. In one bike shop, where I bought my bike and was asking about wheelsets, I was told the Mavic Ksyriums SL and the Zipp 101 would be stiffer rides than what I had (DT Swiss R1700, stock with my bike). As it turns out, the Zipps feel plush to me.

That problem applies to factory built and handbuilt wheels, as your own example suggests. Regardless of what route you go, it pays to read a lot of reviews (yes, you can find reviews on handbuilt wheel builds and the individual components) and get more than just one person's subjective opinion. Remember, too, that wheels can feel different based on what tires you run and at what psi.

I can't speak to the economics of custom versus factory wheels. Perhaps Wahine can weigh in with her SO's perspective. Obviously, you can get very expensive custom wheels that cost as much as or more than a comparable factory set. But for those among us looking for a solid pair of all-purpose wheels, handbuilts can be a very economical choice. At the time I had my wheels built in 2007, a comparable set of wheels at the same weight would have run me more and likely would have been overbuilt for my weight.