Advice

[CAS]

Yes, upgrading wheels may be the single most cost effective upgrade on a bike you love but otherwise want to improve. You decrease rolling resistance while you increase acceleration and usually less weight.

I'm considering downgrading my wheels somewhat. My road bike has an awesome carbon wheelset. Ultimately we worry about carbon fiber because I've had and ridden the bike for a while and a lot of miles. So I'm researching what would be the lightest, fastest and of course loveliest "standard" wheels.

My LBS has suggested a few but with tubeless tires and I'm not sure I want to go tubeless. While I tend to have few flats but the idea of having to fix a tubeless flat when in a remote location sounds daunting.

Of course there's always Uber at that point.

Thank you Trek! If I ride for the shear enjoyment, but also want to do gran fondos or century rides, what are the disadvantages of carbon wheels? Our streets are in horrific condition (although, gas tax and car registration will rise to pay for the repairs in California), so, I am kind of flummoxed to the type of wheels (taking into consideration our lousy roads) I should look at.

[Jean_TZ]

Thank you Trek! If I ride for the shear enjoyment, but also want to do gran fondos or century rides, what are the disadvantages of carbon wheels? Our streets are in horrific condition (although, gas tax and car registration will rise to pay for the repairs in California), so, I am kind of flummoxed to the type of wheels (taking into consideration our lousy roads) I should look at.

To answer to your specific question, check out http://road.cc/content/feature/17111...n-fibre-wheels.

In general, bear in mind that with bike wheels you can only achieve two of the following three goals: low cost, low weight, high durability.

When it comes to choosing new wheels, there are several specifications you should consider:
- material (all aluminum, carbon fiber with aluminum brake track, or all carbon),
- width of the rim when viewed from head on,
- rim profile/section (the height of the rim from the bead where the tire mounts to the rim’s shoulder area where the spokes enter),
- whether you want to run tubeless tires, and
- and reparability.

Google for “bike wheel buying guide” if you aren’t familiar with those rim & wheel specifications. Then you can choose new wheels based on your particular needs, wants, and budget.