Recommendations for 650C wheels?

[emily_in_nc]

Hi,

I have just purchased a gorgeous Aegis Swift frame off
eBay and will be having the bike built up over the winter.
I'm wondering if anyone has any recommendations for
650C wheels. I'm looking for light wheels that are rugged
enough to handle sometimes-bumpy rural roads (paved,
but not smoothly) and don't need a lot of maintenance/
truing. I'm only 105 lbs. so they don't have to support
a huge amount of weight.

Thanks much!
Emily

[MightyMitre]

Hi Emily -like the sound of your new frame. Sounds like a good project for the winter too.

I personally would steer away from 650 wheels for the following reasons:

Here in the UK it's a lot hard to find tyers & inner tubes that fit 650 wheels - they tend to cost more and there's less choice. Secondly as a club mate found out, most people seem to have the larger size wheels. He got a puncture on a club run and had forgotten to pack a spare inner tube. So everyone stepped forward to offer theirs only to find he had 650 wheels and none of the tubes would fit. In the end he had to put a patch in the inner tube on the while sitting on roadside!(Sure did take a long time to find a bucket of water... )

I know these aren't actually mechanical reasons for not to use 650's -if you're not very tall and have a nice compact frame they might suite you. Why not go to your LBS and sound them out. They also be able to take into account you body shape.

These are just my experiances...

[emily_in_nc]

Hi Mighty~

Not using 650C wheels is not an option for the Aegis Swift frame - it's a compact frame, and that's what size wheels it takes. I am only 5'2", so riding a frame with two 700C wheels is also not an option for me since I'd have toe overlap with the front tire, which I am not willing to live with.

Currently I ride a Terry with the 24" front wheel (to avoid toe overlap) and a 700C back wheel, so I am used to odd-sized tires and carrying spares (in two sizes), so that doesn't worry me. I carry spare tubes and a patch kit, and I've had to patch on the road when I got two flats in one ride; it's really not a big deal to me, just an inconvenience.

Many triathletes here in the states ride 650C wheels, so there must be some good ones out there. Still looking for recommendations (or those to stay away from).

Thanks!

[annie]

Emily,

I LOVE my 650 wheels! This past summer was my first season with them on the first bike I've ever had that fits me, so that probably has something to do with the fact that I love the wheels, too.. Anyway, I have Bontrager Race Lite wheels. They came with the bike. I could have opted for Race X-Lites for more $$$ but decided since they were small and therefore lighter than 700's anyway, to save a little money. I have been very happy with them. I've had no troubles at all with about 5,000 miles on them. 20-spoke count on the front wheel and 24 on the rear. They've stayed true all summer. I find them very responsive on climbs, also in sprints. I did have a little concern about finding tires I liked, especially since color does matter to me...... there's definitely not the selection in 650 tires that there is in 700. I finally ended up with Vittoria Rubino Pros, blackwalls. They've been great. Wonderful feel to the ride, high thread count, grippy sidewalls, lightweight enough for me. So there is stuff out there, you just have to look a little more and always make sure you have your own spare tubes and a patch kit with undried-out glue, as you already know.

I have not found tubes or tires to be more expensive for 650's not that difficult to find. There's more of them out there now so bike shops are getting more accustomed to carrying that size.

Hopefully you'll get some more feedback on other 650 wheels. I would guess there are more good ones out there.

What else are you going to put on the bike? Do you have many ideas yet? It's exciting, to decided just what YOU want on YOUR own bike. Have fun!

[emily_in_nc]

Hi Annie,

Thanks for the Bontrager recommendation - that's definitely one of the wheelsets I'm considering. If I go with those, I'm torn between spending the extra for the X-lites or not. I need all the help I can get climbing; otoh, I want to make sure they're sturdy enough to hold up!

As for the rest of the componentry, I am going to probably spec out a mix of Dura-Ace (bottom bracket, cassette - for lower weight) and Ultegra (triple chainring and short-reach shifters) STI. Women's specific 38-cm handlebars, and a Chris King headset. This is definitely going to be my dream bike, and since I got a great deal on the frame and fork (2/3 off retail!), I can afford to put a bit more into the components.

Thanks again for the thumbs up on Bontrager (my husband rides those too on his Trek 5200), and the tires - I'll look into the Vittorias.

Thanks much!
Emily

[annie]

Emily,

Just saw this on "Bicycling" magazine's website. Thought you might be interested.


--------Chris Hatounian
Price: $649

This familiar, paired-spoke design licensed from Rolf Prima requires little (if any) maintenance, and the wheels are stiff, and stiff-riding. With a shallow-section rim, the Bontragers aren't as harsh as deep-section, paired-spoke wheels, but they impart their share of road feedback.

The offset rear rim balances spoke tension for a stiffer, longer-lasting wheel. Neither stunningly light nor unfortunately heavy, the Bontragers' stiffness and conservative build help them feel efficient and hearty.

Weight: 1,577g (662 F; 915 R)

Spokes: 20 F; 24 R

Best Thing: Solid all-around performance

Worst Thing: No standout feature

The Compromise: Proprietary rim and hubs

Our Verdict: Reasonably light, high-performance wheels that can take daily abuse yet not overtax you in most races -----------