Talk to me about Track Wheels

Hi all,

Got a track bike (Dolan Pursuit) which I purchased second hand last year and at the weekend took it out on Newport Velodrome for the first time.

The wheels are non-descript 30mm Clinchers (with machined brake surface) on some Novatec large flange track hubs.

I think I will keep these wheels as training/spare wheels for when I'm riding on the Maindy Velodrome (outside 9 deg banking tarmac track)

So I'm in the market for a set of tubular track wheels but I'm confused about where I should be looking and what makes a good track wheel.

Now with spoke counts high on track hubs I'm guessing that all track wheels will be stiff-ish but is weight, rim depth/profile as crucial in a track wheel set as it is for TTing or for crit racing etc??

I'm looking for advise/input as too what I should be looking at and where to spend my hard earned cash.

I'm happy to buyt second hand when the right stuff comes up - it's just that I do not know what is the right stuff!

Thanks in advance,

Dru.

If you are sure you want tubs then you could start off with a set of these and go from there

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/shimano/dura-ace-7600-large-flange-track-rear-hub-ec043002

If you just want a set of tried and tested clinchers that are good for all velodromes and are not too bad for racing on then these should do it

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/mavic/ellipse-wheel-set-ec025763

For an all round pair of training/racing tubs (don't bother with clinchers at the track IMO): DA hubs, dt spokes, mavic reflex rims and a decent pair of tubs (I use vitorria pista's on all my wheels).

If you are sure you want tubs then you could start off with a set of these and go from there

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/shimano/dura-ace-7600-large-flange-track-rear-hub-ec043002

If you just want a set of tried and tested clinchers that are good for all velodromes and are not too bad for racing on then these should do it

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/mavic/ellipse-wheel-set-ec025763

Hi Mike,

thanks for info, but the first link is to a DA Hub rather than a set of tub wheels.

The Ellipse seem to get good reviews but want to look at tubs I think ()as have clinchers already on which can become training/spares

It depends on the use?

Planet X do some nice deep section carbon tubs for £300.

Also you can make your own with carbon rims, decent spokes and hubs.

Have a look at vsprint. Do a range of track tub wheelsets

Buy my Cane Creek Volos wheels :)

For track tubs you might want to consider going bespoke. Something like Kinlin TB 25 rims built on some Novatec track hubs (or BLB/Planet X ones) will cost you in the region of 200 pounds or a little more if you spec fancy mini bladed spokes.
The Kinlin are good for track, decent aerodynamic, pretty stiff and will take small 21 mm tubs

Thanks ugo, is that an approximate build cost or one you would charge me? Will do my research and comeback to you, are you shipping now a days?

It's a ballpark figure... need to do a bit of maths to see the actual cost... I even have some Alpina elliptical spokes left, which are ace for track wheels...
nope, only London... I suppose you know how to find me if you need to...

Kinlin TB 25 rims built on some Novatec track hubs (or BLB/Planet X ones)

↑This. On-One have Novatec hubs in 24H, super cheap at the moment http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/HUOOLF/on-one-large-flangetrack-hub, and the TB25s can be had in that drilling too http://hubjub.co.uk/index.php/store/rims/kinlin-tb25-detail, with ACI spokes the whole lot will be barely over £100. You could build them in 32H instead, but given the strength of the Kinlin rims that's probably overkill unless you're huge.

↑This. On-One have Novatec hubs in 24H, super cheap at the moment http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/HUOOLF/on-one-large-flangetrack-hub, and the TB25s can be had in that drilling too http://hubjub.co.uk/index.php/store/rims/kinlin-tb25-detail, with ACI spokes the whole lot will be barely over £100. You could build them in 32H instead, but given the strength of the Kinlin rims that's probably overkill unless you're huge.

Do they offer 24 H rear as well? I have only seen front ones... if you buy the same Novatec hubs from BDOP in Taiwan, they have all the drillings... they probably come a bit more expensive, but in the grand scheme of things not a lot

Yes, "Lots in Stock" in 24H f&r, silver only

Well a quick update, taken the wheels off the bike for a quick inspection.
Can not tell what rim they are but they are 30mm with a sliver brake track, 28h novatec black hubs and built with Sapim bladed spokes, although no idea which ones. The rear wheel is built 3 cross pattern and with the rim tape is 850gm. I take it that's not too bad in the grand scheme of things??

They are probably Kinlin XR 300, nice rims for track... there is nothing wrong with clinchers, except if you puncture on a bank... but I don't know how many people puncture on the boards to be honest.
Looking at the number of people fixing a tyre in Richmond Park, looks like you can puncture on anything

you're best bet would be too just replace those rims i reckon, that way you have just "veledrome wheels"

if you do it that way then ideally you'd work out what rim it is, find the erd of that rim and replace with a tubular rim with the same erd, that way you can keep the same hubs and spokes and save yourself time and money with not having to buy new bits for new wheels

Good luck with that, now that Velocity have stopped making Pro Elites and pretty much everybody else has stopped making any metal tubular rims. TB25s are the way to go for training on tubs, and also separate wheels for indoor/outdoor are a good plan. Hubs and spokes are only going to be about £50 anyway, so where's the saving even if he decides to have only one pair of wheels? Selling the clincher wheels complete will raise enough to buy new hubs and spokes, selling the clincher rims in isolation will raise almost nothing.

I would agree with the previous post... Kinlin XR 300 has an ERD of 577 and I am not aware of any tubular rim that would be compatible...

defiantly go for tubulars on the track they make a big difference with rolling resistance and you can pump them up to much higher pressure.

Very rapidly diminishing returns above about 8 bar even on a perfectly smooth track, and like for like clinchers match tubulars for Crr unless you spend about a week gluing your tubs.

This mod for multiple cogs is interesting. I guess there is no lockring involved.

/csb

Multiple sprockets is daft, but plenty of scope for tweaking the chainline. There is a lock ring thread there too.

ugh. No thanks.

I suppose it's so you can go into the wild with 3 gears to train with...

Keirin league riders are bonkers.

ugh. No thanks.

Too much messing with cogs this weekend dan?