Miche Pistard WR vs ebay build H Plus Son + Dia Compe

Hi there,

Just a quick query.

Need to get a wheelset for a bike I'm building.

I'm so far looking at the Pistard WR wheelset and this build from ebay:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/H-plus-son-Archetype-Fixed-gear-700c-Wheelset-Gran-compe-Track-hub-/322218511615?var=&hash=item4b05b84cff:m:mUNL_ejEwoUEeXsS9MjQHQQ

Just wondering any opinions.

I found a thread here that lists the Miche Primato hubs as best value for money, but I also read that H Plus Son make great rims and the dia compe hubs are also very good. Price difference is not that great.

Use is around town, not track.

Maybe other wheelset suggestsions? Looking for light and strong, ~2kg is limit and no more than £300 ideally.

Considered building my own wheels but I don't have the technical confidence to engage in wheel building.

Cheers,

Only £80 for Archetype x Gran Compe wheels?

The hubs alone already almost cost as much. Are we missing something? Seems like a bargain.

That's one wheel only.

Pair is £160.

Pistard wheelset is £140

£20 quid difference but what other difference is there? Weight class seems similar too. Quality, strength?

That's one wheel only.

Ah, so that was what I was missing.

I'd go for the Archetypes x Gran Compe. Pistards are fine wheels, but not very sexy. My only beef with the Archetypes is the radial spoke pattern of the front wheel (with that many spokes).

Thanks @Tijs

On this image on Wiggle, though, the front Pistard is also radial

http://www.wiggle.com/miche-pistard-wr-track-bike-wheelset/

How about hub-wise? Still reading on the rims and H Plus Son seems to have the edge over the Miche on rims.

Cheers for the help.

the front Pistard is also radial

But the spoke count is lower, so it works better imo (esthetically).

People bitch about Miche (often deservedly so), but I've found that their hubs are solid. The Pistard wheelset as a whole is a fine wheelset. No experience with Gran Compe hubs, but from what I've read they're pretty solid hubs.

The Archetype rims probably have the edge over the Pistards yeah. My guess is that they're a little wider, but I can't find any info on the width of the Pistard rims. Mostly personal preference at this point.

Edit: Pistards are 20mm wide (I assume external), and Archetypes are 23mm (internal width 17.5mm), so Archetypes are a little wider (which means you can fit some bigger tyres better).

How do people rate the V-sprint Miche+Pegasus/Mach1 wheels these days? They come in at 140 a pair too...

In the US this guy laces em like so https://www.retro-gression.com/collections/wheels-rims-hubs-spokes/products/h-son-archetype-gran-compe-wheelset

Miche components have a poor reputation generally and the hubs get tarred with the same brush: both the Cycle Clinic and V-Sprint use them and they are both well regarded wheel builders.

Do bear in mind that the lockring thread is Italian standard, so you can only use Miche, Campagnolo or Phil Wood lockrings.

Malcolm aka The Cycle Clinic is active in the wheelbuilding thread and if you look through the V-Sprint thread, you'll find Varno offers a forum discount code.

The post you found citing Miche as the best value for money hubs is six years old and most people would say that's the System Ex/Formula hub (countless rebranded versions, such as Planet X, around): eg from £22 at the Cycle Clinic vs. £30 for Miche.

I'd choose an Archetypes over whatever Miche use: as noted above they're wider and also a known quantity (I'm sure the Miche is decent enough, but what is it).

Aside from looking shit (IMHO), a radially laced wheel with that many spokes is hard on the hub: the spokes are trying to pull the hub flange apart and the more spokes there are, the less flange there is between drillings to resist that.

If the MiC wheels really are handbuilt in the UK, it shouldn't be a problem for them to lace a front properly for you.

But looking at the MiC website, I don't think I'd spend my money there: they're just punting cheap, Taiwanese components under their own brand. Nothing wrong with that in itself, but I wouldn't trust them to build my wheels.

I think I read in the past that Miche Pistard rims are Ambrosio rims.

Thanks @1993 and @Tijs

H+ Soon is 32/32 spokes.
Pistard 24/32 (if my counting is good at that angle on the wiggle site)

So, it looks like a toss up then and more based on looks to choose in between these.

@Scilly.Suffolk

So, in summary:

Not go for H+Son ebay build because the man may not know how to build wheels overall.

V-Sprint are a safer bet because they are known in the forum.

Miche set is good, but may not be best value for money over the V-Sprint builds or even the ebay build.

Did I get all of this right?

How about other lighter options? Saw on BLB's site that they are importing these new Factory 5 wheelsets from a chinese set up shop run by some Americans.

I'd go for the Miche, I'm riding them for like 3 years and seems like they are still new

Not go for H+Son ebay build because the man may not know how to build wheels overall.

Given the cost of the rims and hubs, I don't see much money left-over for the build and spokes which isn't a good compromise.

V-Sprint are a safer bet because they are known in the forum.

Lots of his wheels in circulation and in the rare instances that there have been problems, his after-sales support is excellent: can you say the same of MiC?

Miche set is good, but may not be best value for money over the V-Sprint builds or even the ebay build.

The Miche are entirely adequate, but yes I'd say you're getting more for your money from V-Sprint and I'd rather support a UK independent than a large international corporation.

Forget about weight, it's largely irrelevant: this refers specifically to pedals, but the principle is the same.

The difference between a "light" and a "heavy" wheelset is in the order of 500g: if these wheels are for hacking around town, I'd guess you're doing so in jeans and trainers, carrying a D-lock etc etc, so (possibly) compromising the strength of your wheels to save a few grammes is a poor choice.

Thanks @Scilly.Suffolk

I'll go for the V sprints.

Found these on their site:

http://v-sprint.com/product/carbon-alloy-wheels/track-wheels/custom-hand-built-track-wheels-quando/

I've been saving weight on handlebars and stem. I live on the 5th floor in a building with no elevator, so weight counts for me. It itsn't about the ride itself, but about the weight I carry up the stairs (my bikes won't sleep outside) Got a few items to shave weight on the new build (seatpost, handlebars, stem, seat) with ebay as a great second hand source.

I hope V-Sprint post to Germany.

Any other options? I se cycle clinic have H + son rims on miche hubs (mix between the ebay auction and the miche wheelset) for £265. Worth the £100 on top of the V-Sprint build I linked?

Cheers to everyone for the gems of wisdom.

I live on the 5th floor in a building with no elevator, so weight counts for me.

Ah, I see!

I'd specify a 2x front, rather than radial (if you click the "specifications tab, you'll see it's an option).

I think the discount code is "LFGSSprice".

For your intended use, I don't think it's worth spending £265 on wheels.

Just a heads up... EAI make a beefy lockring for italian threading. Cheaper and not as shiny a Phil Wood but just as good.

Cool. Gonna go the V Sprints way then.

Cheers guys!