Road Wheels & Road Wheel Recommendations?

Anyone have any experience or used the Mavic UST wheelset?

I had the Crossroc UST from 2002 to 2010 🙂

Have been using the stock wheels (Mavic CXP22) that came with my Boardman and looking to replace them now that the rims and bearings are going after several thousand miles. Are SHIMANO WH-R501 perfectly good wheels? Or are they too cheap? I will using them for all year round training and commuting in all conditions.

Are SHIMANO WH-R501 perfectly good wheels?

Depends on the price, but they're good enough at anything under £150

Ok, thanks. They have them on Rose Bikes for £120

Thanks for everyone's input, brought a pair on wiggles (cosmic ust sl) over the weekend and it arrived this morning (no harribos though)

I have a set of lightly used Mavic Open Pro UST rims on Shimano R7000 105 hubs for sale, if any interest to you?

Is it insane to use tubs for every day riding? There's so many insanely good deals on tub rim brake wheelsets right now and I'm curious. Road surfaces here in Los Angeles aren't great but there's not loads of shit on the road - they are relatively clean from a flint and gravel perspective. It also never really rains.

I used them all summer in the 80s with no problems, clinchers were for winter use only. Clincher technology is now much improved, but tubs still feel great. The downside is finding tubs which are not megalight race jobbies and a tub repair service is a big help!

Is it insane to use tubs for every day riding?

can you get an uber? if so, do it.

Clincher technology is now much improved

This is why you'd be insane to use tubs for almost anything. The clinchers have the same carcases and tread bands as the corresponding tubs, but without the ballache of gluing and expensive puncture repair. There is no circumstance in which a discount on some wheels would be sufficient to overcome these obstacles.

insanely good deals on tub rim brake wheelsets

This is accurate in the sense that the deals look good to an insane person

Thanks. That’s enough to put me off. $700 for some almost brand new 303s seems like a good deal to me! But yes, obviously I would be terrified the whole time of puncturing.

(no harribos though)

What fresh hell is this?!

I commuted on tubs for a while a few years ago. As long as you take a preglued spare you'll be fine. I wouldn't buy zipps though, their hubs are rubbish.

After 4 years and 9 months ownership of Light Bicycle 55mm rims they continue to shred dirt cheap Wiggle carbon brake pads whilst barely wearing at all whilst stopping predictably in all weathers.
Way harder wearing than Kinlin alu.

If you’re not riding long distances, every single day, assuming decent tubs then it’s possible.

I have commuted on tubs in the past and still use them for occasional cycles. Yes I’ve flatted, but not as often as on clinchers. One commute I flatted about 5 miles from the office and rode it all the way in, because in a pinch you can with tubs (sure I could’ve spent 10 mins by the roadside instead changing a tube, but where’s the adventure in that...).

That said, my tub rims are largely Ambrosio Nemesis which look great and last a lifetime. Not sure I’d want to ride 5m on a punctured tub mounted on carbon...

These days fancy tape does away with the need for gluing. Tubs also have the benefit of coming up wider/rounder than a clincher equivalent.

Conventional logic says no, but it can be done.

*oh and there’s always sealant if you’re really worried about punctures.

Is it insane to use tubs for every day riding?

If it is, then I'm insane. I have bad experiences with carbon clincher rim-brake rims, none with carbon tub rims with rim brakes. I take a can of Pitstop and an ultralight track tub as backup. Never had to call a cab or walk home yet.

I wouldn't buy zipps though, their hubs are rubbish.

The fronts are OK, apart from the endless recalls. But yes, the rear hubs are shite. I've replaced the rear hubs on three Zipp rear wheels, still have a fourth to do.

Tubs also have the benefit of coming up wider/rounder than a clincher equivalent.

I was going to post a technical analysis of this proposition, but eventually decided that a sensible answer would be wasted on such uninformed bullshit.

then I'm insane

It's that special kind of insanity where you have more money that sense. If you're using carbon wheels for everyday riding, all bets are off.

Thought I read this by Leonard Zinn or some such, wider mounting surface for a given ext rim width means less bulb profile than a clincher. Could be wrong, defer to the gods of the forum..

I tried to make tubs work for daily riding - just because I had a set of Campag wheels I really liked.

In the real world...

Punctures are infrequent enough (pinch punctures almost never happen) but Vitoria sealant and a taped tyre are relatively expensive, a big faff and carrying them gets old.

That said, there are other sealants now - perhaps trustworthy enough so you can forgo a spare tyre maybe ... I can’t really comment.

I ended up using tougher types of tubular tyres for fewer flats. But this somewhat cancelled-out the ‘feel’ of tubs (which you can totally get now with the right clinchers anyway).

I definitely wouldn’t bother.

This is good to hear. I have some coming my way.

Thought I read this by Leonard Zinn or some such

Maybe a long time ago; modern clincher practice is to use wide rims compared with the tyre width.

It's a truth almost universally acknowledged that you can't take it with you when you go. And no-one ever arrived at the Pearly Gates saying 'Dayyum, I wish I'd spent more time riding a bike with alloy rims'. What's life without a little whimsy?