Road Wheels & Road Wheel Recommendations?

Realise this is strictly a ss/fg topic, but I'm putting together a new road bike for the summer, thinking of fitting it with a set of Mavic Ksyriums, but wanted to ask if there are other wheels people would recommend. Anyone have any opinions on Fulcrum or Roval's offerings?

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http://www.lewracing.com/provt1TUBULAR.html

Realise this is strictly a ss/fg topic, but I'm putting together a new road bike for the summer, thinking of fitting it with a set of Mavic Ksyriums, but wanted to ask if there are other wheels people would recommend. Anyone have any opinions on Fulcrum or Roval's offerings?
roval's high end is made by campy. i was going to say right off the bat the Ksyriums. we have two pais in the shop and theyre goregeous.

i like the feel of the fulcrums over roval. theyre a more compliant wheel on the shitty roads around here, and seem o absorb the bumps a bit nicer.

Go handbuilt lightweight hubs, open pro rims and decent set of double butted spokes. PMP or Dura Ace hubs if you can afford, or better still Tune. Not so bling, but you'll have a great pair of wheels.

Lew have gone bust after warranty problems so I'd not go there, even if you're budget allows for it.

What sort of riding are you planning on doing? Kysriums are okay but are heavy, in a relative sense, and not particularly aerodynamic. Campag's Eurus wheel is good value.

I've a pair of wheels similar to the ones Willo recommends, open pro rims laced to Tune (Campag compatible) hubs and they've been superb. I'm selling them next week if anyone's interested.

dependant on whether you are running shimano or campag, either some campag wheels, or some of the high end bontrager stuff is real nice quality, . Otherwise it's going to be mavic, where you have the option of changing freehubs.... It all depends on how much you want to spend really, because handbuilts are another option'

Campag Shamal Ultra have been very good to me - the quality is stunning, they're very light, they don't seem to mind potholes (I hit a lot on the Dynamo and they stayed utterly true). To cap it all, I was chatting at some lights with a guy (obviously a pretty rich one) who's been commuting on a pair in London for a year or so without any trouble at all - not bad for race wheels.

Sorry to hijack, but i'm sorting out a set of wheels for a new project. Going down handbuilt route with open pro rims, but need a hub reccomendation..... SRAM groupset so therefore needs to be shimano compatible and would prefer sealed bearings because i'm lazy and i treat my bikes like shit.

Thanks for any input

Unless you already have the Open Pros, you might like to take a look at Ambrosio Excellight (if/when mine turn up from eBay). Similar price and construction with allegedly better quality. I found out about them while googling Open Pros as wheel nerds in the States seem to recommend them as a slightly better alternative.

Sorry to hijack, but i'm sorting out a set of wheels for a new project. Going down handbuilt route with open pro rims, but need a hub reccomendation..... SRAM groupset so therefore needs to be shimano compatible and would prefer sealed bearings because i'm lazy and i treat my bikes like shit.

Thanks for any input

Pick one of Tune, DT Swiss, Royce, Goldtec, PMP or Alchemy. All are high quality and have sealed bearings.

I'm currently sourcing a pair of clincher wheels for my new road bike and will probably go with a Alchemy front hub and a DT Swiss 240s rear if I can find a 24 hole one. I need to get rims sourced first and that is proving difficult.

dt swiss hubs on whatever rim you want R1.1's or open pro's
i have mon-chasserals but you can build the same wheel but not white for cheaper or they do the rr1400 which have normal colour rims.

i would also look at shimano particyularly the rs-80 which are just a tiny bit heavier than the dura-ace carbon laminates but a lot cheaper.

Pick one of Tune, DT Swiss, Royce, Goldtec, PMP or Alchemy. All are high quality and have sealed bearings.

I'm currently sourcing a pair of clincher wheels for my new road bike and will probably go with a Alchemy front hub and a DT Swiss 240s rear if I can find a 24 hole one. I need to get rims sourced first and that is proving difficult.

Cheers.
I was leaning towards the Goldtec's as thier track hubs have served me well, but i'll have a look at the others.

I've got Ksyrium Elite's on the road bike, and in answer to the OP's question I really like them.

They are very stiff, but still ride well, and they refuse (touch wood!) to go out of true so far.

I've got Ksyrium Elite's on the road bike, and in answer to the OP's question I really like them.

They are very stiff, but still ride well, and they refuse (touch wood!) to go out of true so far.

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Had a set on my road bike for a few years. Done summat like 15k miles, including a year commuting. As true as the day I got 'em.

Unless you already have the Open Pros, you might like to take a look at Ambrosio Excellight (if/when mine turn up from eBay). Similar price and construction with allegedly better quality. I found out about them while googling Open Pros as wheel nerds in the States seem to recommend them as a slightly better alternative.

Better than ceramic open pro's? If so, they must be good

@ andyp

Lee got bought by Reynolds or Ritchey (can't remember which one)

Kysriums are just so bloody ugly though. I love the DA carbon laminates, Fulcrum Racing Zeros and Easton EA90's.

First decide on rim depth then buy the best you can afford.

Realise this is strictly a ss/fg topic, but I'm putting together a new road bike for the summer, thinking of fitting it with a set of Mavic Ksyriums, but wanted to ask if there are other wheels people would recommend. Anyone have any opinions on Fulcrum or Roval's offerings?

There's not much difference between Kysrium/Fulcrum/Campag wheels, all mid profile rims with low spoke counts and sealed bearings. Fulcrum and Campag share the same rims and hubs, but with a different lacing pattern.

I've got Fulcrum 5's on my road bike which I'm happy enough with, If I had the choice again though I'd probably go handbuilt with Record hubs on Ambrosio Chrono F20 (tubs) or the equivalent Ambrosio clincher offering

@ andyp

Lee got bought by Reynolds or Ritchey (can't remember which one)

Reynolds. But not quite true, Paul Lew has gone to work for Reynolds but they (Reynolds) didn't buy Lew Racing as a company otherwise they'd have had the liability for LEW warranty issues (of which there are many).

There's loads of threads on this over on Weight Weenies.

ps have a pair of Ksyrium Elite's - if you are leaning that way, pm me Poly if you are interested

Kysriums are just so bloody ugly though
You are insane. My Premium Sls are beautiful and ride just as well.

I fully recommend them.

Better than ceramic open pro's? If so, they must be good

I was thinking of the regular flavour. IIRC I read some accounts of slightly inconsistent braking in the wet that put me off the ceramics, as I tend to use the front brake pretty hard.

Go handbuilt lightweight hubs, open pro rims and decent set of double butted spokes. PMP or Dura Ace hubs if you can afford, or better still Tune. Not so bling, but you'll have a great pair of wheels.

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Proprietry stuff like Ksyriums are a pain when they go out of true.
Aluminium nipples and spokes at £5/ea = expensive rebuild when this happens.
Even cheaper straight-pull stainless spokes can be a pain to find.

Handbuilt all the way.
I have read that factory built wheels can be over tensioned to take account of fatties. A proper wheel builder may give you a better suited more custom set of wheels depending on what you intend to use them for! Having said this I roll on a set of mavic equipes and they have been sweet.next set will be a hand build though. Not by me mind :s

I agree with Ved and hippy, handbuilt wheels give you more repairability should anything go wrong. With wheels that is always a possibility, probably more so than any other component on your bike.