Road Wheels & Road Wheel Recommendations?

Our hard-core reviewer actually thought he was "flying" after the 1st ride out. He was close to tears!

Um.

Um.

I know, awful isn't it.

However, the rims looks similar to modern Firecrests in terms of profile, although they aren't dimpled...

Anyone tried the Wheelsmith Race 23's? They look good for the money
http://www.wheelsmith.co.uk/race23

wheelsmith has built me and other cyclists in our group a few sets of wheels - no compliants whatsoever, excellent wheels well worth the investment

Close enough to the real wheels to offer a decent aero advantage?

They seem to have forgotten to include their wind tunnel test results.

They seem to have forgotten to include their wind tunnel test results.

Yes, that does seem to be rather an oversight...

I'm just griping about spending ~£500 on a heavier, less deep wheelset that will take ages to get here/be built up when I could get these for not a massive amount more.

Whilst I'm aware that aero isn't just depth and shape, what do you think are the chances of these throwing up decent results? Happy to dimple them myself #speedholes

The Buyers Connundrum

(with the possible exception of Hope) anything between Novatec and Chris King is a big fat waste of money.
I'd add DT Swiss 240s to that list. Light, fairly quiet and have a good reputation for reliability.

Hubs between Novatec and Chris King that aren't a big fat waste of money

1. Hope
   
2. DT Swiss 240s
   

^ I would add the forum favourite BHS Superlight Hubs to that list, but I'm pretty sure Tester will come along and confirm my suspicion that saving a few grams on hubs is a big fat waste of money.

I have novatec SL rear and BHS SL front more than 2k km; no issues whatsoever

The DT hubs are nice and everything. Shame the freehub bodies are made of cheese though. In terms of VFM, they aren't great.

Amey, I'm not being a dick, but 2k km mileage on a front hub in reasonable weather is like saying that you've road tested a car by driving out of the showroom.

Anyone tried the Wheelsmith Race 23's? They look good for the money
http://www.wheelsmith.co.uk/race23

I've got them and so does my brother, basically Archtype rims to some cheap.

Not been overly happy with them to be honest, on his website he said they could last a season of Scottish cross without the anodising coming off, mine came off in one fowl weather road ride. The hubs are not great, always need tightened to stop rattling and the bearings don't last long. Both mine and my brothers have not stayed true for long. They have been used quite hard but I've built wheels myself that have stayed true which have been used harder.

Daccordi, thank you for that.

Hubs between Novatec and Chris King that aren't a big fat waste of money

1. Hope
   
2. DT Swiss 240s
   
3. DuraAce
   
4. DT 350
   

Still maintain that DT's freehub bodies aren't good enough quality to justify the money they charge. DA are solid though.

I forget about Tiagra, hard to argue for value for money.

^^ Just the usual problems associated with aluminium freehubs, no?

Cheap cassettes scarring/digging into the body.

My Dura Ace cassette was pretty good at cutting through a Zipp freehub.

I vaguely recall* seeing a photo of that.

£100 for a replacement freehub D:

*most things

Cheap cassettes scarring/digging into the body.

I though the opposite since cheap cassette are almost one piece with the exception of the two smallest cog.

Cheaper cassettes tend to have a bunch of cogs riveted, or screwed together, like the one on the right here.

Better quality ( XT & above ) are usually on one piece aluminium carriers, which seem to be friendlier towards softer freehubs.

Not sure about older cassettes. I've got an 8 speed dura-ace cassette that's composed of eight separate cogs :-/

Getting the lockring really good and tight also helps.

I didn't think the price or way the cassette is held together was much of a factor. But what BareNcessities says makes sense. Tiagra (for instance) are still pinned.

Some freehubs aren't great, usually aluminium ones (DTs, older Zipps, American Classics, Easton).

The DT 350s don't seem to be in their road range and AFAIK they only do down to 28h but they're built a bit more for durability than the lightweight 240s.

On the subject of freewheels and particularly ABG ones

Dutch speakers; does this thread on Fiets.nl suggest someone was able to swap a standard Novatec freehub into a Powertap hub?

The pictures suggest so but Google translate results are (as usual) a bit ambiguous with some mentions of "squeaking".