Road Wheels & Road Wheel Recommendations?

Looking for some high end shimano compatible hubs in Silver.

How high? Chris King R45 high? If your budget doesn't stretch to CK, Hope Mono RS. If you're looking at an Ultegra budget, Ambrosio Zenith

better / lighter rim, that also comes in silver, is not deep section, and would be sympathetic to an older steel frame.

H+Son TB14 is made specifically for people who want their bikes to look old fashioned without the old fashioned penalty of being too narrow.

^And can't deal with tubs.

Thanks @mdcc_tester, I'd better start saving for those R45s.

Advertised weight of the H+son is 490 grams, 55 grams heavier than the open pro, so I think I'll stick with them.

What are the advantages of tubs? Weight saving? To be honest my life is to short, and my flat too small, to spend any more time messing about with tyres than I already do. Are they difficult to fit / maintain?

Advertised weight of the H+son is 490 grams, 55 grams heavier than the open pro

Advertised width is 23mm, 3mm more than Open Pro. I'd take that even if Open Pros weighed 435g, but they don't any more.

Forgive my ignorance, what is the advantage of a wider rim?

Forgive my ignorance

Hmm... we're half way through 2015, I'm not sure that ignorance is forgiveable any more.

If you believe the hype (and not only have a load of riders taken the step from 20 to 23mm road rims, but most of the wheel manufacturers are getting on board as they replace old models with new, wider, ones), the benefits are lower rolling resistance, better handling, more comfort and reduced risk of snakebites.

H+Son TB14 laced to Shimano 5800 hubs?

The 105s are fine, but I' aiming a bit higher than that. I'm considering old-style DA, but ideally I'd like something brand new.

@mdcc_tester yes all those benefits make sense, except for rolling resistance; surely a wider rim would result in a larger area of tyre in contact with the road?

To put all this in context, I'm replacing a set of RS80 C24s, which are around £350, and I have found them fast and reliable, but they are pretty fugly. My budget for a wheelset this time is around £600 (possibly more if I go for Chris King)

Chris King good decision, mind you mine need regular servicing so make sure you know somebody who does this.

Changing from open pro to HED Ardennes was very noticeable in ride quality. So get the HED Belgiums Plus, probably the closest but a bit cheaper DT Swiss R460; or the Pacenti if you are good at changing tyres.

Hope hubs to Arc22 or TB14 silver rims?

I'm yet to meet a happy Pacenti customer.

Royce Venus, White Industries, Tune, PmP.. Amongst others all make a silver hub set. Another alternative for the box shape rims is the Pacenti PL23 .. although Ed had a set bulge at the eyelets if I recal correctly.

surely a wider rim would result in a larger area of tyre in contact with the road?

http://velonews.competitor.com/2012/03/bikes-and-tech/technical-faq/tech-faq-seriously-wider-tires-have-lower-rolling-resistance-than-their-narrower-brethren_209268

^^Don't think Ed's alone there, not sure I'd be in any hurry to try them.

I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the hed Ardennes plus, but archetypes really are hard to beat for value, guessing the tb14 would be the same if wanting a box profile rim.

In terms of Chris king, I only have experience the classic hub, bought them secondhand as a built wheelset, luckily on hed c2's, but wasn't, or wouldn't be too concerned as rims are rebuildable and the hubs totally, and easily serviceable. I bought (and from what @fussballclub says about the r45's) would recommend getting the hub servicing tool when/if one comes up cheap. partly as I'm not near a shop that has one and mainly because I like doing things myself, but in theory should keep them running for years yet, so a sound investment. And it nice to give them a strip clean and grease whenever suits you.

Similar good experience of Royce. A Venus rear, lightweight front gives a very reliable build. Rear would be a bit heavier than the r45 and it would be nice to see a lighter option, but I don't doubt they'll last a lifetime if looked after. Having cliff at the end of the phone sells them on after sales alone and always good to support him. I have an early version of the Venus, and recently needed new bearings (well one, but worth changing all when sending back to him) he took it back fully serviced the hub, drilled the now standard grease port and did me a great deal on the grease tool.

First ride on my Racing 5 LG's last night. Very comfy, definitely happy with them for the price.

I'd go for Hope over Chris King, so much easier to service, freewheel are easy to swap without tool too.

105 hubs last forever though.

What about Royce?

I stumbled on this summary of fancy hubs while internet researching last week: http://dcrwheels.co.uk/custom-wheelsets/the-best-hubs-in-the-world/

possibly a bit dated but has some interesting bits on materials and bearings.

Strip the hub anodize with some oven cleaner / Sodium Hydroxide?

All you lot love your noisy hubs, don't you?

Hope hubs are not very reliable to say it mildly . . . there you go. I heard it at a Weatherspoons in Wimbledon recently. You were lauded that evening as well, for being on a club run with skinny tyres.

Hah, trial ride with the Kingston Wheelers, need to join a club.

25mm is indeed very skinny, like the fact the fixed wheel was not mentioned at all.

You're joking right?
Hope hubs are the hardest wearing hub I've ever used- when I rode mtb I had a set that last lasted 5 years and have since done another 7 for someone else.
Current road set have done 3 years, 3 sets of rims, and something like 38,000km. Zero maintenance.

I probably am but this man was not. Bit over my head what it related to, something like the freehub body having ways to get at an angle to the hub?

The iron, unscented- staircase.