[chaco24]

I've got a 09' TREK 2.3 and I want to get a lighter wheel set any suggestions on what I should get?

[AceOfSpades]

How much do you ride? What is your fitness level and what exactly do you expect lighter wheels to do for you?

I've had better results working on my engine that a ton of friends have had spending $1000 on pretty wheels.

[retromike3]

I would look at your tires first if you can upgrade the tires you can "feel" the difference right away. Question: what type of wheel tire are you running now? If you can take a pound off the rotating weight Its like taking seven pounds off the frame.

Next thing to worry about is the gearing on the new wheels you are soon to be riding. Question: What gear range are you running now? 11-28? 12-24? 13-32? How many speed cassette 9,10,11 ? Sometimes if you change the gear ratio it makes the wheels "feel" lighter or more responsive.

If you want to go full goose bozo you can always get a set of ulna light wheels like American Classic makes or even go with sew-ups because they "feel" grate. I have sew-ups on my fixed gear but I will warn you that it took me over an hour to patch the darn thing. One solution is not always the best for all riders all the time.

Mike

[retromike3]

aceofspades is also right on the money with his analysis.

Mike

[BlazingPedals]

Buying speed really does work, and it has an immediate payback. You can always work on the engine, too. People who tell you to work on the engine instead of buying stuff... they're not wrong, but their thinking is limited.

Now, as to what to get... Beats me! How much you planning on spending and are they for climbing or raw speed?

[Industry_Hack]

Lew!

[AceOfSpades]

Originally Posted by BlazingPedals

Buying speed really does work, and it has an immediate payback. You can always work on the engine, too. People who tell you to work on the engine instead of buying stuff... they're not wrong, but their thinking is limited.

Now, as to what to get... Beats me! How much you planning on spending and are they for climbing or raw speed?

Limited thinking? That's why we ask, what are your goals? what is your fitness level? type questions.

If the guy rides once every two weeks, 40 miles a month, do you really think a set of new wheels is going to help?

IMO, that's limited thinking, telling a guy that wheels will help without knowing at what level he rides, if at all?

[retromike3]

I was really lucky a long time ago and got to work in a shop that was owned by the couch of the U.S. National track team. His Name was Carl and one of the things he said to me was that "Bikes do not win races, by themselves they just sit there". He related to me a story of when the team went down to Columbia for a event and while they were training they got there buts kicked by a local kid on a three speed.
My old bike shop used to sponsor a race team and they thought they were hot stuff. The captain of the team was riding in central Oregon when he got "dropped" by a girl on a mountain bike with a cast on her arm. I would have paid good money to see that. Turns out she was on the U.S. National team and had recently broke her forearm and al she could ride was a mountain bike.
Put your average cat 3 racer on a Trek Madone and Lance Armstrong on a Varsity and the cat 3 will still get his ass kicked. Like Lance said "its not about the bike"

Mike

[Mike1jw]

Originally Posted by retromike3

I was really lucky a long time ago and got to work in a shop that was owned by the couch of the U.S. National track team. His Name was Carl and one of the things he said to me was that "Bikes do not win races, by themselves they just sit there". He related to me a story of when the team went down to Columbia for a event and while they were training they got there buts kicked by a local kid on a three speed.
My old bike shop used to sponsor a race team and they thought they were hot stuff. The captain of the team was riding in central Oregon when he got "dropped" by a girl on a mountain bike with a cast on her arm. I would have paid good money to see that. Turns out she was on the U.S. National team and had recently broke her forearm and al she could ride was a mountain bike.
Put your average cat 3 racer on a Trek Madone and Lance Armstrong on a Varsity and the cat 3 will still get his ass kicked. Like Lance said "its not about the bike"

Mike

Amen, and Amen

[chaco24]

I just started riding a little over a month ago, I ride 10-11 miles four days a week commuting and between 40-50 miles on the weekend. My fitness level is increasing every week, I've gone from maintaining an average speed of 8-10mph up to 14-16mph. I'm losing weight, and I was looking into getting lighter wheels as a way to make my bike a little lighter/faster.