[Goose5]

I have read that some prefer hand built wheels over factory wheels. I was in Colorado Cyclist yesterday talking wheelsets with one young salesman. I bought a bike back in May and I am considering upgrades. Starting with wheels. When I bought the bike it was weighed and it came in at 19 and a quarter pounds. So, I need a wheelset that will at the very least take off a 1/2 pound over the Mavic Aksium set I have now.

Can this be achieved with Colorado Cyclists inventory of hand built wheels?

The salesman brought out a custom set from the back. DT Swiss rims with Dura Ace hubs and weight them without skewers. 1800 grams. I am shooting for 1500 to 1600 gram range. I am 50 years old, six foot even, and weigh 186 pound. And I don't intend to race.

[Poolie]

Check out the Blackset race 11 wheelsets from Bicycle Wheel Warehouse. They weigh in at 1495 grams and the price is hard to beat.

I just installed a set yesterday morning and have about 80 miles on them so far. Love um.

[ibisman]

I have 3 pair of wheels made with XTR hubs straight laced to Bontrager vantage rims coming under 1450grams for rimbrakes, front 28 spokes radial laced ,rear radial laced non-drive side 3 cross drive side 32 spokes and 2 pair of WTB Lazerdisc light hubs laced to mavic 317 disc rims 32 spokes coming under 1500 grams for disc brakes.

[Weav]

+1 on what Poolie said.

[SUX VR40 Rider]

I prefer hand built wheels over machine built because of the quality, not because I'm trying to save a few grams. I just purchased a new 26" 36 hole ALEXRIM DA16 and a new Shimano Tiagra 36 hole rear hub and had my bike shop hand build it for me with stainless steel spokes. It should be "bomb and bullet proof" for a very long time and out last most if not all other wheels I could use on my bike.

The predecessor was a 32 hole ALEXRIM DA16. It has developed half moon shaped cracks around the spokes. This happens over time as the spokes are tightened from being trued. It starts to pull the nipple head through the rim. A 36 spoke wheel will hold its true a lot better and thus will not need to be tightened/trued as often.

A 36 spoke wheel is a lot stronger than a 32 spoke wheel too. I really don't car about weight and am not a weight weenie. I had a custom seat frame built for my bike. The original was aluminum and 5 of the 8 welds broke within 8 years time. The new one is the exact geometry but is made of cro-moly 4130 steel. My front rim is also now 36 spoke.

Before any of these modifications my bike weighed 29 pounds. Now I bet it weighs about 35 pounds. I don't need a bike that weighs less than a fart.

[ibisman]

the spokes would not pull through if the rims have eyelets. cheap rims with just holes drilled in them are junk. K-mart quality.

[Zozzie]

Originally Posted by Poolie

Check out the Blackset race 11 wheelsets from Bicycle Wheel Warehouse. They weigh in at 1495 grams and the price is hard to beat.
I just installed a set yesterday morning and have about 80 miles on them so far. Love um.

What Poolie said. The BWW BSR are the best bang for the $ out there considering weight versus cost. Mine, with Sapim CX-Ray spokes, weigh 1410 grams. I've had them for two years and thousands of miles and they're still perfect. If you don't judge wheels by their fancy decals, these wheels are for you.