Wheel Poll

[Mike I]

[quote]why buy a heavy italian bike when you could have a light american bike

[Sylv]

I must say I too find those deep section carbon wheels darn sexy. If I was considering buying some the look would account for a good 50% of the decision. How about you, be honest?

I am thinking of options as the rims on my current (system) wheels are getting "groovy" and the wheels themselves are not that light. I've dismissed carbon tubulars for practical reasons (changing brake pads when swapping to alloy rimmed wheels, hassle of tubs ...).

So I want some light and durable wheels, and have come to realise that custom-built wheels will be a far better option:

* Mavic ceramic rims - will last forever and brake better
* Tune hubs - dead light and apparently bombproof
* butted spokes and alloy nipples

I would get them built by Howard at Bromleybike (which I've mentioned twice in my last two posts now, but am not trying to plug!).

They would weight around 1450gm and cost less than £500, including building cost. And they wouldn't look bad in an all-black stealth look. AND I could get them fixed anywhere/cheaply.


You can get a similar-ish build at Poshbikes, although with much cheaper DT alloy rims, and they cost £599.

[tel]

I think I was lucky-whilst in Pearsons drooling over their carbon wheel section. An Aussie guy spoke to me and said he had a pair of Campag Boras for sale. They looked brand new to me, with only a little tub glue showing on the rim.
These wheels retailed at over £1,000 back in 2003. I got them for less than half price with a cassette, and a pair of tubs on them.
These wheels are much too good for me to feel any benefit from, but what the heck.
I got all the gear but still a w**ker at riding.

Terry

[Elliot M]

Are those Open Pro rims Sylv? CX-ray spokes?

I do like the idea of rims that don't wear out, and don't require specialists to respoke etc. Maybe I should think about something based on those rims (but cheaper) when my wheels come to the end of their life.

The system wheel backlash starts here!

[Andrew G]

Be keen to find out how you get on with those Sylv. Interested in how well the ceramic rims work.