What Road Wheels Circa £150?

[S6PNJ]

I've had a quick look back to Jan and can't spot any similar threads, so here goes.

I'm currently riding a Trek SLR (2004 when I think it equates to a 1500 - tri bars removed!) with the standard Bontrager Select wheels and Shimano gears. Whilst the bike is more capable than I am, there is always a good reason to upgrade when the opportunity presents! I'm looking to change my wheels, not because they have worn out, but because new ones will be shiny! My budget is modest (ok low) around the £150 mark so I'm currently considering:

Fulcrum Racing 5s (or 7s - is there much difference?)
Planet X AL30
FSA RD-60
or whilst looking at reviews of the above, someone said St.Bernard's which I'd never even heard of!

Any others I should be considering? My riding is social, fitness, commuting and the odd sportive (I'm in for the Ride London 100 in August), I'm roughly 80Kg and the roads around High Wycombe are full of pot holes! Will I notice much of a difference with new wheels or are the existing ones still perfectly capable?

Any advice or other suggestions gratefully received.

[HurryUpAndWait]

Have you considered some of the Shimano wheelsets around that price? In my experience, they're well made, having done a few thousand km on the utterly gash roads of central & SW London (RS 20's). If I were you, however, I'd save up a bit more to get a real upgrade.

[nammynake]

I can certainly recommend the Fulcrum Racing 5. I've done maybe a thousand miles or so and they're as true as the day a bought them. Haven't even needed to tension any spokes. They feel noticeably better than the stock wheels on my Allez (Mavic CXP22 on unknown hubs). I'm a pretty light rider so not sure how robust they are but I've hit a few pot holes and they're still straight.

[TKF]

S6PNJ said:

Will I notice much of a difference with new wheels or are the existing ones still perfectly capable?

You won't notice much difference but by jove you'll convinced yourself they are a revelation. At this price they seem to be much of a muchness. Pick the ones you like the look of.

I bought RS30 because the colours match the Allez frame well and PX had a bargain price. They look good and make a nice sound when you are riding at speed.

I went into a LBS the other day and the bloke there was telling me RS30 are flawed due to cup and cone something. I wasn't really listening tbh.

[BadgerBenji]

I've been beating a set of Fulcrum Racing 7 and Racing 7 CX's to death on cyclocross bikes for the past few months no problems to report with bearings or trueness.

[Rouleur]

OP - YHM!

[S6PNJ]

HurryUpAndWait said:

If I were you, however, I'd save up a bit more to get a real upgrade.

So what would you call a REAL upgrade and how much would I need to spend? The problem then is that the rest of the bike would need upgrading! The groupset is all Ultegra with the exception of the brake calipers which I've upgraded(?) to Planet X Ultralight CNC. The next component would probably be the frame at which point I'm into a whole new situation as I'd probably buy a completely new bike (though I'm perfectly capable of building from components).

nammynake said:

I can certainly recommend the Fulcrum Racing 5.

Useful, thanks as these are one of my preferred options.

TKF said:

You won't notice much difference but by jove you'll convinced yourself they are a revelation.

Ha ha ha, true, very true - as I said in my OP, I'm the worst component in the system currently but I've a few months to get better before I need to be 'tested' in earnest!

BadgerBenji said:

I've been beating a set of Fulcrum Racing 7 and Racing 7 CX's to death on cyclocross bikes for the past few months no problems to report with bearings or trueness.

I know the roads around here are some of the worst around but I'll hopefully not need anything too robust though I did see the YouTube clip posted somewhere here a while back with a rider doing BMX/MTB tricks on a road bike!

Rouleur said:

OP - YHM!

Thanks, received and now in my watch list. Notwithstanding age (and any subsequent degradation of components or bettering of competitors components over time), I'm guessing these are another step up from what I listed above?

[Rouleur]

S6PNJ said:

Thanks, received and now in my watch list. Notwithstanding age (and any subsequent degradation of components or bettering of competitors components over time), I'm guessing these are another step up from what I listed above?

Yes, they're between Fulcrum 3s and 5s in price - £230-240 from the cheapest online retailers - to give you an idea.

[CoolC]

http://superstar.tibolts.co.uk/product_info.php?cP...

No idea how they stack up against the others discussed here, I just spotted them whilst browsing for other shiny bits.

[yellowjack]

Worth a look?

Shimano Ultegra Wheelset @ £265 http://www.cyclingbargains.com/product_info.php/sh...

Sure, they're above budget, but it would be enough to make that 'real' upgrade, and would complete the groupset for a great look.

And get them Ultegra brake callipers back on! What the hell do you think you are doing? My OCD has gone into overdrive worrying about what your bike looks like now, with mis-matched brakes

[S6PNJ]

yellowjack said:

And get them Ultegra brake callipers back on! What the hell do you think you are doing? My OCD has gone into overdrive worrying about what your bike looks like now, with mis-matched brakes

Ha ha ha, I like that a lot!

[yellowjack]

S6PNJ said:

yellowjack said:

And get them Ultegra brake callipers back on! What the hell do you think you are doing? My OCD has gone into overdrive worrying about what your bike looks like now, with mis-matched brakes

Ha ha ha, I like that a lot!

And I'd be able to sleep tonight if I had an assurance that you would refit those bloody brakes and buy the Ultegra wheelset. As it is, I think I'll wear out the hall carpet, pacing up and down, worrying about it. Dude, for MY sake, get it done.....







.....

[HurryUpAndWait]

S6PNJ said:

HurryUpAndWait said:

If I were you, however, I'd save up a bit more to get a real upgrade.

So what would you call a REAL upgrade and how much would I need to spend? The problem then is that the rest of the bike would need upgrading! The groupset is all Ultegra with the exception of the brake calipers which I've upgraded(?) to Planet X Ultralight CNC. The next component would probably be the frame at which point I'm into a whole new situation as I'd probably buy a completely new bike (though I'm perfectly capable of building from components).

I guess my point is that with a budget of £150, the new wheels won't be much better than your current ones. A 'real' upgrade would be one of either lighter weight or better aero. Unless you're really rather good (i.e. well over 20mph average for decent length rides), you'll see more noticeable benefits going down the lighter weight route: every acceleration and every hill will seem easier. The trouble with wheels (and bike components in general when you think about it!) is the decreasing marginal gains in performance paired with increasing marginal cost. So the 'best' (or easiest, or most economical) gains are to be made from going from entry level to mid level components. Long story short, try to get from ~2kg down to ~1.5kg, without costing the Earth. Push the budget another £100, otherwise I fear you'll simply be wasting £150.

That, and yellowjack can then sleep.

[yellowjack]

HurryUpAndWait said:

I guess my point is that with a budget of £150, the new wheels won't be much better than your current ones. A 'real' upgrade would be one of either lighter weight or better aero. Unless you're really rather good (i.e. well over 20mph average for decent length rides), you'll see more noticeable benefits going down the lighter weight route: every acceleration and every hill will seem easier. The trouble with wheels (and bike components in general when you think about it!) is the decreasing marginal gains in performance paired with increasing marginal cost. So the 'best' (or easiest, or most economical) gains are to be made from going from entry level to mid level components. Long story short, try to get from ~2kg down to ~1.5kg, without costing the Earth. Push the budget another £100, otherwise I fear you'll simply be wasting £150.

That, and yellowjack can then sleep.

Phew! Thanks dude. Off to bed now that the world has been set right again. Goddamned OCD.

[vvill]

For an extra £25 get some Mavic Ksyrium Equipes: http://www.merlincycles.com/bike-shop/wheels/road-...

2010 but brand new.

[S6PNJ]

vvill said:

For an extra £25 get some Mavic Ksyrium Equipes: http://www.merlincycles.com/bike-shop/wheels/road-...

2010 but brand new.

That looks like a great price - I don't care about 2010 vs 2013 as I'm sure there isn't that much difference and I'm not a 'sticker snob' so don't care for the latest decals etc. No doubt improvements have been made over the last 3 years but I'm guessing they are still leaps ahead of the wheels I've noted in my OP.

[voicey]

TKF said:

I bought RS30 .... They look good and make a nice sound when you are riding at speed.

I put RS30's on a few weeks ago and the first thing I noticed was the sound of the spokes whirling round - they must have added at least 1.5mph to my average speed....

[vvill]

S6PNJ said:

That looks like a great price - I don't care about 2010 vs 2013 as I'm sure there isn't that much difference and I'm not a 'sticker snob' so don't care for the latest decals etc. No doubt improvements have been made over the last 3 years but I'm guessing they are still leaps ahead of the wheels I've noted in my OP.

They will be much much better than anything you've said in your OP.

I'm probably going to get a set to replace my 2010 Aksiums (which I will add have been a brilliant set of wheels!)

[tridave]

Wait (save a few more £££) for the Flo 30 to come out

http://www.flocycling.com/store/index.php

[GaryGlitter]

yellowjack said:

Worth a look?

Shimano Ultegra Wheelset @ £265 http://www.cyclingbargains.com/product_info.php/sh...

I can get 10% off at PX who have got these for £234, so for £211 I think I've just found me a new pair of wheels.