Lightweight wheels that look standard?

[Get Karter]

All this talk of lightweight wheels has got me wanting a set - but I want my bike to look as retro as possible (it's a 1990 653 steel framed bike, very much of the LeMond/Indurain TdF era).

Currently have Mavic open pro 36 spokers on it, (with Campag Chorus front hub and Shimano 105 rear!)

So, what are the best lightweight wheels that aren't carbon or deep rim in any way?

[itsnotarace]

Ambrosio F20 Crono Tubular (750g pair)
Extralite hubs (180g pair)
Sapim Laser (28f, 32r) 288g
Sapim Polyax nips front 5.6g
Sapim Brass nips rear 25.6g

1249g pair

£825

http://www.wheelsmith.co.uk/

Edited by itsnotarace on Friday 15th April 12:24

[Get Karter]

Thanks for the suggestion.
Will take a closer look at link when not at work.

[flemke]

Was your question, "What are the best lightweight wheels?", or was it, "What are the lightest lightweight wheels?"?

[shalmaneser]

To be fair, you've got a nice set of wheels there already, but things have moved on a bit...Maybe some new 105 hubs laced to some open pro silvers?

I guess you're not after deep section rims, otherwise I'd recommend some CXP 33s.

You could go 28/32 fr/rear lacing which would probably be overkill but very strong, with some nice butted spokes.

The problem you've got is that most full build wheels are deep section and most are black meaning they'd look a bit wierd.

Or get a nice set of Ksyriums.

[Floor Tom]

If you are looking for something that looks old then a nice set of de-stickered Mavic Open Pro rims on Dura Ace or Ultegra hubs built with DT Revolution/Wheelsmith XL 15/Sapim CX Ray spokes and Alloy nipples. All in Silver of course. If you have a local shop who know what they are doing then go there, that way you get some backup with them too. Also, I'd go 28 spokes front and 32 rear.

[itsnotarace]

Floor Tom said:

Mavic Open Pro rims

Not light

Floor Tom said:

on Dura Ace or Ultegra hubs

Not light either.

Was this thread about heavyweight wheels that look standard?

[itsnotarace]

These are the Ambrosio's I mentioned above but built with Tune hubs instead and they come in at 1310g per pair

[Roman]

Another option would be to find some even lighter 'new old stock' Mavic rims such as GEL 280s, Argent 7s, 8s, CX18s etc. Usually sold as matching 28, 32 or 36 hole pairs but only around 300g each:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/rare-tubular-700c-MAVIC-GEL-...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Mavic-CX18-Tubular-Tubs-Spri...

I think you could get away with using Sapim CX-Ray spokes too which could shed another 50-100g. Although they are subtly eliptical not round they will fit a standard hub hole and and wouldn't look noticably modern unlike bladed spokes.