which planert x carbon wheels?

[Disco You]

I have a new bike on the way to me

A BMC Roadracer SL01 105
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/bmc/roadracer-...

As you can see, it comes with distinctly average wheels and tyres, the Mavic Aksium S WTS. This, coupled to the fact that my mum has the Ultegra version of this bike from 2011, which has nicer wheels as well as a nicer gruppo, means that I am in need of a wheel upgrade. (plus the bike is free to me, so I have the budget)

First, I was thinking of getting some handbuilt, shallow alu wheels from wheelsmith.co.uk, then I was taking a look at their carbon offerings. I realised that they use gigantex rims, the same as planetx.

I took a look at the planetx, and I like them because they have aluminium braking surfaces, gigantex rims and novatec hubs (so they can be rebuilt, unlike factory wheels) and they offer a warranty, unlike ebay Chinese jobbies. The reason I liked the idea of handbuilts from wheelsmith was that they could be re-built etc. easily, and planetx seem to offer this, whilst offering a faster (read: more blingy) wheel.

So it's between two wheelsets + a wildcard. The wildcard being a wildcard because maybe they're a bit extreme?

1) Planet X CT45 Carbon Clincher Wheelset : http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/WPPXF45C/plane...

23mm wide & 45mm deep
Front - 825g, Rear - 976g - 1801g
£450

2) Planet X 52mm Carbon Clincher Wheelset : http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/WPPX52CCL/plan...

Front: 821g - Rear: 975g - 1796g
19.5mm wide & 52mm deep
£400

WILDCARD: Planet X 60mm Carbon Clincher Wheelset - http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/WPPX60CCL/plan...
Front: 831g - Rear: 979g - 1810g
60mm deep

So I guess my questions are:
1) are the actual weights all going to be as similar to eachother as the claimed weights are? I'm surprised that the 60mms are so similar to the others
2) on the flat, wide45 vs 52 vs 60, what do you think?
3) in a crosswind*, how much worse are each of them than a normal rim?
4) overall thoughts?

*caveat, I don't go out in massively high winds. Plus I can always swap for my Fulcrum 5s if need be.

My riding will be medium pace club & solo runs (18-20mph average) and sportives. No racing. And my weight is between 75-80kg.

[Dixie]

I have the 50mm tubs. I really like them although I'm told they're nothing but a big fat waste of money

I think the combined weight of the wheels and tyres in about 1800g. If I were you id sack the clinchers off and go for the tub wheels. Tyres are roughly the same as clinchers and if you get a puncture whilst out a bottle of sealant and a pump will get you on your way again. I use the Tufo tyres that PX sell.

Use the carbons in the summer and the old rimes in the winter.

Reynolds blue pads work well on the carbon braking surface. Sure they're not as good as alloy surface ones but not by much. I can still do an endo if I wanted too!

Crosswinds aren't really a problem. You'll notice it a bit more on a really windy day like today but for most summer days you'd never know any different.

The freehub is LOUD!!!

Go for it. you'll not regret it.

[Disco You]

Hmm, I was vaguely contemplating tubs over clinchers. I guess I'm just nervous because I have no experience of them. But my specific fears are:
Getting a puncture costs me a tyre
Realistically, you can only carry one spare tub. So if you get two punctures on a ride, you're stuffed.
General practicalities of them.

The carbon braking surface doesn't bother me too much, because they are likely only ever to be used in the dry.

[anonymous-user]

Alternatively, what about the IRD Cadence Aero built onto Novatecs and using some bladed spokes rims from wheelsmith or the American Classic AC 420s, both of which offer an aero advantage and will come in around 1500gs??

Almost a pound in weight saved, no issues with rider weight limits, no drama in a sidewind, aero advantage over shallow rim depth and both easily repairable.

[Disco You]

pablo said:

Alternatively, what about the IRD Cadence Aero built onto Novatecs and using some bladed spokes rims from wheelsmith or the American Classic AC 420s, both of which offer an aero advantage and will come in around 1500gs??

Almost a pound in weight saved, no issues with rider weight limits, no drama in a sidewind, aero advantage over shallow rim depth and both easily repairable.

Hmm, not a bad idea. Wheelsmith say 1450g with their own hubs,:
IRD Aero rims // Wheelsmith 295g sealed hubs // Sapim CX-Ray spokes // Sapim nips. 1450g depending on spoke count.


They're £454

[Justin S]

Just bought some wheels from them and they were faulty. Took 2 weeks of faffing to get a refund. This was on some MTB wheels, but they use the same hubs. Put me off buying my road wheels from them, so stuck to lighter shimanos from Merlins in the end.

[Dixie]

Disco You said:

Hmm, I was vaguely contemplating tubs over clinchers. I guess I'm just nervous because I have no experience of them. But my specific fears are:
Getting a puncture costs me a tyre
Realistically, you can only carry one spare tub. So if you get two punctures on a ride, you're stuffed.
General practicalities of them.

The carbon braking surface doesn't bother me too much, because they are likely only ever to be used in the dry.

I was a bit dubious at first. In the time I've been using them I've had a single puncture. This was mainly dues to the tyre being old and a bit worn out. I'd done about a 1000 miles on them and the previous user had also done a few K. I repaired the tub by the side of the road with tufo sealant. No real drama, took roughly as long as a patch repair on a tube. I even carried on using the sealed tub for a few weeks after the repair, only changing it as I had a 100+ mile ride coming up and didn't want to tempt fate.

http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/TBTUS33P-700-2..._700c___21mm_black

I commute on mine also so the roads I ride on are hardly the best.

I've also found the customer service from PX really quite good. Although they're forever running out of stock of stuff.

Each to their own I guess.

(PS. deep section wheels look really cool too!!)

[Disco You]

Thanks for the advice all, I went for RS80 C50s in the end, £360 delivered!

Edited by Disco You on Thursday 5th December 19:11

[Magic919]

That's cheap! Where?

[Disco You]

Magic919 said:

That's cheap! Where?

Ribble. £399.99 plus 10% off with the code mega10.

[Magic919]

Thanks!

[Justin S]

Nice wheels, I bought RS81's in 24mm instead of the planet X ones. Really happy with them. Roll very well.

[bakerstreet]

Disco You said:

Thanks for the advice all, I went for RS80 C50s in the end, £360 delivered!

Edited by Disco You on Thursday 5th December 19:11

I didn't know they even did those in a 50. Great price too. I didn't really have a plans to replace my RS80s, I was just going to swap them to a new frame, but at that price they are a bargain. Maybe I will get my second set so I can run winter/summer bike on RS80s.

I wonder if those wheels are full carbon or a carbon laminate?

[Disco You]

bakerstreet said:

Disco You said:

Thanks for the advice all, I went for RS80 C50s in the end, £360 delivered!

Edited by Disco You on Thursday 5th December 19:11

I didn't know they even did those in a 50. Great price too. I didn't really have a plans to replace my RS80s, I was just going to swap them to a new frame, but at that price they are a bargain. Maybe I will get my second set so I can run winter/summer bike on RS80s.

I wonder if those wheels are full carbon or a carbon laminate?

Carbon laminate. They're no longer on the Ribble website though, fingers crossed that I get mine!

[Barchettaman]

Nice wheels at a very good price - well done.