Broken Spoke = New Wheels (Man Maths)

[Progressive]

I have had a Cannondale CAADX 105 for a couple of years. Only complaints are the stock wheelset (too heavy) and the stock Promax cable disc brakes (too weak and need tweaking).

I was considering purchasing a new wheelset in the next month. Today, unlocking my bike, I managed to drop my lock and snap a spoke of on the rear, at the nipple. I am overseas just now, Switzerland, and I darent even get a quote for the replacement. I’ll probably just purchase the new wheelset as I fancied them anyway.

So, any recommendations on sub £400 cyclocross wheelsets, with disc hubs? I mainly commute on road and gravel. Occasionally I hit the forest trails, though nothing too serious. I will be ordering from Wiggle / CRC and (attempting to) fit them myself. Will purchase a new cassette and chain at the same time.

PS. Hydraulic disc brakes will be following.

[jesusbuiltmycar]

I have Hope 4 Seasons discs on my gravel bike and I am very pleased with them - I paid £300. And bought them in a friends recommendation.

To be honest I think any wheel sets in your budget will feel great as they will be a huge improvement over the ones that came with your bike...

[uncinqsix]

Make sure you update us after you upgrade - I'd be interested to hear your impressions on the difference it makes. I have a CAADX 105 as well, and a wheel upgrade is something I'm pondering for the future.

Right now I have the dreaded clicking BB30 to sort out. It's been doing it virtually from new, and the shop's "fix" of greasing the bearing shells lasted about 100km. I'll be pushing for a warranty fix on that...

[Progressive]

uncinqsix said:

Right now I have the dreaded clicking BB30 to sort out. It's been doing it virtually from new, and the shop's "fix" of greasing the bearing shells lasted about 100km. I'll be pushing for a warranty fix on that...

I have a clicking that comes and goes. I need to investigate it. Do you know how the warranty works for a BB30 fix? Back to bike shop? Direct to Cannondale? Is there a time limit?

[uncinqsix]

Progressive said:

I have a clicking that comes and goes. I need to investigate it. Do you know how the warranty works for a BB30 fix? Back to bike shop? Direct to Cannondale? Is there a time limit?

Mine's less than 9 months old and only 850km (haven't ridden it nearly as much as I would have liked since I bought it, for a number of reasons). I dropped it back to the bike shop today, and we've agreed that they're going to try replacing the bearings and installing them with some loctite 609 (press fit retaining compound). From what I've read, it looks like that normally does the trick. I don't know what the Cannondale warranty says, but the shop is accepting it.

[gazza285]

The Kinesis Crosslight wheels are well regarded, I've got two pairs that have been trouble free.

[HurryUpAndWait]

I’ve recently had a similar conundrum, though on one of my road bikes. My Mavic Ksyrium elite rear wheel has 3 cracks in the rim at the spoke nipples - 15,000km of service, so not too bad. Only became apparent after a good clean.



So for safety, I’m buying a new wheel set and plumping for some Hopes as well. Think I’m paying £360 or so for some aero race alloy rim brake clinchers; approximately £100 cheaper than like-for-like replacement Mavics. Should arrive in a week or 2. I’ve only read good things about their wheels.

[Deerfoot]

^ My Mavic wheels went exactly like this, I'm now on Shimanos and they've been trouble free..

[Progressive]

Thanks for the input all. I have done some research and am looking at the Hope 20FIVE Pro4 wheels from Merlin. They stock the RS4 hub equivalent but, as I need the 6 bolt option for the rotor rather than centerlock, this would be prohibitively expensive. It seems as though there isn't as much choice for 6 bolt fitments.

Quick question... Hope Pro4 hubs on a cross bike which I use 50% of the time as essentially a road bike... Will this sound absolutely ridiculous!? I know Hope hubs are loud (I don't mind it) and I don't want to be shunned in group rides!

https://www.merlincycles.com/hope-20five-pro-4-roa...

Edited by Progressive on Tuesday 26th June 11:03

[uncinqsix]

Progressive said:

Thanks for the input all. I have done some research and am looking at the Hope 20FIVE Pro4 wheels from Merlin. They stock the RS4 hub equivalent but, as I need the 6 bolt option for the rotor rather than centerlock, this would be prohibitively expensive. It seems as though there isn't as much choice for 6 bolt fitments.
l

Can't you just buy some centrelock rotors to go with the new wheels?

Or there are conversion kits if you're particularly attached to the original rotors:

https://www.merlincycles.com/shimano-disc-sm-rtad0...

[Progressive]

uncinqsix said:

Can't you just buy some centrelock rotors to go with the new wheels?

Or there are conversion kits if you're particularly attached to the original rotors:

https://www.merlincycles.com/shimano-disc-sm-rtad0...

Perhaps a silly question... Would any centrelock disc rotors (of the same diameter, of course; 160mm front, 140mm rear) work with my current disc brakes? That would save some hassle.

[idiotgap]

I've been pondering the same question recently because I've bought a used caadx apex 1 without wheels on ebay. Been researching while I wait for it to arrive and assuming it's in good shape I'll buy some wheels.

Here are some options on my list... I'm building it up as a commuter so possibly slightly less of a cx slant to a couple of my choices, but the hunts and hopes and archetypes fit in.

£350 1700g anonymous 50mm deep carbon, maybe like this https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/50mm-Carbon-Clincher-DI...
(bit concerned about rear axle spacing but can question them)

£352 1700g 38mm deep named but still Chinese carbon, wait a while for shipping and maybe pay import duties
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ICAN-Carbon-Cyclocross-...

These 1571g £320 alu hunt wheels which seem eminently sensible
https://www.huntbikewheels.com/collections/road-wh...


also considering Hope 20five RS4 32 spoke (with red hubs) at about £400 rrp (or £360 from evans (black only) or merlin)

build some hplusson archetype rims up on dt350 hubs.

Edited by idiotgap on Tuesday 26th June 15:02

[Progressive]

idiotgap said:

also considering Hope 20five RS4 32 spoke (with red hubs) at about £400 rrp (or £360 from evans (black only) or merlin)

Edited by idiotgap on Tuesday 26th June 15:02

Your full post was very helpful, thanks. Have you found Hope 20five RS4 build anywhere in UK with coloured hubs? Merlin and Evans only have black. Love the look of the coloured hubs but am now admittedly edging towards a Hope 20five RS4 build (with centrelock adaptors) rather than the Hope 20five Pro4 build. I think this may be a better future proofing option.

[Kermit power]

Progressive said:

Quick question... Hope Pro4 hubs on a cross bike which I use 50% of the time as essentially a road bike... Will this sound absolutely ridiculous!? I know Hope hubs are loud (I don't mind it) and I don't want to be shunned in group rides!

I have them on my mountain bikes. If I ever need to fit new hubs on my CX bike (used 100% as a road bike commuting in and out of London) I would fit them in an instant, purely for the extra noise making pedestrians and other cyclists so much more aware of you in a crowded environment.

[idiotgap]

Progressive said:

Your full post was very helpful, thanks. Have you found Hope 20five RS4 build anywhere in UK with coloured hubs? Merlin and Evans only have black.

I thought Merlin did, but looking now seems like only pro hubs in colours there. I was going to try swift cycles, see how close they might get to the evans/merlin price. They don't list them on their website but said they can get hope in.

Having said that I'm leaning a little bit toward the mason/hunt 4 season lighter wheels atm.

[uncinqsix]

Progressive said:

Perhaps a silly question... Would any centrelock disc rotors (of the same diameter, of course; 160mm front, 140mm rear) work with my current disc brakes? That would save some hassle.

I think it would - the only way it wouldn't would be if the lateral position was way different, and I can't see how that would be possible in the available space. The bike shop certainly proposed it as an option when I was pricing up replacements for a damaged wheel on my commuter bike.

[Progressive]

idiotgap said:

I've been pondering the same question recently because I've bought a used caadx apex 1 without wheels on ebay. Been researching while I wait for it to arrive and assuming it's in good shape I'll buy some wheels.

Edited by idiotgap on Tuesday 26th June 15:02

I saw your post in the other thread. What a deal you've got yourself there, all being well with it!

[rastapasta]

where in switzerland are you??

[Progressive]

rastapasta said:

where in switzerland are you??

Will PM you!

[Usget]

Useful thread this.

What advantage do the Twenty5 rims offer over the similarly priced Mavic Open Pro? Both seem to be 32 spoke, both on RS4 hubs. Is the Open Pro narrower?