Reccomend some new road wheels please!

[daddy cool]

Guys,

I have a 2014 Boardman Pro SLR … getting on a bit now, and would love something new and shiny but don’t get enough time on the road bike to justify it at the moment.
However, having done many thousands of miles, the wheels are down to the wear indicators.
Like the rest of the groupset, they are Ultegra 6800, and have proved to be great – strong enough to withstand potholes and occasionally dropping down kerbs.
What to replace them with?
I like the look of deep carbon wheels etc, but with my sensible hat on realise I’d only see them when im off the bike, so would prefer the best bang for my buck - ideally something that will make me faster... god knows I need it.

Requirements therefore:
• Strong
• As light as possible (same or less than the Ultegras im replacing)
• Rim brake / Shimano 11 speed hub
• Not to difficult to put tyres on (I know some carbon rims are crazy tight)
• Happily fit 23mm tyres (fashion seems to be for larger tyres now)
• Budget… I dunno… up to ~£400?

The boring option, I could just get a replacement set for £275 here: https://www.merlincycles.com/shimano-ultegra-wh-68...

But quite like the idea of these Hunt wheels for £339 (and just 1439g): https://www.huntbikewheels.com/collections/road-wh...

Anyone got experience of the Hunt wheels? Or some sexy deep carbon rims at the same budget which meet my needs?

[gifdy]

I've got Hunt Aero wheels and very happy with them. The took me from Lands End to John o Groats last year with no issues. I also went tubeless with these wheels which has been the best thing I ever did to my bike.

[daddy cool]

gifdy said:

I've got Hunt Aero wheels and very happy with them. The took me from Lands End to John o Groats last year with no issues. I also went tubeless with these wheels which has been the best thing I ever did to my bike.

Good to know, thanks.
Re: Tubeless, I did (for a time) go tubeless on my mountain bike, because that let me run much lower pressures. Presumably you did on the road bike for puncture protection reasons? Touch wood, ive had two punctures in ~5,000 miles using GP4000S tyres, so would probably continue like that (always carry a spare ultralight innertube anyway)

[gifdy]

daddy cool said:

Good to know, thanks.
Re: Tubeless, I did (for a time) go tubeless on my mountain bike, because that let me run much lower pressures. Presumably you did on the road bike for puncture protection reasons? Touch wood, ive had two punctures in ~5,000 miles using GP4000S tyres, so would probably continue like that (always carry a spare ultralight innertube anyway)

Yes, for puncture protection. There's a lot of hawthorn hedging where I am. It's a nightmare for puncutures when the farmers cut it. The tubeless tyres with sealant are fantastic for dealing with this. First time it happened I got my foot and leg sprayed with sealant until it 'sealed'. I had no idea what had happened and thought someone had thrown something on me from an overhead bridge When I checked the pressure, it had only lost ~10psi.

[ALawson]

Speak to Mark at https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Kinlin-XR22T-wheels-Ver...

Or Malcolm at TheCycleClinic.

Both can build you what you want, and when you wear the rims out rebuild the wheels for you.

Similar wheels here.

https://www.cycledivision.co.uk/wheels/cero-ar30-e...

Or go for the Campy Zondas which get rave reviews.....
https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/campagnolo-zon...

[rastapasta]

So either Mavic cosmic carbone or Fulcrum Quattro. would be my suggestion(s).

I have both. Fulcrums are better. They dont get caught up in cross winds to the same extend as the Cosmic's. The tyres on the cosmics are utter manure and should be taken off and replaced prior to riding the bike. Get some GP5000 conti's on em.

I actually bought the Fulcrums as a present to my wife but then I swapped them off her bike onto mine.

[lufbramatt]

ALawson said:

Speak to Mark at https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Kinlin-XR22T-wheels-Ver...

Or Malcolm at TheCycleClinic.

Both can build you what you want, and when you wear the rims out rebuild the wheels for you.

Similar wheels here.

https://www.cycledivision.co.uk/wheels/cero-ar30-e...

Or go for the Campy Zondas which get rave reviews.....
https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/campagnolo-zon...

Agree with this. Got mine from the first link. No worries about weird rim drillings or spoke lengths scrapping the whole wheel if you break something. Hunt use the same rims anyway just with fancy logos on.

[The Stiglet]

I'd buy some Fulcrum Racing 3's, currently on discount with Wiggle too: https://www.wiggle.co.uk/fulcrum-racing-3-c17-clin...

I raced with those for a few years then got some Fast Forward F4Rs and use the Fulcrums to commute on. Like you I run an older model race bike and the rear chainstays don't have enough clearance to run the wider profile carbon rims and I'm pretty much stuck with 23mm tyres. If you can fit 25mms on then do it, it's a much better ride and you can drop the pressure a bit too.

I wouldn't bother with carbon rims unless you get a new bike due to clearance issues.

[anonymous-user]

I’d go for fulcrum 3s too, deep aero looks cool but fulcrum hubs are really good and roll forever. High end Shallow rims usually weigh less and spin up quicker.

[Steve vRS]

Campy Zondas are nice wheels but mine fell apart after a year. The free hub broke and the bearings were shot. The rims had also worn out. They were ridden in all weathers though.

I’m impressed with my Prime carbon 50 clinchers. No idea if they are faster than my old wheels but they roll well, look great and Conti GP4000s were a doddle to get on.

[ExV8]

I bought some Hunt sprint aero wide wheels fitted with tubeless.

Bought for my winter bike but now on my summer bike, great looking wheels.

[Zigster]

https://dcrwheels.co.uk/

One of the guys I ride with recommended this place to me and I bought a pair of “Vivaldi” for my winter bike. Email DCR with what you want and he’ll come back with a suggestion in budget.

Other than that, quite a few of the guys I ride with have Hunt wheels and they do get lots of great reviews, although I haven’t tried them personally.

I’ve also had good experiences with Campag wheels, although haven’t had Zondas.

[daddy cool]

Cheers chaps, some good suggestions there, I shall investigate them before whipping out the credit card

[oddball1313]

I’d imagine Giants wheel would be pretty decent for the money

https://www.giant-bicycles.com/gb/sl-1-30mm-wheels...

[SVS]

ALawson said:

https://www.cycledivision.co.uk/wheels/cero-ar30-e...

+1 for Cero wheels. Mine have been excellent

They’re certainly well reviewed too.

[yellowjack]

daddy cool said:

Cheers chaps, some good suggestions there, I shall investigate them before whipping out the credit card

Never you mind new wheels. I've got a bone to pick with you...

...you go and sell me a set of 25mm Conti GP4000SII tyres for buttons, then I only get 2½ years and 4,600 miles out of them, including two Festive 500s. I'm absolutely outraged. They're down to the wear indicators on the rear, and starting to cut up a bit. I must have had nearly half a dozen punctures in that time too It's just not good enough. So you just keep your powder dry on that credit card until I've gotten my refund, y'dig?

[GOATever]

https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Mavic-Ksyrium-Elite-UST-R...


These are pretty good bang for the buck. I’ve just upgraded one of my bikes with a set, and so far, I’m impressed. They are tubeless as well, and these latest gen road tubeless wheels from Mavic are pretty good now.

Edited by GOATever on Tuesday 7th May 15:26

[Harpoon]

Zigster said:

https://dcrwheels.co.uk/

One of the guys I ride with recommended this place to me and I bought a pair of “Vivaldi” for my winter bike. Email DCR with what you want and he’ll come back with a suggestion in budget.

Other than that, quite a few of the guys I ride with have Hunt wheels and they do get lots of great reviews, although I haven’t tried them personally.

I’ve also had good experiences with Campag wheels, although haven’t had Zondas.

I've also got a set of wheels from David at DCR, though mine are for disc brakes. He was more than happy to answer questions and make suggestions around spec'. Only done approx 500km on them so far but very happy with them.

[shatter]

I have had a set of wheels from

https://www.kinetic-one.co.uk/

I have done many thousands of miles on their Alloy wheels and they have been very strong and roll much better than the stock wheels that came on my road bike.

The customer service and advice were excellent when I was deciding which ones to choose.

[OctaneV8]

I've had Fulcrum 77 before on a Cube and they seem fairly durable.

I also aquired a bike with a Hunt wheelset fitted as an upgrade to the Maddux 2.0. The previous owner said the first Hunt wheelset failed but Hunt replaced them completely with the latest version no charge.

Good luck