# Hed Bastogne or Kinlin XR 270 you decide?



## Rot Weiss Essen (Nov 10, 2008)

I am looking for a wheelset for my Merckx build up that I have to finish in the next month or so and I have narrowed it down to these two fine wheels. I am a fast recreational rider who is 6'2" and 190 lb. I do mainly short fast 25 mile solo rides during the week and longer group rides on the weekends.

I like the Hed Bastogne because of the wider width 23mm, but they are both the same depth at 27mm. The Kinlin XR 270 have the Tune hubs and are around 1380 grams and the Heds are about 100 grams more. Both are 20/24 spoke and both are nearly identicle in price so that isn't an issue. I am wondering if the Tune hubs would be better and more durable in the long run the the stock Hed hubs? And the fact that the Kinlin rims are relatively inexpensive to replace if damaged. Curious on anything I am missing? :thumbsup:


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## Kwantani (Sep 26, 2002)

Don't think the Bastogne is 23mm wide. Perhaps you're referring to the Hed Ardennes? which priced way higher than Bastogne.



Rot Weiss Essen said:


> I am looking for a wheelset for my Merckx build up that I have to finish in the next month or so and I have narrowed it down to these two fine wheels. I am a fast recreational rider who is 6'2" and 190 lb. I do mainly short fast 25 mile solo rides during the week and longer group rides on the weekends.
> 
> I like the Hed Bastogne because of the wider width 23mm, but they are both the same depth at 27mm. The Kinlin XR 270 have the Tune hubs and are around 1380 grams and the Heds are about 100 grams more. Both are 20/24 spoke and both are nearly identicle in price so that isn't an issue. I am wondering if the Tune hubs would be better and more durable in the long run the the stock Hed hubs? And the fact that the Kinlin rims are relatively inexpensive to replace if damaged. Curious on anything I am missing? :thumbsup:


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## cpark (Oct 13, 2004)

My vote would be XR270 or 300.
At 190 lbs, I'd personally go with 24/28 but that's just me


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## Rot Weiss Essen (Nov 10, 2008)

The 09 Hed Bastogne and Kermesse and Ardennes are all 23mm! Just different price points and weights with the Ardennes being the lightest and a couple hundred more than the Bastogne. They all use the C2 rim now which is 23mm.


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## GH-Mike (Jan 20, 2007)

Just built a xr270 with dt240s and have tune hubs with alex r400s. only 100-150m on the xr270s but they are really nice. At 190 I would give serious thought to the xr300s the weight diff will be negligible. At least consider the 300 for the rear. Tune hubs have about 6-7000 miles. Holding up well for me at 150lbs. 

If it’s me and I weigh 190 I’m going tune, dt or alchemy hubs, xr300s, 28r and whatever spoke # your comfortable with up front.


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## Kwantani (Sep 26, 2002)

looks like my Hed knowledge is so 2008 ish, apology.



Rot Weiss Essen said:


> The 09 Hed Bastogne and Kermesse and Ardennes are all 23mm! Just different price points and weights with the Ardennes being the lightest and a couple hundred more than the Bastogne. They all use the C2 rim now which is 23mm.


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## aussiebullet (Sep 26, 2005)

The hed wheels don't always come in at the claimed weight, sometimes way off also l would consider at least 28h in the rear with the xr 270 or 300 but you should be safe with 20h in front way less stress up there but that said l am almost 170lbs atm and l am riding my xr 300 with pt hub and 24h in the rear and have done over 20,000k without out a true but they are ever so slightly out of true now and need a quick retension and once over but it has been bomb proof and l am very hard on equimement so the xr's get my vote.


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## GH-Mike (Jan 20, 2007)

aussiebullet said:


> The hed wheels don't always come in at the claimed weight, sometimes way off also l would consider at least 28h in the rear with the xr 270 or 300 but you should be safe with 20h in front way less stress up there but that said l am almost 170lbs atm and l am riding my xr 300 with pt hub and 24h in the rear and have done over 20,000k without out a true but they are ever so slightly out of true now and need a quick retension and once over but it has been bomb proof and l am very hard on equimement so the xr's get my vote.


Almost nothing comes in at manufacturers claimed weights.
If we are counting grams my XR270 were ea about 25g above claimed.


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## aussiebullet (Sep 26, 2005)

Your saying that your 27mm rim weighed the same as a 31mm? l'd have sent it back  
My 30mm came in at 465g and my 22mm rim came in at 382g but honestly they are your best bang for buck, if they can make something around 38mm and keep it around 500g or so than that would make for an ideal training racing/tting wheelset on the cheap and l think they would have trouble keeping up demand for the first few months of sale but that is another story, to the op; the xr's still rule :thumbsup:


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## Dizzy812 (Feb 20, 2007)

Go for the Heds - wider rim = better tire performance


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## GH-Mike (Jan 20, 2007)

aussiebullet said:


> Your saying that your 27mm rim weighed the same as a 31mm? l'd have sent it back
> My 30mm came in at 465g and my 22mm rim came in at 382g but honestly they are your best bang for buck, if they can make something around 38mm and keep it around 500g or so than that would make for an ideal training racing/tting wheelset on the cheap and l think they would have trouble keeping up demand for the first few months of sale but that is another story, to the op; the xr's still rule :thumbsup:


Ok - busted me - claimed weight that I found was 430 - 452 and 448 as weighed by the supplier. Some rides I feel 18g slower and some I feel 22g slower really bad days after an extra pint 40g. However If I put on a set of tune skewers I make up the difference and more - oh man scary fast


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## cpark (Oct 13, 2004)

My 300/DT 240/CX-Ray (20/24) weighs around 1460 grams. Plenty light and good value for me at $599.


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## Rot Weiss Essen (Nov 10, 2008)

I decided to go with the 24/28 spoke seeing as so many of you thought it would be a good idea and I went with the XR-300/DT 240/CX-Ray combo. It won't be the lightest out there, but I am hoping it will be a good all around wheelset for flats and hills and it should be durable from what everybody says. I can always get some fancy aero wheels when I have 2k burning a hole in my pocket, if that day ever comes? Thanks for all the input.


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## DS1239622 (Mar 21, 2007)

You'll have to let me know what the wheels end up weighing. I'm interested in something similar.


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## cpark (Oct 13, 2004)

It should be around 1500 grams.
My exact set built with 20/24 weigh 1460 grams.
I figure a spoke weighs about 4.35 grams each, 4.35 X 8 spokes = 35 grams more.


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## Rot Weiss Essen (Nov 10, 2008)

+1 on the 1500g figure

You can go lighter with XR-270's and an ELF front hub, that would save you almost a 100 grams, but it would cost about 100$ more also. Don't know if you would feel much of a difference in stiffness between the XR-270 and the XR-300, probably depends on your weight. If you want the XR-300 and need to be in the 1400gram or less range then you have to do the Tune hubs and the cost goes up quite a bit.


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## GH-Mike (Jan 20, 2007)

As noted above my 28R(2x), 20F(radial), XR270s, dt240s, cxrays, al nipples = 1468.


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