# in theory..what is the lightest 700c wheel set that can be built for $300 - 400.00 ?



## loona (Sep 28, 2012)

130 lbs. rider 700 c


----------



## froze (Sep 15, 2002)

this is tough question. You weigh only 130 pounds, a light wheel combined with a bit of aero tendency to it would be a good. One such possibility is the Kinlin XR200 laced up with DT Competition dble butted spokes with 24 spokes front and 28 rear, using brass nipples and going into a set of Velocity hubs, that would make the wheelset weigh about 1,457 grms and cost $298 total built. See this for the build sheet, I just choose whatever color to get the quote; CUSTOM WHEEL BUILDING PROGRAM you pick it we build it PROWHEELBUILDER 

If you want the wheel a bit stronger you can go with 28 front and 32 rear which would make the wheel virtually bullet proof though it would weigh about 45 1/2 grms more total (22.8 grms more per wheel), and cost about $9.36 more total, but it would be worth it for the long haul.

There are hundreds of options for what your looking for, I'm just mentioning one.


----------



## Orfitinho (Oct 20, 2012)

766 Gramm; 80$; 2x BHS KinLin XR 200
211 Gramm; 83$; 1x BHS SL 211 Rear Hub (16:8H) 
080 Gramm; 35$; 1x BHS Ultra Light Front Hub (20H)
100 Gramm; 30$; 44 Sapim Laser
022 Gramm; 20$; 44 Sapim Alu Nippel.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
1200 Gramm; 248$; all Parts

80$ Building
x$ Shipping
==================
328$ + x$ = Wheelset


----------



## froze (Sep 15, 2002)

.....


----------



## krisdrum (Oct 29, 2007)

froze said:


> Your prices are wrong on the Kinlins, I tried to save it but Pro Wheelbuilder didnt do that so I will post the facts here. By the way, not saying your wheel is less superior then mine I picked as an example, just saying your prices are wrong.


I don't know Orfitinho from a hole in the wall, but it took me all of 30 seconds to confirm their listed itemized prices are spot on if the materials are bought through BHS. Not sure how you can say the pricing is "wrong".


----------



## froze (Sep 15, 2002)

krisdrum said:


> I don't know Orfitinho from a hole in the wall, but it took me all of 30 seconds to confirm their listed itemized prices are spot on if the materials are bought through BHS. Not sure how you can say the pricing is "wrong".


I made an error in what I was reading, I apologize to Orfitinho and will delete the post.


----------



## jnbrown (Dec 9, 2009)

I am wondering if there is any disadvantage to using Sapim Laser or DT Revs on a front wheel besides they are harder to true? There would would be a tiny saving in weight and aero but not sure it is worth it. I have use CX-Rays without any problems but not sure I want to pay $2.75 a spoke next time. Also keep hearing that Sapim spokes look better made than DT but tend to have spotty quality and sometimes break without explanation. Right now I would be buying DT.


----------



## GRAVELBIKE (Sep 16, 2011)

There's theory and then there's reality.

Are these wheels for racing? Training? Climbing? Time trials?


----------



## loona (Sep 28, 2012)

what is the lightest 700c wheel set 
that can be built for $300 - 400.00 ?


----------



## froze (Sep 15, 2002)

I have REV's on one of my bikes front wheels and I don't have any issues truing them, but their on 36 spoke rims thus I rarely have to touch them even after 35,000 miles. But there is a tool on the market that you should use if you get the Revs called a Twist Resist Spoke Gripper and it cost about $85, I do not have this tool because my wheels with the Revs on the front and Competition on the rear rarely go out of true and when they just do slightly a 1/8th of a turn is all it takes. The Sapim CX Ray is a stronger spoke then the Rev's but not stronger then the DT Competition spokes, but your not comparing apples to apples, if want to do that then decide between the DT Aerolite and the Sapim CX Ray's. Since the CX Rays and the Aerolite's are a oval spoke you do have to buy a tool called a bladed spoke holder that will clamp onto the spoke to keep it from twisting while you adjust the nipple, but the tool is cheap at around $9 for the Park.

I don't think the normal Sapims are better then the normal DT spokes, probably darn close to the same. I have never had a DT spoke break except one time when I was daydreaming and hit a stick sticking out into the path and snapped a spoke. All my bikes use DT spokes and that's all I've used in 40 years. Any spoke will break from stress after a while of riding if you have 300 pound person riding a wheel with just 20 spokes! That doesn't make the spoke bad. A lot of people today are getting bad advice on wheels these days and are overloading their wheels due to being too heavy. And DT's are the most commonly used spoke by a huge margin so you will hear of more failure rates simply because of the sheer number of them in use. 

On my more logical side, I don't think spending $2 plus more per spoke is a wise thing to do unless I was racing and needed every bit of edge I could get, and a 10th of second on a 100 mile race could mean the difference between winning and losing...but if your not racing a 10th of second means nothing after 100 miles and even far less after a 50 mile ride. Simple and highly durable DT Competition spokes are the best spoke on the market for the money.


----------



## froze (Sep 15, 2002)

By the way, this is a pretty decent deal, not sure on the quality of the wheelset but according to 19 buyers they rated them 4 and half stars with 5 being perfect, so they must be pretty decent. These only cost $320 and weigh just 1467 grams assuming of course the factory doesn't cheat on their weights; any way see: Vuelta Corsa SLR Road Wheelset - Road Bike Wheels / Wheelsets


----------



## jnbrown (Dec 9, 2009)

froze said:


> I have REV's on one of my bikes front wheels and I don't have any issues truing them, but their on 36 spoke rims thus I rarely have to touch them even after 35,000 miles. But there is a tool on the market that you should use if you get the Revs called a Twist Resist Spoke Gripper and it cost about $85, I do not have this tool because my wheels with the Revs on the front and Competition on the rear rarely go out of true and when they just do slightly a 1/8th of a turn is all it takes. The Sapim CX Ray is a stronger spoke then the Rev's but not stronger then the DT Competition spokes, but your not comparing apples to apples, if want to do that then decide between the DT Aerolite and the Sapim CX Ray's. Since the CX Rays and the Aerolite's are a oval spoke you do have to buy a tool called a bladed spoke holder that will clamp onto the spoke to keep it from twisting while you adjust the nipple, but the tool is cheap at around $9 for the Park.
> 
> I don't think the normal Sapims are better then the normal DT spokes, probably darn close to the same. I have never had a DT spoke break except one time when I was daydreaming and hit a stick sticking out into the path and snapped a spoke. All my bikes use DT spokes and that's all I've used in 40 years. Any spoke will break from stress after a while of riding if you have 300 pound person riding a wheel with just 20 spokes! That doesn't make the spoke bad. A lot of people today are getting bad advice on wheels these days and are overloading their wheels due to being too heavy. And DT's are the most commonly used spoke by a huge margin so you will hear of more failure rates simply because of the sheer number of them in use.
> 
> On my more logical side, I don't think spending $2 plus more per spoke is a wise thing to do unless I was racing and needed every bit of edge I could get, and a 10th of second on a 100 mile race could mean the difference between winning and losing...but if your not racing a 10th of second means nothing after 100 miles and even far less after a 50 mile ride. Simple and highly durable DT Competition spokes are the best spoke on the market for the money.


I think I will agree with you on the DT Competition. I just rebuilt my rear tandem wheel with those and will probably stay with those on most builds from now on.


----------



## loona (Sep 28, 2012)

my plan is to sell the stock wheels of the road bike i am ordering 
for what ever they can bare.

and add the balance toward this lite wheel set.


----------



## r1lee (Jul 22, 2012)

I would go light and aero.

Like these 38mm.
Gigantex Carbon Rims

Add in spokes and your choice of hubs.


----------



## loona (Sep 28, 2012)

can the cost be kept under or at 400.00 max ?


----------



## biker jk (Dec 5, 2012)

r1lee said:


> I would go light and aero.
> 
> Like these 38mm.
> Gigantex Carbon Rims
> ...


The rims alone would cost $400 so no money left for hubs and spokes.


----------



## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

biker jk said:


> The rims alone would cost $400 so no money left for hubs and spokes.


That'll make the wheels much lighter! In theory anyway.


----------



## looigi (Nov 24, 2010)

biker jk said:


> The rims alone would cost $400 so no money left for hubs and spokes.


Not to mention the added cost of tubular tires.


----------



## krisdrum (Oct 29, 2007)

GRAVELBIKE said:


> There's theory and then there's reality.
> 
> Are these wheels for racing? Training? Climbing? Time trials?


I think Gravel is on the right track here. OP, you pretty much ignored the question. Light for light's sake might not be the best investment (especially since it sounds like it will be your only wheelset). So, let's shift a bit towards what the wheels will be used for. The proposed builds might be poor solutions for your needs, and ultimately your budget might go out the window as you spend extra money to maintain using the wrong tool for the job. You'll probably break a few screwdrivers if you are using them to drive nails, instead of a hammer.


----------



## GRAVELBIKE (Sep 16, 2011)

Orfitinho said:


> 766 Gramm; 80$; 2x BHS KinLin XR 200
> 211 Gramm; 83$; 1x BHS SL 211 Rear Hub (16:8H)
> 080 Gramm; 35$; 1x BHS Ultra Light Front Hub (20H)
> 100 Gramm; 30$; 44 Sapim Laser
> ...


And for daily use, etc, bumping up to the SL218 and 24/28 would still result in a reasonably lightweight build.


----------



## jnbrown (Dec 9, 2009)

I would argue that WI hubs are a better value than the Taiwan hubs.
The Taiwan hubs even though they work fine just look cheap.
WI builds a better wheel, are fully serviceable and could last a lifetime.
I am not sure what the life of a Taiwan hub might be.
If I was building a wheelset that I might replace in a few years and/or I could not afford the extra $250 or so for WI then the Taiwan hubs might make sense.


----------



## froze (Sep 15, 2002)

jnbrown said:


> I would argue that WI hubs are a better value than the Taiwan hubs.
> The Taiwan hubs even though they work fine just look cheap.
> WI builds a better wheel, are fully serviceable and could last a lifetime.
> I am not sure what the life of a Taiwan hub might be.
> If I was building a wheelset that I might replace in a few years and/or I could not afford the extra $250 or so for WI then the Taiwan hubs might make sense.


This is correct, a good hub will last you many years. WI hubs are extremely good hubs for the money and are rated highly by all reviews I've ever read on them; can you get better hubs? Maybe, but you would have to spend a lot more, but as an added bonus the WI hubs look really nice, not a straight bar type of look or gaudy decals that most look like today, but a curvy look with engraved branding. But there are some things you want to last a long time if you plan on keeping your bike a long time, and hubs is one of those things you will come to appreciate. They may not be the lightest hub but they'll outlast all those lighter hubs.


----------



## sanrensho (Jan 2, 2003)

Orfitinho said:


> 100 Gramm; 30$; 44 Sapim Laser


You might want to check your numbers, 44 x Lasers is closer to 192 grams.


----------



## Orfitinho (Oct 20, 2012)

sanrensho said:


> You might want to check your numbers, 44 x Lasers is closer to 192 grams.


You are right. 

1300 gramm for the wheel set then.


----------



## loona (Sep 28, 2012)

they will be for racing only.


----------



## sanrensho (Jan 2, 2003)

loona said:


> they will be for racing only.


Orfitinho's recommended build should be good for you. I'm roughly the same weight and ride a similar build (XR-200, Formula 24/28H hubs, Lasers, alloy nipples). No complaints so far.


----------



## loona (Sep 28, 2012)

what is this set going to cost.


----------



## krisdrum (Oct 29, 2007)

loona said:


> what is this set going to cost.


About $330 plus shipping. Details are on the first page of this thread.


----------

