# Prebuilt Alloy Clinchers



## jcgill (Jul 20, 2010)

Hello, i have been trying to pick a new wheelset for several months, and keep going back and fourth as to what i want.
I think i have finally decided on getting some alloy wheels, as i am not a serious/hardcore racer yet, so carbon would be a bit overboard for my group rides and the couple crits i do.

So thats where i need help, everyone makes an alloy wheel!

The wheels will be for a Trek Madone with Ultegra components. They will be replacing the stock Bontrager "Race" wheelset that weighs in at 1,910 grams.

I noticed how sluggish the Bontragers were when i first rode my CAAD10 with Mavic Aksyums.....The Mavic wheels accelerate like a rocket right when you push the pedal, there is a sluggish delay with the Bontragers.

I weigh 185 right now, but once the snow melts im usually around 170-175. I am in the Midwest (Chicagoland), so the terrain is mostly flat with a few hills, no mountain climbs or descents. The wheels will be for Solo training rides, group rides, and a few crits.

I do not abuse my equipment, so i am looking for a wheel with good longevity that will not need attention every ride.
I am looking at:
Boyd Vitesse 30mm 
Sram s30
Williams 30mm
Fulcrum 3? 5?
Reynolds Solitude
Mavic Kyserium
Shimano RS 80
Basically any alloy clincher around $500 give or take a hundred or so.
What are the pros and cons of all these brands? Which brand stands out of the group?

I do not know of any builders around here, so that kinda eliminates that route. 

Thanks for any info,
Jon


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## jtompilot (Mar 31, 2002)

When I was looking for new wheels I wanted a tubeless wheel set. I went with Campy Zonda 2way when I found them for $500 in the UK. They are simular to the Fulcrum 3 2way. You might also look at Giant's wheels, they have come out with a tubeless wheel.


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## mj3200 (Apr 18, 2008)

I recommend Campagnolo Neutrons


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## Al Young (Nov 22, 2009)

Nuevations!!! Especially when on sale.


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## dcorn (Sep 1, 2011)

I've had Rolf Prima Echelons for the last 6 months or so. 31mm depth, not too heavy, love them. I weigh ~190 and the roads/trails around me aren't the best, so I've hit some pretty good bumps. Still true as ever and roll so smooth. The cool looking spoke pattern is just a bonus. 

w/stickers on my Cervelo










w/o stickers on the new SL3


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## morgan1819 (Nov 22, 2005)

Those are all pretty good wheelsets, and I think you would be happy with any of them.
I'm also down to 175 lbs right now, so we are in the same boat, weight wise. 
I'll list them in order of preference for me:

Shimano RS 80 (solid wheel. 385 gram rim would accelerate well in a crit. i also like the 20.8mm rim width for cornering feel)

Boyd Vitesse 30mm (newer versions have sapim cx-ray spokes. good value wheel)

Williams 30mm (good value wheel. pretty similar to the Boyds? maybe edge to Boyd for cx-rays, all other things being equal)

Sram s30 (good wheel. maybe a little pricey at full retail ... especially for an all aluminum clincher).

Fulcrum 3 (I tried some Campy Zonda's I really liked. I thought the Fulcrum 3 were a few steps below them. not sure why)

Reynolds Solitude (not sure about their aluminum wheels. great carbon rims though!)

Mavic Ksyrium (solid, but pricey at retail)


Pricing can be all over the place ... so a really good deal one of the above wheelsets could influence the order they are listed. 

You could also have a nice set of wheels built up with HED Belgium 23mm rims, cx-rays, and your choice of hubs (DT, Shimano, whatever) and probably be even happier.


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## Bill Bikie (Jul 24, 2010)

*Try the HED Ardennes GP wheels*

Check out the Ardennes GP wheels from HED. The C2 rim is 23mm wide for better stability and handling. HED's sugg. retail price is $750. Maybe your local pro shop will give you a deal.


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## browsielove (Nov 22, 2011)

I've ridden Rolf Prima Vigors for 4 seasons. They are 1465g and semi-aero @ 38mm. I am 180lb and push them hard and they are my only wheel. I would say they are worth the extra $.


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## Bill Bikie (Jul 24, 2010)

browsielove said:


> I've ridden Rolf Prima Vigors for 4 seasons. They are 1465g and semi-aero @ 38mm. I am 180lb and push them hard and they are my only wheel. I would say they are worth the extra $.


Glad they're work'n out for you. I'm looking forward to riding my own classic race with the HED Ardennes 24mm section width rims with the wide foot print.


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## cmg (Oct 27, 2004)

You can have a wheelset built that will be lighter and stronger than any of those listed. The turn off is they will be plain looking, no bling. go with rims that have a higher spoke count than 20 front, 24 rear. Something similar to the set from bicycle wheel warehouse Road - Riders 198 or less - Blackset Race Ten Blue Edition 1451g - Bicycle Wheel Warehouse But you could have a local shop build you a set with any number of less than 400 gram rims, stan's alpha 340ztr, ird cadence, Velocity aerohead (near 400g), kinlin 200xr use Swiss revolution spokes on the front and non-drive rear and Swiss Db14 on the drive side and you'll be good to go. had a shop build me a set using the alpha 340ztr's 28 front, 32 rear, ride great and cost less than anything your mentioning. keep in mind that less than 400gram rims will have thin surfaces, so the brake track will be thin as well. but as long as you stay lighter the 30mm rim (460grams) , kinlin 270xr, velocity aerohead, mavic open pro rims and use 24 spokes front 28/32 rear you should be good. the threads all talk about aero benefits but how many riders, myself include, have thin profiles, lower rim weight with lots of spokes is better.


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## Christopaul (Jan 27, 2012)

*feedback on these choices...*



jcgill said:


> Hello, i have been trying to pick a new wheelset for several months, and keep going back and fourth as to what i want.
> I think i have finally decided on getting some alloy wheels, as i am not a serious/hardcore racer yet, so carbon would be a bit overboard for my group rides and the couple crits i do.
> 
> So thats where i need help, everyone makes an alloy wheel!
> ...


Boyd Vitesse 30mm - tried them & was disappointed so I flipped them for a $loss
Sram s30 - no experience & don't know anyone using them
Williams 30mm - fellow riders(in race club) have them & they like them (used mostly for training)
Fulcrum 5 - some fellow riders have them (came on Bianchis') are too heavy for consideration. 
Reynolds Solitude- my son has a set & he loves them. Good all purpose wheel & has been bullet proof.
Mavic Ksyrium (Elite) - I use them on a touring bike. Solid all purpose wheel. Spin up quickly. Catch too much wind, especially riding along Ocean routes. I have another pair of Ksyrium (ES) that are now collecting dust b/c I have other wheels I like so much more...
RS 80- Would be my choice from this group. I have the Dura Ace 7850 (C 24) which is apparently marginally lighter but very similar. The alloy/carbon mix is wonderful in terms of performance and ride quality. These are fast, have relatively wide rims (21.8), and are reliable. I have had mine a year with no issues, beyond having them trued once when they were first mounted. Easy to mount & remove tires as well. I ride with people that have this wheel (RS 80) & they love them. In fact I don't know anyone that rides on C24 (DA) or the RS 80's that are not really happy with their wheels.


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## looigi (Nov 24, 2010)

Neuvations are good, and they currently have a promo code for 10% off through Feb 17. "New17"


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## pmf (Feb 23, 2004)

looigi said:


> Neuvations are good, and they currently have a promo code for 10% off through Feb 17. "New17"


+1 on Nuevations. They're good wheels for not a lot of money. The owner (John Nuegent) has them made in Taiwan and then sells them directly to the public. Minimal advertising, no team sponsership or other cost adding hype. I think they're easily as good as wheels costing 2-3 times that amount. I've been riding them for a few years, mostly commuting and haven't had any problems. His customer service is the best in the business as well.


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## andresmuro (Dec 11, 2007)

pmf said:


> +1 on Nuevations. They're good wheels for not a lot of money. The owner (John Nuegent) has them made in Taiwan and then sells them directly to the public. Minimal advertising, no team sponsership or other cost adding hype. I think they're easily as good as wheels costing 2-3 times that amount. I've been riding them for a few years, mostly commuting and haven't had any problems. His customer service is the best in the business as well.


Another vote for nuevation. I have the performance titan which are essentially the same as neuvation but branded different. Both neuvation and performance offer good customer service and will repair replace stuff. Price is almost unbeatable.


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## jcgill (Jul 20, 2010)

Christopaul said:


> Boyd Vitesse 30mm - tried them & was disappointed so I flipped them for a $loss
> Sram s30 - no experience & don't know anyone using them
> Williams 30mm - fellow riders(in race club) have them & they like them (used mostly for training)
> Fulcrum 5 - some fellow riders have them (came on Bianchis') are too heavy for consideration.
> ...


Can you please elaborate on why you were disappointed with the Boyd Vitesse wheels???

I was leaning towards the Boyds, as a bunch of guys at my LBS love them.......I was planning on waiting for the new version of the Vitesse to be released (wider rim and lazer etched grephics instead of stickers), and i was going to order that with 24/28 spoke counts. I would be 1 pound lighter than my stockers, and slightly more aero.

Why were you disappointed? Ride feel? fit and finish? performance?


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## jnbrown (Dec 9, 2009)

The problem with a lot of the wheels you listed and being suggested is that they use parts that are either proprietary and/or no name brand of unknown quality.
I think you would be better off having a wheelset made from known components that will maintainable and repairable:

White Industries hubs
Sapim, DT or Wheelsmith spokes
Velocity or Kinlin rims

The cost is going to be closer to $600.
The weight and performance will be as good or better.
At your weight I would go at least 24F 28R


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## krisdrum (Oct 29, 2007)

I'll second jnbrown's suggestion. I just laced up 2 sets of Velocity A23 rims with mostly Sapim Laser spokes. 1 set to 32 hole Shimano hubs, 1 set to 24/28 hole good quality Taiwanese hubs. The builds weren't particularly well done (see my other thread on spoke prep), and they don't have alot of miles on them, but so far I am liking them. Cost in parts was approx. $300 including shipping. Figure another $100 for a reputable shop to build them for you and you are still under your budget, with more spokes, lighter weight, and non-proprietary parts.


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## jcgill (Jul 20, 2010)

jnbrown and krisdrum you make a great point, i believe thats why i was so indecisive on all those sets in the first place, they all looked the same with the only difference being the stickers/logos.

I will definatly look into building a set of 24/28s.....it may cost more, but i think the end result will be much better.

If you guys dont mind, can you give me a list of hubs and hoops that are good, and places to buy them from......last time i broused i had a hard time finding hoops and hubs with the same hole count.

Thanks for the great suggestion!
Jon


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## RJP Diver (Jul 2, 2010)

Got a pair of new RS-80's on ebay for $385. Bulletproof, and hard to beat at that price.


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## krisdrum (Oct 29, 2007)

jcgill said:


> jnbrown and krisdrum you make a great point, i believe thats why i was so indecisive on all those sets in the first place, they all looked the same with the only difference being the stickers/logos.
> 
> I will definatly look into building a set of 24/28s.....it may cost more, but i think the end result will be much better.
> 
> ...


There are so many options, you are asking for a nearly impossible recommendation. I can only really tell you my limited experience. I'd suggest doing some searching around this sub-forum for more ideas/input 

If you are looking to do 24/28, then BikeHubStore has some good quality Taiwanese sourced hubs that fit the bill. Or if you want to spend more you can look at the White Industries, DT Swiss, Chris King, and Alchemy offerings. By spending more, you generally get better flange spacing, which will create a stiffer/stronger wheel. 

If you want to go 32/32, the Shimano stuff in my opinion is a no brainer.

As for hoops, there is stuff readily available from Kinlin, Velocity, Mavic, DT Swiss, etc. You'll probably find Kinlin the least expensive, followed by Velocity and then the price generally goes up from there.

I've had good luck with places like Universal Cycles for rims (Velocity brand). I've been buying most of my hubs used off eBay and sourcing my spokes from Dan's Comp.


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## jcgill (Jul 20, 2010)

Well i have been playing around on some sites, and i came up with the following for $950ish.........yes its a little more than all my original choices, but i think it will be a better wheel, not to mention have all name brand parts.

DT Swiss RR 585 Black Rims 24/28spokes
Chris King R45 Hubs Pewter Color
Sapim CX Ray Bladed Spokes
Black Brass Nipples

What do you guys think about this???


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## RJP Diver (Jul 2, 2010)

jcgill said:


> Well i have been playing around on some sites, and i came up with the following for $950ish.........yes its a little more than all my original choices, but i think it will be a better wheel, not to mention have all name brand parts.
> 
> DT Swiss RR 585 Black Rims 24/28spokes
> Chris King R45 Hubs Pewter Color
> ...


Weight?


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## hecbom (Jul 5, 2005)

I second the Wiliams 30 as a good wheel. I have a set of system 19 but I am only 130lbs! My other choice for about the same amout of money are the Vuelta Team Corsas. My son has a pair and they weigh in at 1450g. He is 165 lbs and the wheels are just amazing. I put them on my bike and they spin about the same as the system 19 which weigh around 1465g. Check them out!


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## krisdrum (Oct 29, 2007)

jcgill said:


> Well i have been playing around on some sites, and i came up with the following for $950ish.........yes its a little more than all my original choices, but i think it will be a better wheel, not to mention have all name brand parts.
> 
> DT Swiss RR 585 Black Rims 24/28spokes
> Chris King R45 Hubs Pewter Color
> ...


I wouldn't put a nearly 600 gram rim on a "lightweight" wheelset. You are cutting weight in other areas (spokes, hubs, etc.) and putting additional weight in the one place it probably counts most, the outside of the wheel. If you want a 30mm deep rim, get the Kinlin xr300 and save yourself alot of weight on the outside of the wheel.


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## jcgill (Jul 20, 2010)

krisdrum said:


> I wouldn't put a nearly 600 gram rim on a "lightweight" wheelset. You are cutting weight in other areas (spokes, hubs, etc.) and putting additional weight in the one place it probably counts most, the outside of the wheel. If you want a 30mm deep rim, get the Kinlin xr300 and save yourself alot of weight on the outside of the wheel.


The setup i posted is just over 1800g.....with kinlins its 1604g any other suggestins to save a few more grams?
The Boyd Vitesse are 1,471g

Is the pinned joint somthing to worry about on the kinlin? Or is that not an issue?

I am looking for 50% Durability, 45%Performance, and 5%Bling


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## simnorm (Jul 12, 2008)

I'm in a similar jam and I can't decide what to get either. I'm heavier than you, so picking is even harder.
There are just too many choices.

RS80, low spoke count...
Boyd Vitesse, new model with a wider rim on pre-order
Custom build and paying a premium for CX-Rays, it just gets pricey real quick and not much cheaper than Boyd's Vitesse. I think that if I go custom, I'll get Laser and Race for the DS.


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## krisdrum (Oct 29, 2007)

jcgill said:


> The setup i posted is just over 1800g.....with kinlins its 1604g any other suggestins to save a few more grams?
> The Boyd Vitesse are 1,471g
> 
> Is the pinned joint somthing to worry about on the kinlin? Or is that not an issue?
> ...


Durability = higher spoke count and proper spoke tension
Performance = alot of things. For crits, cornering is likely king, along with ease of acceleration. So a wide, light rim will likely give you those attributes.
Bling = the eye of the beholder

Those Boyds look nice, I'd get the 24/28 version (you and I are basically the same weight). I like that the rim is wide. The hubs look like the same ones BHS is selling for basically $100 a set.

No easy answer as everything is a trade off. It is all about finding the balance and making concessions. Eventually you just have to jump in and make what you think is the best choice. Alot of guys will tell you overall wheel weight doesn't mean much. Alot will tell you tire pressure is king. Alot will tell you aerodynamics are king. Truth is, it is all that stuff and more.


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## jmckee815 (Feb 3, 2012)

Throwing my 2 cents... I recently went through the same dilemma. However, after hours of research I ended up going with a custom build from Valleycyclist. I am 145lbs.
A23 rims
Spaim Laser Spokes
Velocity Hubs
Brass nips
24/28
Probably right at 1500g
Phillip from valleycyclist has been more than patient and informative. Custom seemed the way to go. I was seriously considering all the brands you have listed. But in the end I felt most comfortable having rims tailored to my riding style. (A23 a wider rim... I like twisty turny routes, as I live in Northern CA with fun climbs and descents). I have yet to receive the wheels... should be or hope they are here next week. I plan on posting a review after they are laced up on the bike.


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## krisdrum (Oct 29, 2007)

jmckee815 said:


> Throwing my 2 cents... I recently went through the same dilemma. However, after hours of research I ended up going with a custom build from Valleycyclist. I am 145lbs.
> A23 rims
> Spaim Laser Spokes
> Velocity Hubs
> ...


I basically just built the same set (I went with Race spokes on the rear drive side). Hubs were Taiwanese (similar to the Velocitys). I've only taken 1 real ride on them, but am digging them. I also built the same rims to a set of Shimano 32 hole hubs, Lasers all around. Haven't taken those out yet, but are intended more for training, with the 24/28 set as my race wheels.


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## steelbikerider (Feb 7, 2005)

I would use Dura Ace hubs - I currently use a 28/24 set with Velocity deep-V and Sapim CX-Rays - nice wheels. Next set I build will be DA hubs with HED C2 rims and CX-ray spokes. The DA hubs will last forever if you repack the bearings once/year.


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## jcgill (Jul 20, 2010)

Thanks for the input guys,

The New Boyd Vitesse is a great value i think, i just dont want to spend $500 on them and be disappointed. Plus im a little hesitant due to the unknown hoops and hubs......but alot of people love his wheels. and they come with a 2 year warranty.

But a custom build is only as good as the builder, and picking one is hard!


Is a welded rim better than a pinned rim or vise-versa?


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## krisdrum (Oct 29, 2007)

jcgill said:


> Thanks for the input guys,
> 
> The New Boyd Vitesse is a great value i think, i just dont want to spend $500 on them and be disappointed. Plus im a little hesitant due to the unknown hoops and hubs......but alot of people love his wheels. and they come with a 2 year warranty.
> 
> ...


The possibility of spending $500 (or more) on a wheel set and being disappointed is always a possibility. So that is always a risk.

As for "unknown" components, most of the stuff out there is coming from the same handful of factories. In many cases the companies are providing the specs and the manufacturer is making the component to those specs, labeling it for them and shipping it on its way. The BHS and similar Tawainese high quality hubs and hoops are very nice, especially for the price. Again, you aren't getting the cutting edge design and engineering that maximizes stuff like bracing angle, but they are still quite good.

As for pinned vs. welded. My understanding is there is no functional/performance difference.


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