# Hed Ardennes CL as cyclocross wheelset



## Stoneman (Mar 1, 2009)

On Hed's website, HED Cycling Ardennes CL, the Ardennes CL is listed as a tire suitable for cyclocross. It also states the tire is designed for riders up to 225 pounds. Since I now weigh in at 160 pounds the spoke count, 24 front and 28 rear, should be fine, right? 

Also, does anyone have experience using this wheelset for cyclocross? I know that many of you have used the Hed Belgium rim to have their own custom wheelsets built for cross. Why should I have a custom wheelset built up if I can buy this wheelset directly from Hed? Are the hubs or spokes used by Hed inferior?

Thanks in advance for the replies.


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## simonaway427 (Jul 12, 2010)

Price for one thing. $850 for an alloy tubular? You can buy a similarly spec'd Velocity Major Tom build for significantly less money - I'm talking 400-650 range, depending on the hubs and spokes used.

Psimet and Boyd both have a Major Tom cross specific build that is just as good, if not better than HED, for almost half the price.


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## Stoneman (Mar 1, 2009)

I was going for the clincher set...and I can get a deal through a bike shop so I will not be paying the full retail amount shown on the website. 

I've heard the Hed rims are better quality than comparable wide clincher rims, such as the A23's.


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## krisdrum (Oct 29, 2007)

I guess it really depends how much of a discount you are getting. I just laced up a set of A23s, 24/28 and will be lacing up another set 32/32 as soon as my spokes get in (24/28 for racing, 32/32 for training). The rims look to be nice quality and so far the builds have been easy. My cost in parts for the 2 wheelsets (minus the 32 front hub, as I already had it) is about $500, including shipping and sourcing the parts from various vendors. The 24/28 build should come in mid 1400g, 32/32 around 1800g. And I was able to spec the spokes I wanted on each build. So the 24/28 have standard double butted on the rear drive-side, with thin double butted everywhere else.

Personally, I wouldn't pay alot for a clincher cross wheelset. IMO your money would be better spent going with tubs for racing. I saw a dramatic difference going from clinchers to tubs (the A23s are for my road bike).


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## simonaway427 (Jul 12, 2010)

Amen to that. I thought the OP was talking about tubular.

With the money you blow on HED clinchers, you could have purchased a tubular wheelset + tires. No point in investing that kind of money in cross clinchers.


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## Gripped (Nov 27, 2002)

krisdrum said:


> I guess it really depends how much of a discount you are getting. I just laced up a set of A23s, 24/28 and will be lacing up another set 32/32 as soon as my spokes get in (24/28 for racing, 32/32 for training). The rims look to be nice quality and so far the builds have been easy. My cost in parts for the 2 wheelsets (minus the 32 front hub, as I already had it) is about $500, including shipping and sourcing the parts from various vendors. The 24/28 build should come in mid 1400g, 32/32 around 1800g. And I was able to spec the spokes I wanted on each build. So the 24/28 have standard double butted on the rear drive-side, with thin double butted everywhere else.


Care to detail the build and give some hints on your sources?

I'm going to put together a set of wheels with A23 rims and try them out tubeless.


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## krisdrum (Oct 29, 2007)

Gripped said:


> Care to detail the build and give some hints on your sources?
> 
> I'm going to put together a set of wheels with A23 rims and try them out tubeless.


These are closely guarded secrets, so please don't tell anyone else.  

24/28 hubs - bought through RBR actually, but are the same as the sets BikeHubStore sells

32 rear hub - Cambria for less than $50 shipped (had the front hub already)

Rims - Universal Cycles

Spokes/Nipples: Dan's Comp (by far the cheapest I'd found, especially when you consider they come with brass nips for the price, most other places want to sell you the spokes and the nips separate and for more money. Oh and they cut your spokes to length for you!).

The 24/28 set cost me about $270 in parts, including shipping.


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## VeldrijdenAddict (Apr 29, 2008)

I've had success with Neuvation clinchers. I wouldn't spend a lot of money on clincher wheels for cross. Heck I wouldn't spend a lot of money on tubulars! I built up two nice sets of tubular wheels with Sun Vista Crusier rims. 32 hole, 105 hubs. Lightest gauge DT spokes.


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## veloduffer (Aug 26, 2004)

Seems going with HEDs for cross is overkill (I have Ardennes, Bastognes and Kermesse wheelsets). I've used my cross bike with Velocity A23 & White Ind hubs for mtb biking and they've withstood the rocky terrain and my 175lbs quite well. Get a builder to build with the A23 or Dyads and save yourself some $$ for something else.


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## Gripped (Nov 27, 2002)

krisdrum said:


> 24/28 hubs - bought through RBR actually, but are the same as the sets BikeHubStore sells
> 
> 32 rear hub - Cambria for less than $50 shipped (had the front hub already)


Which hubs? Do you like them?

Universal is in town so I can do pick up there. I saw the rims for like $50 with no shipping and tax.


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## krisdrum (Oct 29, 2007)

Gripped said:


> Which hubs? Do you like them?
> 
> Universal is in town so I can do pick up there. I saw the rims for like $50 with no shipping and tax.


Basically these in 24/28. Haven't finished the build yet, but they look pretty quality and based on the info I've gathered from the wheel gurus in the Wheel subforum, they are pretty nice, especially for the money. 

The 32/32 is going to be a combo of a 7400 front hub and a 5600 rear.

Yep, My rims ranged from about $50 to $60 depending on the drilling. Not sure why, maybe they had too much stock in some of the drillings. 

So, $100 for the hubs, $120 for two rims, $50 for the spokes (Sapim Lasers).


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## Gripped (Nov 27, 2002)

krisdrum said:


> Basically these in 24/28. Haven't finished the build yet, but they look pretty quality and based on the info I've gathered from the wheel gurus in the Wheel subforum, they are pretty nice, especially for the money.
> 
> The 32/32 is going to be a combo of a 7400 front hub and a 5600 rear.
> 
> ...


I have two sets of tubulars and was thinking of scavenging the DA hubs from one set for the build. I might just splurge the $100 for those hubs since I could probably get a decent price for the tubulars if I'm inclined to sell.

Also saw these on Ebay:

eBay - New & used electronics, cars, apparel, collectibles, sporting goods & more at low prices

I was suspicious of the Real hubs though ...


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## krisdrum (Oct 29, 2007)

Gripped said:


> I have two sets of tubulars and was thinking of scavenging the DA hubs from one set for the build. I might just splurge the $100 for those hubs since I could probably get a decent price for the tubulars if I'm inclined to sell.
> 
> Also saw these on Ebay:
> 
> ...


Those eBay wheels are pretty low spoke count (20/24). Not sure how much you weigh, but that might not be the best move. Real Design, I think is still around. Remember seeing them as "house brand" components on Litespeeds and such. They don't look bad, although I'd also be leary of the straight pull spokes. Not always the easiest to find, as most shops don't stock them. Plus, once you factor shipping in, you'd probably be spending the same amount to collect the parts yourself and have your LBS build them for you. The driveside flange spacing isn't the greatest on the BikeHubStore hubs, but not bad either. Similar to a DT Swiss 240. If I were to do it again, I might look for a 28 hole Shimano rear to get the extra few mms of driveside flange spacing. But again, these are only laced at this point, I haven't tensioned them, so the real proof will be in the test ride.


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## adam_mac84 (Sep 22, 2010)

I just picked up a set of those bike hub store hubs for a MT build as well.... LOVED my MT's durig the season (built them up in a pinch after i busted a rear escape hoop) built up with tiagra. I will put some limus tires on the 'heavy' tiagra set and my grifo's on the 'light' set with the bikehubstore hubs. Also got some shimano 600's for a training set of A23's. 

My opinion for the OP, the velocity is about the best wheel for the money.

the only problem is that I picked up the hubs in RED to match the X-Fire that i picked up... which was in the WRONG SIZE (54 sold as a 58), so now i have to try to sell off the frame and find another red one (2009) to match the hubs haha


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## shackleton (Jan 15, 2011)

Used VelocityA23's/shimano 105 hubs for the Ironcross in Pennsylvania.I trained in those mountains ( Michaux State forest) all summer with no issues.If a wheelset can withstand that it can withstand anything.I bought my set for $300.Great bargain..atleast if I trash a wheel it won't break the bank replacing.I was given the advice never buy anything for a crossbike that you can't easily afford to replace.


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## climbbikesurf (Jun 15, 2007)

*Great wheelset*



Stoneman said:


> On Hed's website, the Ardennes CL is listed as a tire suitable for cyclocross. It also states the tire is designed for riders up to 225 pounds. Since I now weigh in at 160 pounds the spoke count, 24 front and 28 rear, should be fine, right?
> 
> Also, does anyone have experience using this wheelset for cyclocross? I know that many of you have used the Hed Belgium rim to have their own custom wheelsets built for cross. Why should I have a custom wheelset built up if I can buy this wheelset directly from Hed? Are the hubs or spokes used by Hed inferior?
> 
> Thanks in advance for the replies.


To the OP, I have the HED Ardennes CL wheelset on my cyclocross and I love it. After the season was over, I wanted to go to the wider rim on my tubulars and wanted the same matching clincher rim for my training/pit set. It was either going to be the HED C2 or Velocity A23. At the bike shop that built my wheels, they said if I was already thinking about the C2 than they are better than A23. They haven’t seen any issues with the C2 while they have had some problems with the A23. Also from other posts it sounds like the finish is better on the C2. I haven’t seen the A23 but I really like the finish on the HED rims. They look great. 

Back to the Ardennes CL. They are a nice build. The hubs run smooth, silent and the rims are true. The finish on the rim is real clean too. The wheels are stiff but comfortably stiff if that makes sense. Since cross season is over, this bike goes on fire roads and singletracks (no jumps though). My mountain bike is a rigid single speed 29er so on long rides when I want gears, the cross bike comes out. There is a noticeable improvement in acceleration even with cross tires. I don’t know about durability since it is still new but so far I love them and have no regrets. BTW I'm 5'6" and weight 145 pounds.


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