# Look 566 Wheel Upgrade



## bikegummo (Jun 9, 2007)

Just got my hands on a barely ridden Look 566/Rival from a trusted family member. It's a 2009, and I can't wait for it to arrive! I test rode one of these a year ago and fell in love with it--so glad this worked out!

So my question is this: I'm definitely going to upgrade the wheels before the season starts and I'm wondering about recommendations. I'm about 165 lbs, and ride around NYC (including mountains upstate) where the roads aren't perfect, so I'd want something that would support my weight, that would be strong, and that would be as light as possible. My budget is around $800 or so. Thus far, I've looked at Ksyriums (Elite and SL) and Fulcrum 3 and maybe Fulcrum 1 if I can get them cheap enough. Are these the best combo of strong/light for the bike?

Many thanks for any recommendations! Happy to be a new Look owner!


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## George M (Sep 25, 2008)

I really going to like that bike. I wonder why he got rid of it? 
I got my wheels from 
http://www.bicyclewheelwarehouse.co...e-race-superlight-700c-dura-ace/prod_150.html. I have close to 4000 miles on them and they are as true as when I got them.I also like the wheels that you have mentioned. You can add the Easton wheels to your list as well, they are excellent wheels and very nice.


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## Gee3 (Jan 31, 2006)

The newer Ksyrium Elites are the best bang for the buck and Ksyrium's are known to be bomb proof. I expect the same from these.


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## Weav (Jun 21, 2009)

If you can get a set of fulcrum 1's with that money then go for it. Also look into some BWW wheels built with Dura Ace hubs. Maybe the blackset race 10 or 11 with cx-rays.


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## maximum7 (Apr 24, 2008)

I think you should stay away from the Mavics or Fulcrums unless you get their top of the line. They are just too heavy for the money, but even more so at the top of the line as well. If you can get them on sale then they are a better deal.
You are not a heavy rider, so most any wheel is going to be "strong" enough for you. 

I had the Ksyrium SL wheels for 3 years and I really liked them and never had an issue, but they beat the crap out of me because they are so stiff. I'm 155#, and I ride a 585. However, my buddy has them on his 566, and you don't feel the road nearly as much, which is a testament to the smoothness of the 566. We also run the same tires and saddle, and seat-post, in case you were wondering. 

Anyway, I also have a set of the Easton EA90 aero wheels and they smoother as well and they seem to have less of the "fan effect" the SL's have.

If you are going to spend under 800, I would go for the Easton EA 90SLX's. You can always find them on sale at Performance and they are the lightest, smoothest, bang for you buck in my opinion. Plus Performance will take care of you should any issues arise. 

If you are going to spend $800+ then I think you can't beat the HED Ardennes or the Shimano Dura Ace 7850 C-24CL, now the 7900C-24. Which according to many websites, are the best clincher out there.

I think you should go to Chainreactioncycles.com and order the DA7900 for $800. You can also go a step down and get the Shimano RS80's which are a touch heavier, but still under the Fulcrum 1's. In fact here's a link to a screaming deal on them.
http://www.excelsports.com/main.asp...her+Wheelset&vendorCode=SHIM&major=1&minor=37


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## bikegummo (Jun 9, 2007)

Thanks, everyone.

I've narrowed it down (based on my local shop) to Ksyrium SL or HED Ardennes. I need strength (I'm about 165 lbs) because the roads are pretty rough here, and I want lightweight. The price is the same....

Between these two, what would you do? I hope to tell them today....

Thanks!!!


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## Weav (Jun 21, 2009)

No contest, HED Ardennes!


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## maximum7 (Apr 24, 2008)

> No contest, HED Ardennes!


Hey! Easy Weav! 


+1 on the HED's. Better wheel.


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## bimmer1977 (Jan 30, 2011)

maximum7 said:


> Hey! Easy Weav!
> 
> 
> +1 on the HED's. Better wheel.


how about vs Zipp 101's ?


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## Weav (Jun 21, 2009)

maximum7 said:


> Hey! Easy Weav!
> 
> 
> +1 on the HED's. Better wheel.


LOL. You'll have to blame MikeT. for souring me on Mavics. The K-SL's are good wheels though, but the HED Ardennes are one nice wheelset, not to mention you should be able to walk into any decent shop and get them worked on and have them back in no time. They use CX-Ray spokes, a good lacing pattern, good hubs and they look killer for 2011. Not to mention they use the same Scandium alloy that Dura Ace uses on my set of 7850 SL's. I like the wider C2 rim on the HED's as well.


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## maximum7 (Apr 24, 2008)

> LOL. You'll have to blame MikeT. for souring me on Mavics.


Quick seek help, and fast! Don't drink the cool-aid. 



> how about vs Zipp 101's ?


They are different wheels. 
The Zipps have a deeper rim. Sure they might be a hair more aero, which is great if your riding on the flats and racing, etc. But keep in mind that the weight on those wheels will be on the outer edge of the wheel, meaning more effort to spin up. 

The HED's weigh less period, but have a shallower rim depth and will be a better all around wheel. Probably a better climbing wheel at the least, and less susceptible to crosswinds. 

I still would go with the HEDs. Better to have an all arounder, than a specific, if you're just going to have one.


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## Weav (Jun 21, 2009)

bimmer1977 said:


> how about vs Zipp 101's ?


Tough call. The 101's cannot be beat at their depth for aerodynamics. Great hubs, wider rim, CX-Ray spokes. here is a review http://www.pelotonmagazine.com/Tested-Goods/video/9/18/Zipp-101-Video-Review

Depends on your usage. I think I'd still lean toward the HED's, close call.


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## bikegummo (Jun 9, 2007)

Thanks everyone...made the decision, and the bike is ready to be picked up....drumroll...


Got the HED ARDENNES! It was a toss up, but felt like these were the ones for me. The great posts here also tipped the scales, so thanks!

Really looking forward to getting on the new bike and putting some miles in! I'll throw some pics up at some point. Looks like I'm gonna be on the Look forums quite a bit now...

Thanks again!


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## Weav (Jun 21, 2009)

Awesomeness! Can't wait to see some pics of the 566 with Ardennes. You're gonna love the bike.


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## bikegummo (Jun 9, 2007)

Picked up the bike. All I can say is WOW. So light, so stiff, so comfortable. And the wheels are amazing. 

A million thanks for the help everyone. Pics are coming....


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## robdamanii (Feb 13, 2006)

Sounds like a great score. 

Maybe I'll see you out there if you get far enough north (like into the Catskills or Columbia County.) Some beautiful roads up here.


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## shnyhed (Aug 27, 2010)

this thread is usless without pictures...................


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## slimshady (Dec 4, 2010)

pics or it didnt happen


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## Weav (Jun 21, 2009)

slimshady said:


> pics or it didnt happen


what he said


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## bikegummo (Jun 9, 2007)

It happened!! 

I was hoping to have everything finished before posting, but what the hell? The only things that have changed since the photo are the pedals (switched the Speedplays for Look Keo 2 Max) and the saddle (moved my black Selle SMP from my other bike over to this one because it's like sitting on a cloud). 

I intend to change the red hoods to white since the saddle is now black with red accents. I think that's about it for now! 

I'll post updated pics after the hood change.

LOVE the bike and the HED Ardennes wheels. SO light, so comfortable, and so beautiful. Thanks again everyone.


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## Weav (Jun 21, 2009)

Awesome dude! I had feeling you'd like those Ardennes. Bike looks sweet! I think the white hoods will be better, I wonder how black bar tape would look with the white hoods? I'd probably go that route but everyone has their preferences.

Tell me, I've been considering whether to make the switch to speedplay from Look Classic pedals. Since you have miles on both kinds what are the main differences that you liked/did not like?


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## bikegummo (Jun 9, 2007)

Thanks, Weav! I actually was thinking of black tape as well. Might make the leap on that next.

So the Speedplay vs. Look question. I've been riding Speedplays for ~4 years, and have loved them the whole time. The situation with this bike is that it had Speedplay Light Action on it when I got it. I've got X2 Speedplays on my other bike, and the cleats are totally different (though you'd never know it looking at the pedals). Soooo, that meant I'd have to get Light Action cleats, and once I started doing serious research, I discovered that the Light Action pedals are for more recreational riding (not that I race, but I do ride fast and far with friends) vs. the X2 pedals. By then I'd bought the cleats for the Light Actions, and they are so contrived in the way they have to be installed (you have to put an adapter plate on your shoe, along with this or that shim, etc.). Between the frustration of piles of screws and shim options and the fact that I couldn't use the same shoes for the two bikes anyhow (without fighting the myriad of Speedplay cleat pieces every time I switched), I just decided to abandon ship for the Looks. If the cleats aren't universal, what's the point? I expected to buy pedals anyhow, so it wasn't the end of the world.

I ride Look pedals in spin class (on some old, crappy shoes) and they feel pretty good, so I figured since the cleats are simple and much cheaper, and the weight is slightly less, and I can still have float, I'd just make the jump. 

Oh, and the Look pedals seem to be just cooler on at Look bike


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## twiggy73 (Jan 19, 2010)

Nice ride 

Just wondering which model of the Ardennes did you go for? 
Just having a read and they look like a great set of wheels for the money 

Thanks 

Twiggy


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## slimshady (Dec 4, 2010)

veryyy nicee thanks for sharing.


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## bikegummo (Jun 9, 2007)

Thanks everyone! 

Twiggy--the wheels I picked (with the help of some posters here, of course) are the HED Ardennes. You can find a review here:
http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/components/wheel-sets/product/ardennes-wheelset-08-32321

And a good description/pics here:
http://www.racycles.com/product.aspx?catid=9,501,816

I highly, highly recommend them. Really amazing ride, and so light and sturdy. Very, very satisfied.


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## twiggy73 (Jan 19, 2010)

i have just looked up the HED website and there seems to be a few more Ardennes models to choose from now, going by the review link you posted it seems the ones you went with would be equivelant to the Ardennes FR 

I think i will be looking into a pair of these as they sound like the right fit for me!

Twiggy


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## keeno (Jun 27, 2011)

Hello everyone. I am new here and wanted to briefly introduce myself and ask a question. I have been cycling for 3 years, but have only been "serious" for about a year and a half. I ride as much as i can, and I ultimately want to start riding in these local 50 and 100 mile rides/races. 
At any rate, I upgraded my bike to a Look 566 last year and have loved it. I stumbled across this thread as I was looking for wheel upgrade ideas. I am really intrigued by the Ardennes. I am also interested in the Dura Ace WH-7900-c24-CL. I would like to keep the price around $1,000, but would prefer to spend less. This brings me to my question: Do Ardennes users out think the SLs are worth the extra $200 over the LTs? Are 76 grams worth the extra cash? The Dura Ace appears to be lightest. I am not a weight *****, but if I am spending this kind of money, I want to get something nice and cut down a bit of weight and get a better ride. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!


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## maximum7 (Apr 24, 2008)

There are a lot of good choices out there. And alot of good deals. 

I have heard nothing but good things about the HED's, but have not ridden them. 
I have the DA 7900. 
I've also ridden the Ksyrium SL's and Easton EA90SLX

How much do you weigh? 

Here are some screaming deals on some very good Fulcrums, if they float your boat.
http://www.biketiresdirect.com/search/fulcrum-wheels


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## keeno (Jun 27, 2011)

Thanks for the response. I only weigh 145. How do you like your DA 7900s?


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## Weav (Jun 21, 2009)

I have the DA 7850's and I love them. Basically the same hubs as the 7900's performance wise but with a little easier mechanism to adjust them, when it comes time for it, which isn't often. The hubs roll very well, I can see myself often catching the biker in front of me when we let up or freewheel. In my opinion it would be tough to find a better hub out there. 

If you want to save some dough the Ultegra 6700 hubs on the Shimano RS80's are a fine choice as well. Hubs almost as good as DA and superior to most of what else is out there for a much lower price than DA. 

Hey Maximum, was curious if the Kyserium has spoke holes in the rim? I heard somewhere mentioned that someone was riding them tubeless, or not?

Keeno, you might also consider, since you are willing to spend $1000, having someone like ZenCyclery.com build you a set of custom wheels tailor made to your specs using Alchemy Elf & Orc hubs. He builds tons of wheels and I believe he is of the opinion that the Alchemy hubs are some of the best in the market, bar none. You can even pick the color of the rims, spokes, hubs, nips.


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## maximum7 (Apr 24, 2008)

> Thanks for the response. I only weigh 145. How do you like your DA 7900s?


I like the DA's. I weigh 155 and I wanted them because they were supposed to be smooth. 
Well they are. Very smooth riding.
That said, I really liked my Ksyrium SL's. There are a lot of Ksyrium haters out there, but I liked mine alot. 
I felt that the rear was stiffer than the DA's rear wheel and the front feels about the same. I changed because the SL's were too harsh for me. 
I don't think I am faster on the DA's and I don't feel that they roll any better. 
During out of the saddle climbing, I think the rear DA wheel seems a little soft, but maybe it's in my head. I don't know. I also felt more comfortable while hard cornering on the SL's. For some reason the DA's feel tipsy. I don't know if it's the wider rim shaping the tire different or what. 

I like the DA's and will keep them til they're done, but it wasn't a nite and day difference for me when I switched, other than the comfort factor, which was what I was after. 

I think you'd be happy with HED's or DA's. They're all way over priced though. It's ridiculous to charge these amounts for wheels.
Did you check out the link I posted to the Fulcrums?


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## keeno (Jun 27, 2011)

Thanks for the input. Yes, I did check the link. Thanks for sending. I have not looked into the Fulcrums much though. I should probably do that. I wanted to buy locally because my local shops will typically throw in some extra perks if I buy wheels from them. The HED dealer, for example will give me a 20% break while another shop will throw in a set of tires. Oddly, there isn't a fulcrum dealer in my state.
I found it interesting that you thought the DAs didn't roll any better than the Ksyriums. The HED dealer I spoke to (who also sells Shimano) said the same thing about the HEDs. He was all for for the HEDs too. At any rate, I keep going back and forth. I agree they are all ridiculously priced. I guess I can't complain if I am going to pay it though!

Weav: thanks for your post. Appreciate the link. I will look into that too.

Last question: what are the thoughts on weight? Should I pay much attention to that or is a lot of that marketing? The Shimano DAs look much lighter, but I think I am more interested in comfort and performance. At the end of the day, for a rider like me, does 70 grams or so really matter?


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## George M (Sep 25, 2008)

Question about the Fulcrum Wheels. Some of there wheels don't have spoke holes and don't need tape, how do you change out broken spokes, if it happens ?


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## twiggy73 (Jan 19, 2010)

keeno said:


> , I upgraded my bike to a Look 566 last year and have loved it. QUOTE]
> 
> well then you will have to join us on the Look Bike Club Fb Page and send us some pics
> 
> ...


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## Math's (Jun 25, 2011)

search this on you tube: Campagnolo Eurus 2006 / 2009 - Spoke / Nipple replacement

This is the same technique for the fulcrums


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## George M (Sep 25, 2008)

Math's said:


> search this on you tube: Campagnolo Eurus 2006 / 2009 - Spoke / Nipple replacement
> 
> This is the same technique for the fulcrums


Thanks Math, I have all the tools except the magnet and spoke wrench. I'll have to look around to see where I can pick them up. I should say the nipple wretch, I have the spoke wrench.:thumbsup:


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## keeno (Jun 27, 2011)

I decided to go with the Ardennes SLs. Felt like the 20% was good to pass up. They should be here late next week. I appreciate everyone's input. This upgrade will shave over a pound off my current setup.


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## gohmdoree (Sep 9, 2010)

*Wheel upgrade*

I purchased a Cervelo RS Rival earlier this year.

I been thinking of a wheel upgrade, and was between the Mavic Krysium Elite and SL.

After reading this thread, I became interested in the HED Ardennes.

The Zipp 101's get good mention.

I saw people asking about weight, I'm currently at about 200, and slowly been dropping weight. Originally was up at 215+.

Any recommendations?


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## Weav (Jun 21, 2009)

yes, goto bicyclewheelwarehouse.com or zencyclery.com and check out what they have to offer, that is if durability is your higher concern. Otherwise from what you mention I like the Ardennes for overall do anything wheelset and the Zipp 101's for long flat rides where aero benefits will come in handy, the 101's can't be beat in this scenerio.


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