Rim advice - faster alloy road rims?
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Rim advice - faster alloy road rims?
I have a 57cm 2017 BMC Teammachine ALR01
This bike came with a Shimano WH-RS010 wheelset, which I've learned tend to be on the heavy side.
Front wheel is 20 spokes, radially laced.
Rear wheel is 24 spokes, crossed.
Cassette: Shimano 105 5800, 11-32
I want to use my existing hubs, but spokes and nipples could be replaced as needed.
Right now I'm using Hutchinson Equinox 23C tires.
I'm considering lighter, higher performance alloy rims.
I want alloy clincher rims because:
1. Rim brakes, with no plans to switch to disc.
2. Strength & Durability: NYC roads suck.
3. Strength & Durability: I weigh 180 pounds.
4. Price!
I have no plans to use tubeless tires. No goo for me!
I'm a seasonal warm-weather cyclist who likes to go fast and wants to go a bit faster. I never ride in wet conditions. My rides are 20 to 60 miles.
What rims (make & model), spokes, and tires do you recommend for my use and parameters?
Thanks for any advice you have!
~ Tom
This bike came with a Shimano WH-RS010 wheelset, which I've learned tend to be on the heavy side.
Front wheel is 20 spokes, radially laced.
Rear wheel is 24 spokes, crossed.
Cassette: Shimano 105 5800, 11-32
I want to use my existing hubs, but spokes and nipples could be replaced as needed.
Right now I'm using Hutchinson Equinox 23C tires.
I'm considering lighter, higher performance alloy rims.
I want alloy clincher rims because:
1. Rim brakes, with no plans to switch to disc.
2. Strength & Durability: NYC roads suck.
3. Strength & Durability: I weigh 180 pounds.
4. Price!
I have no plans to use tubeless tires. No goo for me!
I'm a seasonal warm-weather cyclist who likes to go fast and wants to go a bit faster. I never ride in wet conditions. My rides are 20 to 60 miles.
What rims (make & model), spokes, and tires do you recommend for my use and parameters?
Thanks for any advice you have!
~ Tom
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The Hed Belgium+ rims/ wheels are awesome. They’re tubeless-ready but hooked and work great with tubes. And if you can wait for a sale, you can often get the Jets for the same price and really upgrade.
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First, if your wheels are still in good shape, I wouldn't go pullin' 'em apart just to re-use the hubs - I'd rather keep them around as a spare wheelset. Maybe you bust a spoke and the wheel is out of commission for a week or maybe you only have time for a quick ride and you find that you have a flat - being able to pop on a spare wheel is nice.
Tire choice: you're not a small guy by road cycling standards and NYC roads can suck (I lived in BK) - you should consider going with as big of a tire as your frame will accommodate. Maybe that's only a 25mm tire, but still, it'll allow you to lower your pressure a bit and smooth out the ride. And no, it's not going to slow you down (it'll probably be faster, tbh).
As Bah Humbug mentioned, HED Belguim+ rims are great - they're pretty much the gold standard for alloy rims. If you can swing 'em, they should be towards the top of your list.
Tire choice: you're not a small guy by road cycling standards and NYC roads can suck (I lived in BK) - you should consider going with as big of a tire as your frame will accommodate. Maybe that's only a 25mm tire, but still, it'll allow you to lower your pressure a bit and smooth out the ride. And no, it's not going to slow you down (it'll probably be faster, tbh).
As Bah Humbug mentioned, HED Belguim+ rims are great - they're pretty much the gold standard for alloy rims. If you can swing 'em, they should be towards the top of your list.
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H plus son Archetype.
Its a good mix of weight, cost, and quality. Its very much middle of the road for width and depth and is welded instead of just sleeved.
There are tons of rim choices though.
More importantly, use lighter hubs and double butted spokes. This type of spoke is lighter than plain gauge and effectively stronger.
Given your wish list, get some hubs that use regular j bend spokes as they are reliable and simple to replace right away at any shop worth a damn.
As suggested, just keep your wheelset and buy a second wheelset. It isnt worth replacing the rim since you will most likely need to also replace the spokes(due to length). Also, the current hubs will be heavier than most any aftermarket hub you get(though they aren't worse quality, just heavier).
Depending on what you want to spend, buy prebuilt wheels for lower costs from overseas sites like merlin, probikekit, chain reaction, wiggle, ribble, etc.
Order handbuilt wheels online from prowheelbuilder.com or similar sites. I mention that one as I have 2 wheelsets from there. Archetype rims, 28h butted sapim spokes, brass nipples, and bitex hubs will cost about $450 shipped to you and weigh 1650-1700g. That'll be a good mix of weight and reliability for where and how you ride.
Also, maybe get some wider tires. A quick Google search shows 28mm tires can fit. A quality 25 or 28mm tire will be just as fast as a quality 23mm tire and more comfortable.
Its a good mix of weight, cost, and quality. Its very much middle of the road for width and depth and is welded instead of just sleeved.
There are tons of rim choices though.
More importantly, use lighter hubs and double butted spokes. This type of spoke is lighter than plain gauge and effectively stronger.
Given your wish list, get some hubs that use regular j bend spokes as they are reliable and simple to replace right away at any shop worth a damn.
As suggested, just keep your wheelset and buy a second wheelset. It isnt worth replacing the rim since you will most likely need to also replace the spokes(due to length). Also, the current hubs will be heavier than most any aftermarket hub you get(though they aren't worse quality, just heavier).
Depending on what you want to spend, buy prebuilt wheels for lower costs from overseas sites like merlin, probikekit, chain reaction, wiggle, ribble, etc.
Order handbuilt wheels online from prowheelbuilder.com or similar sites. I mention that one as I have 2 wheelsets from there. Archetype rims, 28h butted sapim spokes, brass nipples, and bitex hubs will cost about $450 shipped to you and weigh 1650-1700g. That'll be a good mix of weight and reliability for where and how you ride.
Also, maybe get some wider tires. A quick Google search shows 28mm tires can fit. A quality 25 or 28mm tire will be just as fast as a quality 23mm tire and more comfortable.
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Another big fan of the HED Belgium+ rims here as well. And I agree that I would just keep the wheels as backup wheels and build up a new set.