Help me choose a wheelset for a 220 lbs rider
 

Greetings, forumites.

I have narrowed down my choices to 4 or 5 sets, but I would greatly appreciate some feedback. Carbon frame bike that either has or is getting Ultegra parts. I am a bodybuilder/powerlifter who has squatted/deadlifted 600 lbs, so I generate a lot of power. I can flex pretty much anything on a bike.

On the other hand, I ride pure tarmac and the roads are very good where I live. I don't curb jump (well, I will a couple of times when the rims are new to test them out) and my background in BMX/messengering has enabled me to really reduce any impact to the rims. The Cliff's notes version is "fairly big rider, strong rider, smooth roads."

I have been considering Blackset race 24 rims with a 24/28 spoke set up. The 24 is the height of the rim and 24s are not as strong as 30's, but incredibly light. The Blacksets usually come with Pure hubs which are very light and, based upon my research, good quality. I can get these for a ridiculously low price ($320) and they are extremely light, 1455 grams. The downside is these are not the strongest rims.

On the other hand I can get a Blackset race 24 rim with a 32/32 spoke pattern and a Dura Ace hub for under $500 delivered. This choice would be the best in terms of strength and reliability and weighs 1680 grams.

I can get a Blackset 26 (larger and hence stronger rim height, Pure hub) with 32/32 spokes for $360. 1680 grams.

Finally, I can get a DT Swiss 32/32 set up with Pure hubs (there is an Ultegra and Dura Ace option for more money) for $390.

I would love to run the Blackset race 24s, they are cheap and light, but am I too heavy for them?

Thanks!

Probably almost any 32 spoke wheel would work, your weight isn't that far from normal bike design parameters. FWIW, free Strava on your phone will give you a ballpark guess at your actual power.

Yes, of course. The question is, will the 24/28 set up? That rim is lighter than the dura ace 32/32 and priced well ($320). I only ride 3 hours per week (I am a competitive bodybuilder) so this is fitness riding. However, I used to race and love to go as fast as a fat old man can. I also am a total weight weenie on a budget. Since I don't race anymore people say "weight shouldn't matter" but it does, and here is why: Lighter bikes are simply more fun. I go to bed looking forward to my ride the next day if it is a light snappy bike. My sons heavy hybrid bike gets from point A to B just fine....but I am riding it right now and it is more of a chore, something I "have" to do to stay in shape. My rides are getting shorter and shorter.

What is your aim for the wheelset? Racing, general everyday/training use? It seems like cost is a big concern. Looking at weight only really works if it’s purely a climbing wheelset. Everywhere else aero>weight. And when it comes to aero, there is virtually no difference in 24vs26. Then to complicate things, in order to build ‘lightweight’ wheelsets a lot of builders use a standard weight or sometimes heavier rim To hold low spoke counts and take up the weight loss in ultralight hubs and low spoke counts, the places where someone of your size really needs strength in a build. From those options I would go for utility and so maybe the 32/32 that you like best. Then I’d save up for a nice set of racier aero wheels if you want to race or just go fast.

I’m heavier than you and did many moons ago pull those numbers in the gym. Learn to ride ‘right’ for your power and size and your gear will last. I’ve only broken a spoke and an old chain on a bike I keep in the trainer in 13years of riding and concentrating for a number of years on track sprinting. I’ve seen lots of guys far lighter and weaker than me break tons of stuff because their technique is crap

Based upon your advice, then, I should go for the heavier 32/32 Dura aced hub wheelset at 1680 grams.

Kind of yes, kind of no. If it’s a utility wheel for now to lay down some miles, then those are more than fine. The hubs should last you a long time. My own wheels (were my fat boy race wheels but now my only everyday wheels) are Kinlin rims (now discontinued XR279 rim) to DA hubs with 28/32 spokes. They are solid and have never gone out of true. Their only adjustment was the initial bedding in adjustment after about 100miles of riding.

I’d get them and ride the crap out of them. My only reservation would be with the rims. They’re a light rim, but that would depend on where you ride as to how long they last. I trashed a Velocity A23 rim hitting a pothole. Not a catastrophic failure, but cracked the rim at 3 spokes. That’s why I built up with a heavier rim after that. I enjoy the peace of mind being able to ride around without worrying about my wheels. I used to have a set of 50mm Shimano RS81 wheels for racing. Those were nice! But I stopped racing on the road so much and sold them as I wasn’t using them enough

EDIT: BTW that A23 rim died after I had put 3 years of riding into it. It's not like it was a failure right out of the box.

Thanks...unfortunately, I just found out the Dura ace wheels are 9-10 speed, and I am 11. Doh!

Really!?? Are they a used wheelset then and therefore they should be way cheaper? 11sp has been around for many years now. I can't believe that someone would be selling a new wheelset on the market that wasn't 11sp!

I have ridden 24\28 spokes wheels since I was 250 and never had any issues. I currently have Bontrager Aeolus 5 on my Emonda which are 5 years old and never had a lick of problems. I just bought a Trek Domane and have the Bontrager Aeolus Pro 3v, both of those wheel sets and 24 spoke wheels. I also have Boyd Altamont's on my commuter that I have had for 5 years that have worked flawless and they are 24/28 spokes. At your weight, I think 32 spokes are overkill.

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...e860581fe0.jpg
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...3c054d5aa2.jpg

Thanks. Those look to be deeper dished carbon. Would the same apply to 24-30 height alloy rims? I have thought that, since it looks like a long wait anyway maybe I should save up for carbon.

the Altamont's are only 30mm deep and are alloy. They also 21 internal width if I recall, but I actually have 2 sets of them. I have a rim brake version I was riding on my Emonda, but have migrated those to my wife's bike when I got the Aeolus. They still sell them and are pretty reasonable price and you can get them in Rim or Disc. I started riding them when I was close to 240 on the 24/28 spoke count. I have been really happy with them.

Boyd's

Thanks, yes I checked them out and they are alloy. Will consider them. Any other suggestions are appreciated.

Is your bike QR or thru Axle, Disc or Rim brake?

QR, rim brake.

I've looked at these folks before...could be worth a look. https://www.prowheelbuilder.com/pwb-...t-package.html

Pulled the trigger on the Blackset race 24's with the Dura Ace Hubs: https://bicyclewheelwarehouse.com/im...ucts/12403.jpg

They come in a 32/32 spoke pattern and weight 1680 w/ DT spokes. I got them for $480, I price I am very, very happy with.

Big shout out to crn3371 for the hookup code.

Where I live it is very flat. It would be nice to have some expensive carbon/aero rims, but really since I don't race these rims will suit me just fine. With 32 spokes per wheel and a dura ace hub this should last me a long, long time.

All of those rims are overkill. Any half decent set of rims will hold up well enough providied that you tension the rims correctly.

I'm also 220lb and a seasoned weight lifter. I absolutey thrash the balls off my bikes day in and day out. As long as you stick to smooth roads and maintain spoke tension, you don't need these overkill wheel sets.

I wouldn't suggest curb hopping anything.

I went with the Blackset24 with the Dura Ace hubs. They were $480, worth it IMO. Very strong 32 spoke pattern and not too heavy at 1620 grams. I plan on keeping these....at least the hubs, for a long, long time.

I got a bontrager race 26" rimset with like 28 spokes rear and 22 front. Even with the rear rim not tensioned correctly, I can't get these rims to bend significantly unless I do a massive jump.

If you are still looking, you can check out rolwheels dot com. They have 4 sets of wheels that cover heavy riders I believe up to 240-250 lbs. From what I have heard, they are very good wheels. I have seen people riding on these wheels in events I have done. I was considering them but chose a local builder. Be careful online, my first set from a builder did not last. Find a local guy and have them built. Stay away from carbon.

john