New wheels or used?
Quick question:
I'm just breaking in my 74 Raleigh Competition (or it's breaking me in) but it came with tubular wheels and I need to switch them out to clincher. I looked into having the existing hubs (Campy Triomphe, pretty nice) laced to new clincher rims, but I'm no wheelbuilder and local shops are giving me estimates of more than I'm prepared to spend at the moment, just to lace the hubs to very basic Sun CR18 or Alex rims. Better quality rims would cost even more. So I'll probably keep the tubular wheels and either get them built up at a later point or learn to do it myself.
In the meantime I've been scouring the 'Bay for a drop-in replacement. I'm kind of stuck between a vintage Wolber Super Champion model 58 wheelset laced to Gipiemme Sprint hubs, or a set of new Sun M13ii wheels with the sealed bearing hubs. I used to have a Sun M13ii set I got built up for my Grand Jubilee that was fine until I ran into a car and trashed the front wheel, but with those the wheelbuilder used the Normandy hubs that came stock on the GJ. I currently run Wolber Gentleman GTAs on my Schwinn Super Sport. I can't say I'm disappointed or impressed with either, but the Wolber Gentleman GTAs strike me as rather heavy for the Super Sport.
Any opinions re: durability, ride quality, weight between the two? I'm no Clydesdale but I weigh in at around 185lbs and ride on New York city streets with an interesting variety of pavement conditions. I'd like something sporty but durable.