Estacado

I have a Cannondale Synapse (Sora groupset version). Really like the bike. I broke a spoke on the Maddux R3.0 rear wheel. Thought I would take the opportunity to buy a new wheel set for it. Would appreciate recommendations. I gave $700 for the bike back in January. I don't want to spend more for wheels than I gave for the whole bike. If it helps, the largest tires I can run on it are 25c front/28c rear.

Kedosto

Jon T

A spoke is a helluva lot cheaper than a new wheel set. Replace the spoke, check the trueness, and ride. Wheel truing isn't rocket science.
Jon

Teamprovicycle

Mavic askium race or cosmic elite

Koyote

You bought a very inexpensive bike. Buying better wheels will be a relatively large purchase.

If you spend less than $300 on the wheels, they won't be much of an upgrade.

I suggest you go back to the shop at which you purchased the bike, and tell them that you are worried about already having a broken spoke. They might help get you into new wheels at a discount.

tagaproject6

There are plenty of cheap wheels in Nashbar. If you only care about the budget then anything below $300 will work for you. There are even wheels in there that are below $200.

Rider_88

Cosmic Elite wheelset is what you need

Estacado

A spoke is a helluva lot cheaper than a new wheel set. Replace the spoke, check the trueness, and ride. Wheel truing isn't rocket science.

I am going to have the spoke replaced, but decided I need another wheel set. I want one set up with a training tire, and one set up with faster tires.

Metieval

until you break a spoke and take out your Rear derailleur. Some wheels are not worth fixing.

Metieval

I ran Shimano RS81 C35 on that Frame , well a 2013 alloy synapse. and Loved it. I paid $400 for them, Used, but unused.

Good Wheels will totally change how that bike Rides, for the better!

mstateglfr 

The size tire doesnt matter when it comes to road wheels. The wheelset you buy will fit a 23, 25, 28, 32, 35, etc mm tire.

as mentioned, nashbar has Vuelta branded wheels for $250 and less.
Another option is velomine.com as they sell really good wheels for $275 and less. Most wont be the lightest because Shimano hubs are used(which are heavy), but the components are good quality.


Ritchey Zeta Rims Black/Red Road Wheelset 8-11 speed 20Ft/24R [741507] - $149.00 Velomine.com : Worldwide Bicycle Shop, fixed gear track bike wheelsets campagnolo super record vintage bike
H Plus Son Archetype Wheelset Shimano Ultegra 6800 hubs 32h [74762] - $275.00 Velomine.com : Worldwide Bicycle Shop, fixed gear track bike wheelsets campagnolo super record vintage bike
H Plus Son Archetype Wheelset Shimano 5800 105 Hubs 32h [74351] - $229.00 Velomine.com : Worldwide Bicycle Shop, fixed gear track bike wheelsets campagnolo super record vintage bike
H Plus Son Archetype Shimano RS505 Road Disc Brake Hubs Wheelset [740813] - $200.00 Velomine.com : Worldwide Bicycle Shop, fixed gear track bike wheelsets campagnolo super record vintage bike

cyclintom

Spokes break for two reasons - they were improperly installed or they had a manufacturing flaw. There is a third reason - that they have been overloaded because of your weight but that isn't likely to be a case in a $700 bike. This suggests that you have the spoke replaced at a competent bike shop and you shouldn't have any more problems. And these days the wheelsets being suggested would cost a minimum of half the cost of your new bike and some of those suggested wheels have weight limits. Anyone that's saying stupid things like a broken spoke will take out your rear derailleur is pretty curious. I'm sure it could happen but I'm also sure that it is a one in a million case. I used to build wheels for my own bikes but you can now buy good wheels for about the same as the parts.

TrojanHorse

Shimano WH6800 wheels from Nashbar, I think they ran me about $325 or so on sale. Love 'em.

TiHabanero

Cyclintom, there are other causes for spoke breakage. I have seen an entire production run of hubs with holes bored too large and the spokes do not snuggly nestle in the opening. This will cause spoke movement and breakage from fatigue. Rims that are not stiff enough will also cause spoke movement and fatigue. My son is 230 pounds, races, and cannot even train on a 300 dollar rear wheel because it will pop spokes within a few hundred miles.
The OP has a large frame so I surmise that he is a big guy that can put down some power and is easily able to flex the rear wheel. Do as my boy did, have a top notch rear wheel built using a DT Swiss 350 rear hub, 32 spokes, Belgium rim or Velocity Deep V rim, Straight gauge 2.0 DT Swiss spokes and brass nipples. He did this at the beginning of summer, raced and trained on them, and with 6000 miles on the rear wheel it has yet to even burp. Sure the rear wheel cost 1/3 the price of the bike, but has been a real joy to ride and without any hassle, not even a true job!

4 or 5 years ago I built him a rear wheel for his commuter rig using the DT Swiss rear hub, 2.0 DT spokes, 32 hole Velocity Deep V rim and it has been just fine. That wheel cost 350 bucks to build. Heavier than the Belgium rim wheel, but super duty rated. Runs 38mm tires on it, too.

FYI, there is no need to replace the front wheel if there is nothing wrong with it. Matching wheels serve no practical purpose.

Don't expect a Mavic wheel to hold up long term. It won't. I know from experience as I am a 230 pounder, no longer race, but ride enough that within 500 miles I was having trouble with the Mavics. Of course Mavic has as 2 year warranty, but it is a hassle to have to use it every month. Have a proper wheel built with good stuff and by a competent builder.

Dirt Farmer

I've been happy with my Psimet wheelset bought last Spring. Great price, too.

02Giant 

Bike Wheel Warehouse.

Metieval

cheap wheels are cheap wheels, they can be built correct, and they will still flex like mad. Leading to broken spokes. Or Flexing into the RD The internet is full of Images of it happening. Not that curious.... and not a stupid thing to say.

If you want to call me out , try the @ or quote function next time.

cyclintom

In most cases it is the expensive rims that flex and break. That is why the expensive wheels normally have weight limits on them. Cheap wheels are generally built like anchors and the spokes are normally not butted and they have more spokes per wheel.

ptempel

Estacado

I am a large guy. 6'2" 220lbs. I was 258lbs when I started this journey. I do need a strong wheel. It does not bother me to upgrade my cheap bike. It suits me well. Does anyone have any experience with the H Plus Son wheels?

superdex

venerable and utilitarian, and will get knowing nods from folks: https://www.google.com/search?q=ultegra+wheels

(and before the retro-grouches chime in about spoke count at your weight, I have ridden similar Shimanos (cheaper ones, RS20s) at your weight and had zero issues)

If it's in your budget, check out Hunt wheels: https://www.huntbikewheels.com/colle...-28deep-22wide

mstateglfr 

I am 230# and use H Plus Son Archetype wheels on a couple of my bikes. Its why I mentioned them earlier- i have thousands of miles and the rims do what they are supposed to- roll without issue.

I have 36h Archetype rims on my gravel bike and 28/32h Archetype rims on one of my road bikes.

They are a mid-depth(not Deep V and not shallow box) rim which helps with strength. They are mid-weight when compared to other rims in their price range and use range. They are mid-priced when compared to other rims in their use range.
Basically, they are a great overall rim that is reliable and builds up easily.
Here is a great review of aluminum rims with the Archetype being one of the discussed rims- Alloy Rim Roundup - Fairwheel Bikes Blog

One of my wheelsets came from Velomine. Archetype rims laced to 105 hubs with butted spokes. H Plus Son Archetype Wheelset Shimano Ultegra 6800 hubs 36h [740955] - $289.00 Velomine.com : Worldwide Bicycle Shop, fixed gear track bike wheelsets campagnolo super record vintage bike
They are on my gravel bike and have stayed true for over 2 years and countless miles(a couple thousand or so?). I repacked the hubs a month ago as regular maintenance and thats been it so far for maintenance. The only complaint I have is its a heavy wheelset, but thats due to what I chose for specs, so I created my own complaint. Also, though they are heavy they have also caused me no issues and I never even think about them, which is how it should be. So the positives clearly outweigh the complaint.

My other wheelset is handbuilt with butted spokes and bitex hubs. They are much lighter(like 350g ligther so 12oz) but have been perfect so far(about 600mi) and I fully expect them to continue to be perfect for the coming couple thousand miles.


Whatever you buy-
- properly tension and true the wheels. either yourself or a shop. Dont just have the wheels trued. properly tensioned is important for strength and reliability.
- more spokes are better than low spokes. This is in part due to overall strength of the wheel, but admittedly low spoke counts can handle riders our weight all the time(I have a set of 20/24h wheels on a road bike for example). Even still, more spokes is better because when a spoke does break, it wont affect the ride nearly as much if its on a higher spoke count wheel. 1 spoke broken on a 32 or 36h wheel will make the wheel wobble a bit and you can still finish the ride. 1 spoke broken on a 20h wheel will make the wheel wobble a lot more to the point that it may not be possible to continue riding.
- butted spokes are lighter and stronger/last longer than straight spokes(also called plain gauge). Butted spokes are able to flex more and therefore absorb more shock compared to straight spokes. This means less fatigue. Lighter too makes it an easy choice.
- know that if you get straight pull(vs traditional jbend) spokes, they are more difficult to source and repair when they break. Proprietary Mavic wheelsets for example are just dumb for the common road rider who only wants to get out and ride when they can. There is no reason to have to deal with a wheelset being out of use for a week or two just because a spoke broke. Every shop will have regular jbend spokes to replace what broke on a traditional built wheel.

all those are just my opinion, obviously, but this place gets argumentative sometimes so i wanted to point out that the above is not gospel and simply opinions formed from use and observation.

Estacado

mstateglfr,

Thank you very much. I appreciate the tutorial. You recognize that I know nothing about wheels. I just want a good set that I can put on and just forget about (to a large extent). I believe I am sold on the H Plus Son. So many say to just go to my LBS. That is 70 miles one way. I also find them less than knowledgeable. The internet is a boon to us that live out in the sticks.

mstateglfr 

Happy to help however I can.
There are some reviews of velomine wheels that are less than stellar. Just note that this is almost always because the wheels being reviewed are machine built and they arent as well built as hand built wheels. Some machine built wheels end up being well tensioned and true. Some machine built wheels end up being true but less than perfectly tensioned. There is a note on each machine built wheelset box that says the wheels should be worked on after a handful of miles. There is a reason why you can get a whole wheelset for about the cost of the parts- they are machine built and not much labor is involved.
Just want to make sure you are aware of that, if you go the velomine route. Also, itll be the same with most any other wheelset under $300 from wherever you buy- they will almost for sure be machine built and there will be a chance the wheels need to be worked on after some riding.
Once a wheel is worked on and properly tensioned, it should be good for a really long time.

Oldguyonoldbike

+1 on Velomine. I bought a pair from them made with Mavic rims laced to Miche hubs. They've been sturdy and reliable. On the other hand, I have had a less than satisfactory experience with Miche machine built wheels (purchased elsewhere.)
I have also had good luck with entry level Campagnolo/Fulcrum wheels and with mid-level Mavics, which can be found at good prices from a number of online shops, mostly in the UK. Bear in mind what mstateglfr says about possibly having to true factory wheels after riding them a few times.