Tawraste666

Hi,
I had some cheap wheels on my new bike and its time for me to build some better ones.
That said, I am not going to spend a fortune - I am not a tour de france contender. I am a daily commuter so reliability and servicability are the key factors.
Below £500 is a good target for the set.
The bike takes 12mm thru axles and disc brakes and has a shimano drivetrain. I like 25mm tyres, and I like cup and cone bearings over sealed.
I would prefer a welded rim to a sleeved rim.
What rims, spokes and hubs would you guys suggest?
Thanks in advance!

dedhed

Pretty hard to suggest when we know nothing about your bike. Like maybe wheel size?

Tawraste666

Thanks for your replies guys,
Its 700c size wheels I want to build, running 10 speed tiagra.
I have built wheels quite a few times now, but mostly mavic open pro on hope hubs. To be fair, they were very easy builds.
These were rim brake rims, and the hope hubs run sealed bearings.
So now I have disc brakes I'd like to build up some nicer wheels, but am a bit overwhelmed by the vast choice of bits.
I was hoping someone would be able to recommend some hubs and rims they'd had success with.
I'd prefer a welded joint as I have noticed the joint trues up to a nicer standard than the sleeve joint.
I know I could buy them ready made, but then I would miss out on all the fun.

hrdknox1

I used Novatec hubs, they were good. Most recently I am using Powerway hubs, they are also good. I use straight pull hubs because I like the lace pattern and ease of putting on the spokes. Go to websites for Novatec hubs and Powerway hubs. The rims I buy from Yishunbike, Ace bike, or a number of sellers on AliExpress.

jimc101

For parts, you need new spec stuff, that is going to be full retail price, Shimano, Hope, Bitex/Novatec, take your pick on price/availability, Shimano do have the disadvantage of being cup and cone (some prefer this), where as just about everything else on the market is cartridge bearing, which from a user perspective is much easier to replace.

Spokes, you have 3 easily available types, ACI (cheapest), Sapim, then DT Swiss, for quality, all are very similar, Halo are another brand, which fit in around the ACI price point.

Rims, take you pick again on price and availability DT Swiss & Kinlin are both easy to get, welded joints will cost more then pinned.

Tawraste666

Thanks for the replies guys, very helpful.

Are shimano the only hubs that do cup and cone?

theblackbullet

My favorite wheelset in this area are Novatec D411SB-CL D412SB-CL hubs laced to DT R460DB rims.
The hubs come in 28 hole, and I personally like the cartridge bearings and centerlock rotor mount. I have 10k miles on these wheels and bearings are still as smooth as day 1, but if you absolutely must have cup and cone, substitute for Shimano R7000 hubs. The DT R460 rims are pinned/sleeved, but they have built up very true (I have 3 sets of wheels using this rim) and even on the rim brake version I feel no hop at the seam. Sapim Race spokes to finish off the set.

cpach

Shimano is one of the only contenders for mid/high end cup and cone, and there's not really a drastically compelling reason to look elsewhere.
uess
Use any mid/high end Shimano hubs that match your bike, any reasonable double butted spokes. I think preferring a welded rim over a sleeved rim is misguided (there are some fantastic rims that are sleeved, its just there are nearly no cheap rims that are welded so your experience with mediocre rims are all sleeved), but if so, uh, I guess maybe Pascenti Forza, or HED rims or something? DT R541? Most of my go-tos are sleeved (Velocity in particular is a very high end sleeved design).

Tawraste666

Thanks again for replying, I have been looking up all the components you have suggested with interest.
If I could cautiously ask - where do you guys see mavic open pros in the grand scheme of things?
I have ridden the rim version, which left a favourable impression - but I would like to hear how they stack up next to other rims.

Thanks again!

CliffordK

Can you list the rider weight?

Are they still making the Open Pro rims?
It looks like the newer rims are a bit more 3-D designed than the old ones, with reinforcement near the eyelets or sockets. I rather like that new style.

There are plenty of other rims to consider.

I'm partial to the off-center or Asymmetric rims for the rear (Velocity Aerohead OC, Velocity A23 OC, DT Swiss RR411 Asymmetric). Perhaps a few other brands too.

There have been people who liked the H Plus Son Archetype rims.

Disc brake rims will be painted on all sides.
Rim brake rims will also work, but generally will have a silver brake track.

If you are < 200 lbs, then probably 32h would be fine for a commuter.
If you are > 250 lbs, then build a 36h wheel if possible.

jimc101

Open Pro's, which ones? going back 10-20 years, there was only one design, in SUP, CD and Ceramic, now the Open Pro has become a brand for Mavic (rather than just a single product), with multiple version.

If your after a classic style rim, nothing wrong with them, but plenty of other options for shallow section rims that are just as easily available,

Tawraste666

I'm 74kg or thereabouts, 32 hole is fine for me.
Re open pros, I was looking at the disc rim versions, which are half the price of the Pascenti Forza ones which I really like the look of. Particularly the asymmetric rim, I like the idea of that.
Apart from symmetry, there must be a reason for the price difference? Unfortunately I don't have experience of components above 105 and mavic open pro price level.
That said, if I can find a good reason, I like the idea if ultegra hubs and the Pascenti Forza asymmetric rims with sapim double butted spokes. I can do this option for less than £500.
Thoughts?