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I got a tax refund - which wheelset is the best bang for the buck?

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I got a tax refund - which wheelset is the best bang for the buck?

Old 05-04-22, 04:30 PM
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Originally Posted by SoSmellyAir
Yes, Mavic CXP Elite is 622 x 15C, i.e., 15 mm internal width: CXP Elite | Mavic.

That does look pretty tight. What 25 mm tire is he running?
Pasaleas (I put the bike together for him)
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Old 05-04-22, 04:58 PM
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Originally Posted by the sci guy
Pasaleas (I put the bike together for him)
So the same tire that you want to use. Assuming that your smaller frame would have the same or less clearance under the brake bridge, that tire mounted on a 17C wheel may not fit.
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Old 05-04-22, 11:16 PM
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Originally Posted by SoSmellyAir
So the same tire that you want to use. Assuming that your smaller frame would have the same or less clearance under the brake bridge, that tire mounted on a 17C wheel may not fit.
what are some other good tire options? I like the tread pattern of Pasaleas so I’d like something similar- I don’t love an all smooth tire.
again, thinking $40/tire range.
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Old 05-04-22, 11:35 PM
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Originally Posted by the sci guy
what are some other good tire options? I like the tread pattern of Pasaleas so I’d like something similar- I don’t love an all smooth tire.
again, thinking $40/tire range.
Cannot help you there because I have only run all smooth tires or almost all smooth (i.e., smooth center tread with shoulder sipes) tires.

Worse comes to worst, at least Panaracer Pasela Protites are available in 23 mm.
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Old 05-08-22, 02:41 PM
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Omg I think I’ve got a winner winner chicken dinner!!

grabbed a 700x25 vittoria rubino pro from a friend (which is what I was thinking of getting anyway) and here’s the results mounted on the Zondas:






the only caveat is I didn’t put any rim tape on because it was just a quick test fitting. I’m not sure that would add much extra lift.

which leads me to another question - looking at the inside of these rims - it doesn’t look like there’s any spoke ends like on a regular wheel that you need to put rim tape over to prevent unintentional tube poking. It’s smooth all the way around. Do I still need rim tape??
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Old 05-08-22, 03:30 PM
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Originally Posted by the sci guy
grabbed a 700x25 vittoria rubino pro from a friend (which is what I was thinking of getting anyway) and here’s the results mounted on the Zondas:


Congratulations, very nice! While the camera angles are different, it looks like you have more clearance than your friend running Mavic CPX Elite. Have you done the hex wrench clearance test?

Most importantly, thank you for showing everyone in this thread that I was right!

Originally Posted by the sci guy
the only caveat is I didn’t put any rim tape on because it was just a quick test fitting. I’m not sure that would add much extra lift.

which leads me to another question - looking at the inside of these rims - it doesn’t look like there’s any spoke ends like on a regular wheel that you need to put rim tape over to prevent unintentional tube poking. It’s smooth all the way around. Do I still need rim tape??
Campagnolo Zondas, like all decent wheels, are double walled. The spokes are attached to the outer wall, not the rim bed, so there are no spoke ends in the rim bed, only holes to access the bottom of the nipples. But these holes can also be eliminated by using a magnet to guide the nipples from the valve stem hole to the proper locations. So you do not need rim tape, especially if you are running inner tubes.
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Old 05-08-22, 03:56 PM
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Originally Posted by SoSmellyAir
Congratulations, very nice! While the camera angles are different, it looks like you have more clearance than your friend running Mavic CPX Elite. Have you done the hex wrench clearance test?

Most importantly, thank you for showing everyone in this thread that I was right!



Campagnolo Zondas, like all decent wheels, are double walled. The spokes are attached to the outer wall, not the rim bed, so there are no spoke ends in the rim bed, only holes to access the bottom of the nipples. But these holes can also be eliminated by using a magnet to guide the nipples from the valve stem hole to the proper locations. So you do not need rim tape, especially if you are running inner tubes.
D'oh I forgot to try the hex wrench test. I've already taken the wheel off and put the tire back on my friend's wheels I borrowed. Oh well. lol.
Ok cool, good deal on not needing the rim tape. And yes, I am using tubes - not running tubeless on this.

Thanks immensely for your help - i love these wheels.
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Old 05-09-22, 07:45 AM
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Originally Posted by the sci guy
Ok cool, good deal on not needing the rim tape. And yes, I am using tubes - not running tubeless on this.

Thanks immensely for your help - i love these wheels.
It’s my opinion that you should run rim tape (or plugs, like Velocity VeloPlugs) with those kinds of rims, especially for higher pressure road applications. The tube can bulge into the holes, the edges of which can abrade and cut the tube, obviously causing a flat.
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Old 05-09-22, 12:22 PM
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Originally Posted by chaadster
It’s my opinion that you should run rim tape (or plugs, like Velocity VeloPlugs) with those kinds of rims, especially for higher pressure road applications. The tube can bulge into the holes, the edges of which can abrade and cut the tube, obviously causing a flat.
Yes, agreed. My advice above applies solely to a rim bed with only a single hole for a valve stem. If there are additional holes for accessing the bottom of the nipples, rim tape should be used. the sci guy bought his wheels brand new and so presumably rim tape would have been installed if needed.
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Old 05-14-22, 05:02 PM
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Originally Posted by SoSmellyAir
Yes, agreed. My advice above applies solely to a rim bed with only a single hole for a valve stem. If there are additional holes for accessing the bottom of the nipples, rim tape should be used. the sci guy bought his wheels brand new and so presumably rim tape would have been installed if needed.
so I got them out of the box again and double checked and the entirety of the rim bed is smooth. The only hole is where the valve stem goes. So I guess I’ll forego the rim tape!
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Old 05-14-22, 06:37 PM
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Originally Posted by the sci guy
so I got them out of the box again and double checked and the entirety of the rim bed is smooth. The only hole is where the valve stem goes. So I guess I’ll forego the rim tape!
What are they still doing in the box!? Go ride them.
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Old 05-14-22, 07:25 PM
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Originally Posted by SoSmellyAir
What are they still doing in the box!? Go ride them.
haha they’re for my current build project. It’s just a frame right now - the fork isn’t even in, so there’s nothing to ride!

BUT

I did mount my new tires today with tubes and put the rear one on the bike again to reaffirm it fit with the tires I picked out and it’s still good to go and I am so excite!


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Old 05-14-22, 09:19 PM
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How does one build up a wheelset if there are no holes to put the nipples in? I was looking at buying some rims to lace up to frames I already have and one place had the option of rims with or without nipple holes. I got very confused. The hole-less would be interesting if I ever wanted to go tubeless down the road, but I can't see how I'd get the nipples to the holes.
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Old 05-14-22, 11:03 PM
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Originally Posted by himespau
How does one build up a wheelset if there are no holes to put the nipples in? I was looking at buying some rims to lace up to frames I already have and one place had the option of rims with or without nipple holes. I got very confused. The hole-less would be interesting if I ever wanted to go tubeless down the road, but I can't see how I'd get the nipples to the holes.
By magic ... I meant a magnet, like this:


Unless you have Mavic Ksyrium Elite wheels with fore drilling, so that the nipples screw in from the top of the rim's outer wall.
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Old 05-15-22, 11:37 AM
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Wow, that looks like a PITA. I had thought a whole free rim would be better for future-proofing a build (no current plans to go tubeless), but that sounds like too much work for something I may never do (and could just buy tubeless tap for and pull off the Capton tape if I ever wanted to go that way.
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Old 05-15-22, 12:51 PM
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Originally Posted by himespau
Wow, that looks like a PITA. I had thought a whole free rim would be better for future-proofing a build (no current plans to go tubeless), but that sounds like too much work for something I may never do (and could just buy tubeless tap for and pull off the Capton tape if I ever wanted to go that way.
The process is a bit more involved without nipple access holes in the rim bed but how many times do you plan to re-lace a rim onto a hub? Whereas it is nice not to have to worry about rim tape when replacing tubes and tires.
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Old 05-15-22, 01:48 PM
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Originally Posted by SoSmellyAir
The process is a bit more involved without nipple access holes in the rim bed but how many times do you plan to re-lace a rim onto a hub? Whereas it is nice not to have to worry about rim tape when replacing tubes and tires.
Fair enough, I 'd want to use longer nipples than I usually do to try to get a better purchase on them. I'm just clumsy and have lost nipple in a traditional rim, so I'm just imagining losing hold of one in this rim and trying to get it out. Probably not harder to get it out, but easier for me to lose it in the first place without the nipple driver to push down on it as I first thread the spoke in (and also do do the first x number of turns in all the nipples). I do like the simplicity of not having to faff about with tape (or worrying about tape shifting or going too high up on the walls or...).
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Old 05-15-22, 01:56 PM
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Originally Posted by himespau
I do like the simplicity of not having to faff about with tape (or worrying about tape shifting or going too high up on the walls or...).
Plus, rim tape adds rotational mass!
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Old 05-15-22, 02:58 PM
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Originally Posted by SoSmellyAir
Plus, rim tape adds rotational mass!
Probably about as much as you'd lose from the metal holes.
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Old 05-18-22, 01:43 PM
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FYI those Zondas are even cheaper on sale now at probikekit for a limited time. *shakes fist*
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