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8/07/2009 8:05:34 PM
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Brett Symons
Posts 13
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Hi All,
Just throwing a question out there. Currently riding a 5.2 Madone and it's time for some sweet wheels. Wondering what peoples feelings are on size. Zipp 404, SRAM 60 or Zipp 808 or even some Eastons are all options. Obviously this is a purchase that's going to have to last so it's got to be done right first time. I want something functional but also something that looks pretty awesome. All the above wheels are options.
What's the feeling on the appropriate size for everyday rides? Mixture of hill climbs and flat rides are the norm but am also considering getting into crits next season too. I'm also not one to change wheels depending on the training so all the more important to get it right.
I personally love the look of the 808's and they're an excellent wheel of course too but i don't wanna look like a complete knob when i'm just having a lazy sunday ride and hitting a cafe with a few mates either.
Cheers
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8/07/2009 9:09:31 PM
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Jason Daniels
Posts 30
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look matters. Go the 808s.
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8/07/2009 10:23:59 PM
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Redlad
Posts 31
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Having just bought some Fulcrum Racing 3's, I'd recommend the Fulcrum Racing Zero or the Fulcrum Racing Speed if you're going to spend the sort of dough you're looking at!
I love my new Fulcrum's!!
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9/07/2009 4:08:03 PM
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Michael Warner
Posts 122
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You've already decided that you want deep rims with flashy logos, so what's the point in asking? Buy a logo which colour coordinates with your team outfits.
What's appropriate for everyday rides (i.e. not racing) is a handbuilt 32-spoke wheel with high-quality hubs and low-profile rims, preferably one that you've built yourself, but you're one of these kno^H^H^H guys who always wants to look as though he's racing.
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9/07/2009 5:45:50 PM
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Brett Symons
Posts 13
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Wo buddy. That time of the month is it??
I can only assume from your angry reply that you drive a 1975 Sigma with 3 speed luxury auto-magic gearbox, wooden ball seatcover for your fiddly back and the free fluffy dice from your last 30 pack of VB. Perhaps i can also correctly assume that on the weekends you ride a 1985 vintage steel frame with woolen seat cover? I must be right cos if looks don't matter at all and it's only about function then surely these above items would never need updating also yeah? I can only assume you also live in a circa 1975 rectangle shaped weatherboard house with those fancy flat roofs? Does it have the chicken mesh front fence? They are awesome.
I don't, however want to look like i'm racing all the time but you must know me well enough to assume i do. For someone that seems to like the understated "handcrafted" items you certainly seem to have enjoyed coming on here to brag about them to someone that doesn't really give a damn.
Thanks for the reply though. While you were online writing your pointless post i was out on the road enjoying my full sick fancy logo bike in my crazy awesome team kit with my try hard yellow wrist band getting fit and loving life and now i'm enjoying a well earned beer.
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9/07/2009 9:00:15 PM
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Dave gomer
Posts 6
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Good chance you would look like a knob riding around on 808, they are a specialist wheel for special events. If you want one wheel to do everything them stick with something that will climb ok, is fairly aero and strong. A rim 30-40 mm is the go, with light aero spokes. Theres a few around like this. With most things, if your spending lots of $ go to your favourite bike shop, tell them what you want, do some internet research and make an informed selection. Best to go with a bike shop that has racing experience and understands the market. Or go to a bike race and have a look at what the guys are using, this is another way to get some ideas. Not sure what is so magical about low profile rims and 32 spokes. I've raced for over 30 years and while they may be cool for a bit of retro fun or riding Paris-Roubaix, when I'm looking for performance then they are off the list, poor aerodynamix and heavy. But still good for a solid pair of bullet proof training wheels.
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9/07/2009 9:18:31 PM
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Brett Symons
Posts 13
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Thanks for that Dave. Exactly the kind of honest response i was looking for. To the point and quite helpful.
Good work!
Cheers
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9/07/2009 10:07:32 PM
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Michael Warner
Posts 122
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The point of low-profile rims is that they're not affected by crosswinds, are strong for their weight, are cheap to replace with a wheel rebuild when you break them and don't need fancy long-valve tubes.
The point of 32 J-bend spokes is that when you break one, you can keep riding simply by opening the brake release, and they cost very little to replace. Low-spoke wheels warp so badly that they usually rub the frame, and you'll ruin your tyre trying to limp home on them.
The point of training is to get stronger and fitter, not to go as fast as possible while looking like a pro wannabe.
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10/07/2009 6:17:43 AM
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Corks
Posts 16
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Crosswinds, tailwinds, headwinds, potholes... look for wheels that will meet the needs of the type and location of your riding. Dave is right, bit of research is easy to do and in the end it will be a case of trial and error anyway. I think there is little point in splitting hairs over rim profiles, spoke durability and aero dynamism from one wheelset to another because there are just so many other factors at play when man meets his machine. maybe alberto should of had his low profiles on when he missed that crosswind split on the run into La Grande-Motte the other day.
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10/07/2009 8:59:57 AM
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Michael Warner
Posts 122
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A friend of mine built himself a 28-spoke 2-cross wheelset, and still got ride-ending frame rub when he broke a
spoke on the back. FWIW, the rim was a Velocity Aerohead OC and he probably had the spoke tension wound
up pretty high. With 32-spoke 3-cross using the same rim at about 100kg on the drive side, I've found that a
broken drive spoke isn't even close to causing this, and I can still brake quite well on it.
BTW, I once saw a photo of the Discovery team out training before the racing season. Guess what they rode on
when there were no TV cameras around to help promote their sponsors, or team cars following them with spare
wheels?
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14/07/2009 8:27:39 AM
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Michael Warner
Posts 122
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I can't speak for anyone else who trains on sensible wheels, but since I could only scrape enough cash together to buy about 32 pairs of Zipp 303s, I must be jealous. You've got me there :-)
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14/07/2009 4:09:49 PM
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Dwayne Cox
Posts 23
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i BELIEVE THE gUY WAS ONLY AFTER AN OPINION ON WHICH WHEELS PEOPLE WOULD GO FOR OUT OF WHAT HE ALREADY LIKES. NOT AN OPINION ON HIS STATE OF MIND OR PERSONALITY. iF HE WANTS TO RIDE EXPENSIVE DEEP DISH WHEELS ON A TRAINING RIDE MORE POWER TO HIM. THE BLING FACTOR MAKES SOME OF US FEEL HAPPY WHEN WE GO OUT ON THE ROAD WITH A MACHINE WE LOVE TO RIDE. FOR WHAT ITS WORTH IVE GOT A SET OF INEXPENSIVE MAVICS THAT DO THE TRICK FOR ME AND LOOK GOOD AND MAKE ME FEEL GOOD AND ALSO HAVE IMPROVED MY RIDING. LOVE GOING UP THE HILLS AROUND VICTOR AND HINDMARSH VALLEY AND IF BUDGET PERMITTED I TO WOULD BE LOOKING AT UPGRADING AGAIN. iF BUDGET PERMITS ...... THE ZIPP 303'S HAVE MY TICK. ENJOY WHATEVER YOU GET.
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14/07/2009 5:02:43 PM
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Brett Symons
Posts 13
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Yeah Dwayne is spot on with this one. Some of us like nice cars because you can take pride in them and enjoy driving them and looks is part of that. Only shallow a$$holes would be looking at someone in a nice fast car thinking it's because "he thinks he's Senna". Some of us also like nice houses because they are into gardens and architecture and interior decorating and all that stuff or they want to be motivated to take pride in what they have worked hard for......not because they want the struggling guy next door to feel like they are better than him.
As for my bike. Yes I love it. Yes there are faster guys on worse bikes out there. I don't care. I busted my proverbial backside to get myself one though regardless and now I want some wheels that serve a purpose if/when I chose to race but also look good and can be proud of when i'm out training. I'm not cashed up enough like our Mack Daddy antagonist appears to be to have multiple sets of wheels (which i mentioned in the first post) or I probably would.
It was a simple question and obviously our mate here has a chip on the old shoulder about guys that have or want nice things for whatever reasons they are. To assume i'm a wannabee Pro knob is typical of the small percentage of morons that are out on the road.
I can also probably assume that our mate here is one of those lowlifes that can't even give a hello when you ride past and say howdy. I guess it would suck always having to ride alone though when no one else can put up with you which i'm sure is exactly what happens.
Thanks to EVERYONE else that chose to actually answer the question I asked though. Some good points put forward and i am even rethinking exactly what it is i want because of you so you've helped a lot.
Cheers
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14/07/2009 5:07:29 PM
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Troy Collett
Posts 171
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also need to make sure the wheels conform to the UCI regulations if you are road racing on them
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14/07/2009 8:31:43 PM
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stu
Posts 11
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Hey Brett,
Yea go with what makes you happy. All the wheels you have mentioned will all do a great job whilst looking the goods. As for the Jbend spoke guy, well....
Where do you start. I like pro kit, flashy wheels, modern bikes, yellow wristbands, matching drink bottles, white seats, white bar tape, even white shoes and i wish i could ride like a pro. I also use one of those heart rate things that actually tells me how fast my heart goes. (what will they think of next)So I am a classic wannabe. I just dont understand why jumping on the back of a pro team out for a scenic ride does not count as a 'pro wannabe'? Michael, maybe you could clear that one up for me. You seem to have a wealth of information you are more than willing to share.
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14/07/2009 9:02:55 PM
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fish
Posts 4
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Hey Bretty,
like Stu said mate go with what makes you happy.. me personally id go for the most practical and all round wheel for the style you like.. i wish i could get some but cant justify that kinda cash.. maybe i should ask money bags to spot me, surely he can spare a set seems he can afford 32 sets and likes to tell us all about it!!!  Fair owner operator, must be pretty good on the malvern star...
As long as it gets you on the bike bretty go with it
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15/07/2009 12:29:27 AM
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Michael Warner
Posts 122
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Brett, your juvenile ranting merely confirms my opinion of people who ride around on pointlessly flashy wheels, although, to be fair, most of your supporters are more restrained. At least get something with a decent number of spokes in the back, and find out whether it'll warp too badly to be rideable when you break one of them out the wrong side of Gumeracha. Even knobs don't deserve to walk that far home.
BTW, I've never thought of white bar tape, saddles and shoes as pretentious - just high maintenance - but I'll add them to the list :-)
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15/07/2009 12:41:26 AM
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Michael Warner
Posts 122
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Going for a ride with the pros doesn't count because
(a) I didn't have their team outfit or bike
(b) I didn't speak their languages (mostly Italian IIRC)
(c) They weren't trying very hard
(d) They dropped me up Checker's Hill anyway.
But it's fun, and you should all try it before the TdU. However, they're unlikely to be impressed by your gear, no matter how flash it is :-)
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15/07/2009 1:38:26 AM
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Corks
Posts 16
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You two boys should just get in the wind tunnel and settle this debate ... 
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15/07/2009 2:16:01 AM
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Michael Warner
Posts 122
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That's not fair! Being over 6' and nearly 80kg, I get thanked for my wide air on group rides. Brett's probably a little runt.
Ok, I've ordered the 32 sets of Zipps - now I just have to figure out how to carry them all on the bike to demonstrate my wealth, like an African with his wives and chickens. Maybe I should have gone for those 980g Lightweights instead.
Anyhow, the Tour's over for the night, it's nearly 2am and I'm off to bed. We rich bastards don't have to get up at sparrowfart to work :-)
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