Author Topic: Recommend me some wheels (Read 7074 times)

Adrian · « **on:** 15 February, 2009, 09:00:42 pm »

My Langster is, I think, four years old. I feel that in the spring it is time for it to have some new wheels. I want something at the lighter livelier end of the market because I have the Cotic Roadrat for the heavier duties. I was looking at these Miche ones. What else should I be considering up to say a couple of hundred quid?

Greenbank · « **Reply #1 on:** 15 February, 2009, 09:27:00 pm »

A good LBS will be able to do a pair of Mavic Open Pros on SystemX hubs for about £150.

kyuss · « **Reply #2 on:** 15 February, 2009, 09:38:05 pm »

I wouldn't call those Miche light and lively at over 2kg the pair. On One track wheels will save you £50 and 300gms.

Kiwi Cycles offer a decent range of handbuilt fixed wheels. I like the look of the XR300 build at £160 (rims are 455gms so should be quite a light build), and the Mavic build for £150.

Chris N · « **Reply #3 on:** 15 February, 2009, 10:13:06 pm »

For £200 you can get Goldtec hubs with silver Open Pro rims and silver spokes from BETD. Another £30 or so if you prefer black rims/spokes.

teethgrinder · « **Reply #4 on:** 16 February, 2009, 01:02:40 am »

If those Miche hubs are the same, or very similar to the Miche Primato, then I'd avoid them alltogether. The bearings can't handle a lot of rain, so if you do a lot of riding in the wet, they won't last.
The flanges are prone to exploding too. A friend of mine nearly got hit in his eye by a piece of Miche hub flange. I had one go myself and have jeard of others who have had their flanges go. They'll be OK if you do very low mileage though.
But the Goldtechs with Mavic Pros for £200 are much, much better. They're easily the best fixed hubs I've ever used to date. The rims are a bit frail and really for racing, so you might want to try and get something more sturdy. I very rarely use a rear brake and usualy use a Schmidt dynamo on the front, which will have a Mavic Pro ceramic rim, when I get round to building it. But ceramic rims are another £50 each.

Greenbank · « **Reply #5 on:** 16 February, 2009, 10:27:57 am »

Quote from: teethgrinder on 16 February, 2009, 01:02:40 am

But the Goldtechs with Mavic Pros for £200 are much, much better. They're easily the best fixed hubs I've ever used to date. The rims are a bit frail and really for racing, so you might want to try and get something more sturdy. I very rarely use a rear brake and usualy use a Schmidt dynamo on the front, which will have a Mavic Pro ceramic rim, when I get round to building it. But ceramic rims are another £50 each.

Indeed. If you're going to go Open Pros for reasonable distances then buy a rim guage (can be found for £5 on ebay). I try and remember to check mine every 3 months or so (every 2500km). My two rear wheels have both done over 5000km and are still well above 1mm rim thickness (0.7mm is getting dodgy, 0.5mm is worrying).

Adrian · « **Reply #6 on:** 16 February, 2009, 06:28:42 pm »

Thanks. Keep it coming please.

Crumbling Nick · « **Reply #7 on:** 17 February, 2009, 12:47:12 am »

+1 for Goldtec & Open Pros. The rims are light and have thin walls under the braking surface - only 1.3 mm, compared with around 1.7mm for typical touring rims, but IME are strong and take a lot of abuse with 36 spokes. I've just replaced the front rim after 21 000 miles of all weather use, including a fair amount of rough stuff getting across nature reserves with working groups. It was still as true as when built, as is the rear one, which should last another 5 000 miles or so before it needs a new rim.

The hubs are a bit boring really...

Goldcrank · « **Reply #8 on:** 17 February, 2009, 07:24:38 am »

I have open pros on my cyclocross bike. They are a good solid wheel. More than a match for the London pot holes.

+1 Goldtec and open pros

bikenerd · « **Reply #9 on:** 17 February, 2009, 09:19:30 am »

Cheap option would be On-One track hubs + Open Sport rims.
(Just looked at prices: the hubs have doubled since I bought mine last year. The System Ex ones are cheaper now).

Adrian · « **Reply #10 on:** 18 February, 2009, 08:48:06 am »

Goldtec and Open Pros it is. How can BETD offer the rim, spokes, and build for the price of the rim?

hubner · « **Reply #11 on:** 18 February, 2009, 10:48:43 am »

Quote from: Adrian on 18 February, 2009, 08:48:06 am

Goldtec and Open Pros it is. How can BETD offer the rim, spokes, and build for the price of the rim?

Just a guess, maybe it's cos they're selling the hubs direct to you, making a bigger profit than if it was via a bike shop. Plus they get their rims and spokes at wholesale prices, which I gather are around less than half of retail.

Adrian · « **Reply #12 on:** 20 February, 2009, 07:43:27 am »

Quote from: Adrian on 18 February, 2009, 08:48:06 am

Goldtec and Open Pros it is.

Correction, just a rear Goldtec/Open Pro as BETD don't have a matching front hub in 28.

Something else for the front then, now that I am liberated from a matching pair.

alexb · « **Reply #13 on:** 20 February, 2009, 10:18:46 am »

The only disadvantage to the Goldtec hubs is that they're bastard heavy. Something like 400g for the rear!
Blame the 14mm stainless steel axle.

As for a 28 hole front hub, hunt around on ebay for a lightweight road hub. Mavic 501/SSC would be my first choice, that would come in at under 150g, alloy axle, adjustable sealed cartridge bearings and fantastic service life.

Chris N · « **Reply #14 on:** 20 February, 2009, 10:21:50 am »

Ultegra hubs are lovely - nice shape, light and with good quality cup'n'cone bearings. Not too spendy, either.

frere yacker · « **Reply #15 on:** 22 March, 2009, 10:45:10 am »

After more than 5,000km of duty my one-one hub has gone all wobbly. Minded to build/buy a wheel around a Goldtech hub.

I'd be awfully grateful if someone could point me in the direction of info that answers the list of questions below. I've looked at Sheldon Brown's site - a lot of waffle but doesn't answer what must be pretty basic questions (hands up, I'm quite ignorant about this stuff at the moment

)

a) What axle length is (I have an off the peg black pompino, but can't remember if it is 120mm or not - they did a wider version when I bought it in September 2007, but can't remember which I got)
b) How to measure it. Is it from the inside of one rear stay to the other (with the current wheen locked in?
c) In moving from an On One hub to Goldtech, will I need to be aware of anything else (e.g. getting to grips with chainline - any thoughts on whether I'm likely to need a different BB etc would be appreciated).

Ta
FY

border-rider · « **Reply #16 on:** 22 March, 2009, 07:35:05 pm »

Quote from: frere yacker on 22 March, 2009, 10:45:10 am

a) What axle length is (I have an off the peg black pompino, but can't remember if it is 120mm or not - they did a wider version when I bought it in September 2007, but can't remember which I got)

Could be either 120 or 135. They do look different though.

Quote

b) How to measure it. Is it from the inside of one rear stay to the other (with the current wheen locked in?

That would do it.

Quote

c) In moving from an On One hub to Goldtech, will I need to be aware of anything else (e.g. getting to grips with chainline - any thoughts on whether I'm likely to need a different BB etc would be appreciated).

The chainline is a smidge different, but to TBH I swapped my Pomp from Goldtec to On-One and it was near enough to get away with it.

5000 k isn't much for an On-One hub though. That's a bit disappointing.

The other option of course is just to change the bearings. It's not difficult, or expensive.

Hot Flatus · « **Reply #17 on:** 22 March, 2009, 07:39:34 pm »

The wheelbuilder at BETD is superb. btw

frere yacker · « **Reply #18 on:** 22 March, 2009, 08:54:40 pm »

Quote from: Mal Volio on 22 March, 2009, 07:35:05 pm

The other option of course is just to change the bearings. It's not difficult, or expensive.

Hmmm, not done that before and don't know how to. Anybody know of a site that gives an easy to follow instruction. Also, any ideas what bearings I'd need (the hub is marked as being InBred). If no-one knows, I'll try emailing the chaps at on-one/planet x.

PS: thanks for the helpful response mv

MSeries · « **Reply #19 on:** 22 March, 2009, 09:02:41 pm »

how to replace the bearings in your formula hub - Bike Forums

Maybe yours are similar to these. Going to try it myself on my Ambrosio hub soon, once the bearings arrive and I can find the time

border-rider · « **Reply #20 on:** 22 March, 2009, 09:07:04 pm »

Q3.14 How do I change/grease the bearings on a Goldtec, Kogswell, On-One or other sealed-bearing hub ?

The Fixie FAQs has the answer to this and so much more </stock reply>

Charlotte · « **Reply #21 on:** 22 March, 2009, 09:40:04 pm »

I have some Goldtec on OP and they're lovely. If you're looking for something as sexy as Goldtec but Royce is too spendy, you can sometimes pick up a Phil hub on eBay for sensible money. I have those on my Mercian and they're buttery-smooth and ver' shiny.

rogerzilla · « **Reply #22 on:** 22 March, 2009, 09:55:37 pm »

I measured Goldtec chainline as 46.5mm with a Shimano 1/8" sprocket. The middle ring of a Shimano MTB chainset is usually 47.5mm with the correct BB, so it's close to that.

I wouldn't buy Mavic rims now unless they were very cheap. They've become more of a marketing company than a rim company, I think, and the prices have got silly for features you don't need, like welded joints and hard anodising.

Chris N · « **Reply #23 on:** 22 March, 2009, 10:10:15 pm »

Quote from: rogerzilla on 22 March, 2009, 09:55:37 pm

I wouldn't buy Mavic rims now unless they were very cheap. They've become more of a marketing company than a rim company, I think, and the prices have got silly for features you don't need, like welded joints and hard anodising.

If you're going to buy a hub from Goldtec, it makes sense to have them build the wheel - their track hub is £70, a hand built wheel with an Open Pro (which will cost about £35 on it's own) costs just £100.

Chris N · « **Reply #24 on:** 22 March, 2009, 10:14:26 pm »

120mm On-One hubs have 42mm chainline, the 135mm hub is 52mm.

Author Topic: Recommend me some wheels (Read 7074 times)

Chris N

bikenerd

Chris N

frere yacker

border-rider

frere yacker

border-rider

Chris N

Chris N