700c randonneur rim/tire choice

[summilux]

I'm thinking about converting my long unused touring bike (Miyata 1000 LT) into a randonneur. As much as I'm a tubular guy, I don't think sew ups would be good choice for a brevet, so I'm looking for clincher rims that would work with wider tires. I'm 200-220 lbs, so with bike and the randonneur stuff the total weight would be in the 240-260 lb range. I'd pick up a SON front hub and would use either a 36h Chorus or 32h Record rear 10s hub. I'm thinking about 35mm clinchers but have ruled out 650b since the bike has cantis. I have a set of Ambrosio Excellence rims but the bead on the larger tires just don't catch on them. I haven't bought a clincher rim in many years so give me some advice on rim and tires.

[maunahaole]

DT Swiss TK 540 (fka TK 7.1) or Velocity Dyad.

[donevwil]

Velocity Synergy, comes in O/C for the rear. I have +10 lbs on you and love mine on 36x Chorus hubs. Not light but probably a bit overbuilt with 14/15/14 spokes. No advice on tires as I'm still searching myself. There were a couple threads a while back that had some good input.

Nice, fat (27-28c) clinchers

Jack Browns

Which SON hub are you looking at ? I'm going to do a similar, but much lighter build for my wife.

[Matthew J]

Grand Bois Cypres are great long distance tires. Hetres will be available in 700c sizes soon.

[steamer]

Vittoria Randonneur Hyper. (recently renamed the Voyager Hyper) Rolls very well and has nice sticky rubber that feels good in the corners. Thin, fast sidewalls but tough treads. I have been using the 700x32c. Measures 31.5mm when mounted on a Velocity Aerohead rim. The Aerohead is a good rim, but perhaps a touch light for a rando setup for someone upwards of 200 lbs. When going for 32 to 38 mm tires, it's better to get a bit wider rim anyway. A 23 or 24 mm wide rim would be good. I like the Dyad. (I have used the Aeroheat for rando, and like it. The aeroheat is the same as the Dyad, but rolled into a 559 instead of 622).

[blasdelf]

Remember that you specifically want the "Hyper" versions of those Vittoria tires, all the other ones are absolute turds good only for fixie kids to skid through.

Other fast fat non-fragile tires to look at would be the Schwalbe Kojak, and the Resist Nomad.
 

At your weight you absolutely want the DT Swiss rims, nothing beats them on strength in that category.

[Bobqzz]

Gatorskin Hardshell in 32mm would be fine. I really like the Mavic A719. 36H for sure.

I'd strongly consider spreading the rear to 135 and spacing the hub to fit as you'd end up with a stronger build.

[dhoff]

Tom Kellogg built the wheels form my Randonneur bike and I am not anticipating any challenges with them for the next 10-15 years. Mavic A719 rims were his choice. They feel solid and strong and in tow years, there is nothing bad I can say. I have a set of wheels on another long distance, (this time racing) bike with Velocity A23's. The Velocity wheels are much lighter but given that the objective in a Brevet is not to go fast but to cover 200, 400, 1000k with a minimum of drama, on time, I am grateful for the 3X 36 A719's on the Spectrum.

As for tires,I have experimented a bit and love the Grand Bois I have on. They just seem right.

[maunahaole]

I recently built myself a pair of 36h wheels. I picked up the Sapim Strong spokes for the rear, which is a 13/14 butted (2.3/2.0 mm) Feels really solid and has stayed very straight despite my weight and novice hands on the wrench. It also seems to have a nicer ride than other wheels that I have with 14g straight spokes. I think DT has a similar product in the Alpine III spoke.

I have had a history of breaking spokes. More often than not, I break them at the spoke head. Nice to have a little more material there.

[blasdelf]

I'd strongly consider spreading the rear to 135 and spacing the hub to fit as you'd end up with a stronger build.

This is a very good idea, the White Industries Mi5 is a great match for a SONdelux front (same spoke length on all sides too!)

[nahtnoj]

My totally bomber wheelset consists of 36h D/A 7700 hubs laced to ceramic Mavic touring rims. 28mm Gatorskins. They are unstoppable. The tires measure at about 30mm on the wider rims. I don't see any reason to go wider in the tire department. They are not fast or lively, but man are they tough. And the hubs spin forever....

Edit - I weigh 210. Not a fat 210.

[newellbt]

My suggestion is 36h Mavic A719 rims. They are a double-eyeleted, wide and strong rim— though they can only be had in Black brand new.

Tires go 32c+. Look at the Schwalbe offerings. Though you can't go wrong with a Continental.

For hubs do something tried and true. Something easily serviceable, with parts that are readily available for them. (Shimano anything)

[rabo]

How about Stans alpha 340 rim with some light tubeless tires? Don't have experience with the rim but light tire,at lowish pressure, protected by sealant sounds attractive.
(I think Hutchinson and specialized were having their Roubaix 28 mm tire in production now).

[Zen Cyclery]

How about Stans alpha 340 rim with some light tubeless tires? Don't have experience with the rim but light tire,at lowish pressure, protected by sealant sounds attractive.
(I think Hutchinson and specialized were having their Roubaix 28 mm tire in production now).

I'm not too sure about this. The 340 is a relatively soft rim, especially when setup tubelesss. Even in higher spoke counts, I don't think its ideal for larger riders.

[blasdelf]

How about Stans alpha 340 rim with some light tubeless tires? Don't have experience with the rim but light tire,at lowish pressure, protected by sealant sounds attractive.
(I think Hutchinson and specialized were having their Roubaix 28 mm tire in production now).

I own these, and have ridden a 15:09 400k brevet on them with Hutchinson Atom road tubeless tires

I only weigh 145lbs and have trashed the shit out of the rear rim in normal use, they take a dent very easily and I've given up on it now that several nipples are starting to pull through and the tension is completely unbalanceable.

The flange spacing required by Campy 10/11 certainly wasn't helping anything. I only got away with it so long because I was using single pivot brakes that can tolerate a wheel with 10mm of runout.

Even out of the box they do not like to take tension much over 100kgf, and it drops dramatically (as much as 50%) when you inflate a RT tire on them.
 

They are absolutely positively not fit for his use.

[summilux]

Which SON hub are you looking at ? I'm going to do a similar, but much lighter build for my wife.

I don't know yet. I'm trying to digest the material from Peter Whyte's site, but I find it a bit confusing.

[andys]

I would check out Compass Bicycles website for info on Son hubs.

Rando wheels = Son Delux+Open Pros+Jack Browns

I don't know yet. I'm trying to digest the material from Peter Whyte's site, but I find it a bit confusing.

[C D]

Mavic a719s in 36h with some cheap shimano hubs

Mine lasted from Alaska to central mexico - 12,000 miles in 6 months with me (70kg) and LOTS of stuff (~30kg) off road for most of the way.

Schwalbe marathon series tyres are the best option by a long, long way.

[d.wilson]

I use 105 32 hole hubs with triple butted spokes and a set of open pros. I run panaracer ruffy tuffy 28's, and it's been a great combo on any type of road from loose crumble gravel and dirt to good pavement. to date, the wheels have easily 4000 miles on them, and they've hit the truing stand once after settling in a month or two after the build.

I weigh 165 pounds.

it's AMAZING how resilient modern wheels are-- i thought, after a long time off (like 20 years.. :facepalm:) that it was gonna be like days of old where you needed 36 hole weinmann concaves to have a tough wheel: not so. my first build was a 36 hole mavic 419... and though i love the wheels-- they're RIDICULOUSLY heavy. like 800 g a rim heavy. i commute on them. i've noticed zero difference between my open pros (half the weight, roughly) in terms of durability with way lighter rims, and fewer spokes- but turning the cranks i sure do... :D

[palincss]

Grand Bois Cypres are great long distance tires. Hetres will be available in 700c sizes soon.

I'm not sure where you've heard that, but I would read Jan's comments in his latest blog entry
Compass 26″ x 1.5″ Tires | Off The Beaten Path as denying any such thing.