Help me out with some new wheels....

[-Dustin]

Had my front wheel damaged in a crit and couldn't find a replacement Fulcrum spoke anywhere in town. So now I'd like to replicate those wheels with something more standard.

Old wheel: Fulcrum Racing Ones

New wheels:
Campy hubs
Maybe White Industries?
DT?

DT Aerolites

Rim? No clue. I assume Open Pro/ RR 1.1. Kind of bored with those, though. Is there anything else that light-ish but somewhat durable? Maybe 30mm-ish profile?

Help me out. Stiff, 1500 - 1600gr-ish

[AntLockyer]

The wheels I had made for crits a couple of years ago were CXP-33, Dura ace, CX ray. They could have been built better but I think they were pretty good for the job.

I'm really not sure that there is any point to the cxp over an open pro though. Hard to say but they don't appear to be stiffer, they weigh more and have little aero affect.

[Tristan]

I've been riding this pair of Velocity A23 rims and gawddamn they're nice. The rims are lighter than, say, Open Pro's yet they have good stiffness, awesome road feel and are really confidence inspiring turning into corners.

Laced to a nice pair of hubs with sensible spokes they should come in under 1500 grams (depending on your weight)

[-Dustin]

Yeah, the A23s and HED Belgium series rims have me pretty intrigued. I've just always been suspect of Velocity rims. Maybe I'll give them another shot.

[jmoote]

If you're looking for stiff, 30mm profile, sub 1500g the Kinlin XR300 rims would be perfect. Spoke count to suit your weight - I'm near 200 lbs myself and find a 24h rear to be ok, but 24/28 f/r would be good for just about anyone.

[dang]

New wheels . . . all good, but surely somebody can point you to a source for a fulcrum spoke kit and a decent place for repair -- likely pricey for a spoke kit but not new wheelset pricey.

[Tristan]

Yeah, the A23s and HED Belgium series rims have me pretty intrigued. I've just always been suspect of Velocity rims. Maybe I'll give them another shot.

I've had really mixed results with Velocity in the past - some rims come in way under weight, others won't build up true etc. I'm hoping that since the A23 is a new rim that the dye is new which should solve the problems. I've only had the two rims and they were both very close in weight, but I've got another 8 enroute so it will be interesting to see.

I haven't used the HED rims but they look like they'd suit heavier riders.

As mentioned by jmoote the XR-300 and it's near-twin bother the XR-270 are great rims. C-4 also make a 23mm wide version similar to the XR-270.

[-Dustin]

New wheels . . . all good, but surely somebody can point you to a source for a fulcrum spoke kit and a decent place for repair -- likely pricey for a spoke kit but not new wheelset pricey.

I'm a mechanic at a shop, so all that's no problem, but after 3 DNFs this weekend 'cause I had no pit wheels, I think it's time to get a 2nd set. That was over $100 is registration fees. Ugh.

Someone tell me more about KinLin rims. Are they the real deal?

[Tristan]

Someone tell me more about KinLin rims. Are they the real deal?

Yep. Personally I think the XR-270 suits most people's needs the best, but it depends on your weight. At around 445g the rims are lightish and very stiff. They can be built with reasonably low spoke counts and they stand up to abuse well. The only downside is the brake track: on most rims it pulses slightly. It shouldn't be bad enough to notice when riding but it's noticeable when coming to a complete stop - certainly not as nice as a DT rim, but you can't have everything in life.

Some more info here if that helps.

[musgravecycles]

I've been pounding the crap out of a sweet pair of 28h Joe Young built DT Swiss 1.2s laced to DA hubs (SuperComp spokes) for 2 years now. Best wheels I've ever had. Call me a quack, but I'd rather these than the Edge 2.68s I recently sold. Honestly--they're more rigid laterally and hold speed really well.

[Saab2000]

I wanna hear more about the 23mm rims. My one solitary set of Nucleon clinchers is 21.5. Pretty close. But the 23s are visibly wider on a bike and my buddies who ride the HEDs in Minneapolis love 'em. I'm in love with my tubulars but after a season like this one it's time for some tough love with several FMBs (not one, but three....) dying before their time and even a Veloflex and a couple of Vittorias. And several false flats on a couple of remaining premium tubulars because of leaky valves. The 'can I make it through this ride or not?' thinking sucks because it doesn't only involve me and my prima donna sew ups, but my riding partners. I'm used to one flat per year on the tubulars and this year was tough. Very, very tough. They ain't cheap and no matter how 'fixable' they are it's a serious PITA and those 23mm clinchers look ever more tempting after a year of flats on the best tubulars on the market. This was perhaps my worst ever season on the good ones.

Those 23 mm clinchers look ever more tempting.

Like riding that mystical Norton which stalls in the rainstorm, leaving your buddies sitting in the rain or at the 7-Eleven on their Ducatis or MV Agusti or Gileri or whatever exotica wondering why your ultra exotic won't run. I digress.

[soBRIquet]

The only downside is the brake track: on most rims it pulses slightly.

Shouldn't that be a deal-killer?
The pulsating on mine drives me nuts. I'll never buy one again.
YMMV.

[jmoote]

I haven't experienced pulsing on any of the Kinlin rims I've used...

[Tristan]

Shouldn't that be a deal-killer?
The pulsating on mine drives me nuts. I'll never buy one again.
YMMV.

If your rim pulses bad enough to annoy you then return it to the builder and I'm sure s/he'll replace it for you. I've had to replace a few rims - some I catch before they go out the door, others get returned by the customer. Yep, it sucks but considering that this is the one downside to an otherwise excellent rim I think it's worth the trade-off. In my own case I'm upfront with customers prior to building with them, and should any problems arise then I solve them. Dealt with in this way the pulsing rims shouldn't be a deal killer imo.

On a side note I'll assume it's a front wheel which is pulsing? XR-300 or 270? Check that your brakepads are toe'd in a little as this can make a difference.

[classtimesailer]

Tristan,
Where'd you get those Red 240s?
Jeff

[Tristan]

Jeff - I get them done locally.

[lavi]

I've been pounding the crap out of a sweet pair of 28h Joe Young built DT Swiss 1.2s laced to DA hubs (SuperComp spokes) for 2 years now. Best wheels I've ever had. Call me a quack, but I'd rather these than the Edge 2.68s I recently sold. Honestly--they're more rigid laterally and hold speed really well.

Yup. I have some Joe Young DT 1.1's with 240's and SuperComp spokes as well. Best wheels I've ever had, ever.

[Uncle Jam's Army]

Just got a pair of Kinlin XR-270's laced around Alchemy ORC/ELF hubs. Only have 200 miles on them, but great so far. This is my second wheelset (soon to be a third) built with the Alchemy hubs and I really like them.

[Flux]

just purchase some edge's (preferably from me) and stop messing around.

[-Dustin]

Just got a pair of Kinlin XR-270's laced around Alchemy ORC/ELF hubs. Only have 200 miles on them, but great so far. This is my second wheelset (soon to be a third) built with the Alchemy hubs and I really like them.

I was just looking at a wheelset like that....270 or 300s with the Alchemy hubs and Aerolite spokes. Stomach is still a little unsettled about Kinlin rims and Alchemy hubs...wish I could see them in person.