Best wheels for a bigger rider

[Mr.Gib]

At over 200 lbs I would not mess around, particularly if you do some serious descending. C24's will lack some stiffness. This can be an issue under power but also if you hit a compression or bump in a corner on a descent. It can be really scary when your front rim hits the brake pad on a rough descent. C35 clincher would be preferred at your weight but they will not ride as well as a good custom build.

Choose your hub, CXray spokes: 28 front, 32 rear, and a wide rim either Velocity A23 or Hed C2. Yes, you will have to get over the fact that they are not very bling and are close to 1500 grams, but with some 25 mm tires no one, and I mean no one, including Paolo Salvoldelli himself, will be able to corner or descend with you.

[taina]

Bad pavement on descents is unavoidable here. Would custom built alloy tubulars be a worthwhile step up from ksyrium sl's? If I want bling, what about nos Campy Barcelona rims?

[Mr.Gib]

Bad pavement on descents is unavoidable here. Would custom built alloy tubulars be a worthwhile step up from ksyrium sl's? If I want bling, what about nos Campy Barcelona rims?

With a 28/32 spoke count in a traditional build, anything will perform better. So much more of a stuck to the road feel and less jarring. I am a big guy also (thought not quite as big as you) and descending on rough pavement on low spoke count wheels can be a nightmare. Add a carbon rim and you can have a real problem on your hands if you need to do any serious braking.

As for the Barcelona rims, If you are going tubular I am sure any good rim will work. I do like larger tires though so make sure your rim choice is a good match for 25 mm tubbies. The difference in cornering security is huge.

[Phill P]

Wide rims with nice 23mm tires will hold the road very nicely, with 25s you will be giving up some aero again.
The upside of tubs is probably best saved for race wheels in my mind. If you get a flat while riding you are stuffed, and carrying and extra tire every day just in case is a PITA.

If you get a stiff rim 28/24 or even 20 is plenty. I still think the Zipp 101 which is wide and deep would make you very happy. Not many wide and deep Al rims out there. I know Soul has something coming but don't think it is on the market.

As somebody said-big guy on CF rims- you are asking for heat issues, specially on clinchers. And if you ride in the wet....you really don't want CF rims.

If going custom built, get something with decent sized axles -15mm minimum. That said the elf is very strong too because it uses widely spaced 6900 bearings. Anything with micro bearings (like BHS or american classic) you will kill the bearings too quickly.

[cRAZYCanuk]

I'm 104kg and ride a wheel set with HED C2's, White Industries H3's and DB DT spokes they come in just under 1400 without rim tape and valves (tubeless). Not a true WW setup but I havn't had a single problem with them.

[mrowkoob]

I´m a big rider.
1.96 metres and depending on time and riding my weight varies a lot.
I have been known to reach 100 kg in the offseason I often joke that´s the only thing I´ll ever have in common with Jan Ullrich (big offseason weightgain)

I´ve been using the following wheels for years with no brakerub:

Training:

Mavic Reflex with 32 spokes in 3 cross on solid hubs
Mavic CXP 33 with 32 spokes in 3 cross on solid hubs.
Campagnolo Eurus
Campagnolo Khamsin
Fulcrum R1

Competition:

DT Rims with Record hubs 32spoke/3cross
Mavic Classic SSC
Campagnolo Shamal
Fulcrum Zero
Mavic Cosmic Carbon
Lightweight Standard 20/20

I´ve tried a lot of other wheels:

Mavic Ksyriums,Different Zipp models and lot of Shimano factory wheels (not the latest RS80)
Topolinos, Reynolds wheels and so on. All with too much flex for me resulting in brakerub.
So nowadays I stick with what I know works for me.

[taina]

Thanks!

[Max Gravity]

I'm big too and I have come to the conclusion that hand-built with traditional spokes were fine until 9speed (at most)
Nowadays with the little clearance if any between spokes and rear der it is not a good choice.

Asymmetrical rear rim and straight spokes on the drive side is the only thing that does not causes to much problem
when mushing up tiny steep hills in my experience.

[roca rule]

carbon is not a must for a good and light set of wheels ,heres my 1325 gram custom built wheels that just got finished up by my LBS , i weigh in around 185, so they went with 28 spoke American Classic hubs front and rear (205g r & 58g f ) Stans 340(340g) tubeless rims,Dt spokes, i just moved to a hilly area and have been looking for a light but heavy duty set of wheels for a decent price to no avail ! check your local bike shop they might surprize you with a custom builder on site ! i spent around $850 for my set ,with lifetime truing ! plus i got to pick my own color spokes and nipples,if you buy direct and build them up yourself you could save a couple of hundred on labor , and put that money toward new Hutchison tubeless tires, also check out the new Bicycling magazine they have a big write up on the tubeless wheels/weights/prices this month,Good Luck ! and to think i never have to buy another stinken tube !

from what i have heard the micro front bearings might no be suitable for a large rider, stan's rims are soft, they will not take high spoke tension that well.

[vidman]

I have a bad history with wheels. You name it Ive broken it!

Aksiums; a spoke a week.

Open pros laced 32h, 3x to DA hub with DT Swiss comps; ripped multiple nipples through and cracked the rims.

Velocity fusion rim to same hub and lacing pattern- too flexy and too many broken spokes.

I then lost some weight and went with velocity a23s; too flexible and too many broken spokes.

Last I went with kinlin xr280 (same hub and lacing) and this time with spoke washers (to stiffen up and stop any movement) but 2 days ago I discovered mid ride it had cracked badly along the nips.

ATM I'm a bit chunky- 110kg but working it back down after a horror 2 years (aim is 82kg).

So: what would you suggest as a new wheel or wheelset! I do a bit of everything, flat power feats, climbing, sprints, etc. I'm not racing ATM but planning to get back to it soon. Thoughts?


See also

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=49880&start=0

and many more in 'Search'

[ghostrider1tm]

Hed c2 rims, 32hole 3x lacing with sapim cx-ray spokes, to either: king r45, dt240, or alchemy elf/orc....bombproof

[Pugrot]

Hey vidman, in exact same boat as you getting back into it after a few years off. Currently on fulcrum racing 5s for last 1000km no probs @ 110 kgs.
Have broken many rear wheels both factory and hand built but so far so good on the fulcrums and promised myself racing zeros and a new frame when 15kg down.

[Mr.Gib]

Good to see the discussion of this issue continue. We all love the light gear but as you get close to 200 lbs or 90 kg and you are training seriously, you are asking for trouble with almost any light wheel. Even the much loved Velocity A23 is less then ideal unless built with 32 spokes. And even at 32 spokes DT Comps will give a more solid feel than light spokes like DT revolutions or Sapim C-XRays. And while rims and spokes are key factors, hubs can also be a problem. Lighter hubs, particularly the rear, will also have a limited life under clydesdales (more so if you ride in areas with very short steep hills).

I have successfully used high end carbon tubulars (Zipp 404) for many 1000s of kms. Lighter and faster than most, but no way do they provide the security and durability of good handbuilts and IMO are not a great choice outside of a race situation for a heavy rider.

On the handbuilt front I just wanted to throw in my vote for the 23 mm wide H-Pus Son Archetype rim. Only a few grams heavier than the A23 and a step up in terms of being able to handle a big rider. After owning and using many different wheels I have ditched them all and just ride H-Plus Son Archetype 28/32, built on Dura Ace hubs (which I prefer to my Chris King R45).

[mclaren]

I weigh 91 kg and have been tough on wheels. I would have two suggestions for you as it is not the initial stiffness that matters but how the wheel does over time.

Off the shelf wheel
Mavic comic carbone SLR - a totally proprietary that no LBS will have parts for . But may not be needed as they are tough

Custom
Alchemy hubs 28/32 laced with DT comps on HED C2 rims - totally replaceable if any part is broken.

[kavitator]

Maby Kinlin wide 23mm rim
rear: 32 spokes: DS 3x Sapim 1,8mm spokes; NDS 2x Sapim 1,5 mm laser
front 24 Cx ray 2x cross

Hubs: PMP or other bulletproof