LIGHTWEIGHT wheelset owners, can U ever come back or can U?

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jano
Posts: 151
Joined: Sun Oct 21, 2012 8:15 pm

by jano

Yeah, about 8 years old! That's already stone age compared to 2015.

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kgt
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Location: Athens, Greece

by kgt

Sure, but you can still arrive to certain conclusions... if you want to.
A conclusion is that it performs better in comparison to many other low profile wheels with steel or alu spokes.

by Weenie


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mrgray
Posts: 775
Joined: Tue Mar 17, 2015 1:56 am

by mrgray

@2old4this - incredible weight. 4.9 kg! i wonder if a later generation of LW wheels will hit weights like these AX wheels. as i recall 865 grams for a set with tune hubs and 835 g for extralite. extraordinary numbers!
Bobo S&S Steel Bike - 7.5 kg
Oltre XR2- 6.6 kg
Look 585 - 6.8 kg
Look 695 SR :D

2old4this
Posts: 366
Joined: Mon Jan 13, 2014 7:26 am

by 2old4this

I do not know if LW can should lower its weight. Obermayers are really extraordinary wheels, as long as you do not have crosswinds. :-)
AX, OTOH, still has to prove itself in terms of durability, and improve its wheels' bling factor.

WeightySteve
Posts: 291
Joined: Wed Jun 09, 2010 10:44 am

by WeightySteve

WeightySteve wrote:Can I ever come back depends on Carbonsport's response to my issue (brake rim failure on front wheel). Std Gen III clinchers (purchased about 1 month before Meilenstiens hit the market)

Image

That wheel has done about 10,000mile over the 3yr period, mainly solo rides and never raced (so generally no braking except for the odd corners/junction), and no mountain descents. UK local roads only.

Only used Carbon Sports own brake pads as per recommendation, and in-fact I've broke so little I'm only on my 2nd pair of pads over that 3 year period.

Wheels are 3 years and 3 months old, Service-UP just expired 3 months ago. Had I spotted this a few weeks earlier I would have been guaranteed a replacement wheel.

Now I don't know? Dead wheel?

I would not consider purchasing a replacement for a couple of reasons.

One, it would have to be a Melienstein swap meaning I would have an odd pair of wheels, unless I bought a new rear wheel too (so I had a pair of Meilenstiens). And would I pay £3.5K again for full cost of a new pair of wheels after only 3 years of what I would call light usage? Not a chance.

If I had to buy replacement wheels again, I would most certainly go for Enve's. I already have a low-pro front wheel (which is/was swapped for the LW on windy days), so I'd probaby get a pair of 40/50's or something for a full set of Enves.

Only chance I'd ever "go back" would be if CS offered me an almost free replacement of Both wheels (so I had the matching pair), and outside of Service-UP I am very doubtful. I will let you know how it goes...


Well, Lightweight offered me "crash replacement", claiming the rim had overheated. 30% off ~£1K for a new wheel, it would be a Meilenstien front, (and so not match my Std Gen III Black rear).

As said these wheels have had relatively light use, so I would not expect them to have deteriorated/overheated or whatever's caused them to come apart.

So would I come back, nopes! 3 years for a £3.5K wheelset. I expected these to last a lifetime.

WeightySteve
Posts: 291
Joined: Wed Jun 09, 2010 10:44 am

by WeightySteve

So i caved!

Have been using a Enve 1.25 classic, with chris king R45 hub and sapim CD spoke on the front for the last 2 weeks (this is basically my "windy day" front wheel), so not a shoddy alternative at all.

Was looking around for an alternative wheelset when funds allow, probably Enve 4.5 Smarts would be the right choice, but then CarbonSports offer me a decent deal on a old stock Std III Black.

No doubt the 4.5s would be faster (but not lighter), but I'm happier to have a pair of LWs again at a reasonable replacement price.

So it turns out I cannot live without them :) Will have to see whats available once Road Disc bikes become the norm. I assume Carbon Sports will have plans in this area eventually.

MRM
Posts: 532
Joined: Sun Jun 14, 2015 8:15 pm

by MRM

Anyone tried the new Fernweg VR 60? Seems like a rather underwhelming release; especially in total weight (with the regular Fernweg back wheel you have to pair it with).

mattjevans
Posts: 275
Joined: Thu Mar 28, 2013 11:07 pm

by mattjevans

WeightySteve wrote:
Well, Lightweight offered me "crash replacement", claiming the rim had overheated. 30% off ~£1K for a new wheel, it would be a Meilenstien front, (and so not match my Std Gen III Black rear).

As said these wheels have had relatively light use, so I would not expect them to have deteriorated/overheated or whatever's caused them to come apart.

So would I come back, nopes! 3 years for a £3.5K wheelset. I expected these to last a lifetime.


That's terrible. Especially when these days you can build a decent 500g front tubular wheel for under £500.

WeightySteve
Posts: 291
Joined: Wed Jun 09, 2010 10:44 am

by WeightySteve

But I caved :)

Actually they offered me and old stock Std III (black) which matches my rear wheel, for around Euro 750 which is fair price I think considering what they cost new.

XCProMD
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Location: Cantabria

by XCProMD

2old4this wrote:Now that is funny! But not half of the story...

Last year I took the Fascenario to Calfee to get it converted from mechanical to Campy EPS. It is a total awesomeness (or bastardization, depending on your point of view) of German and Italian techs. I think I am doomed one way or another.


Really? Do you have an idea of how much stuff that's made in Italy you get when you buy a Merc or a BMW? Or how much German there is in an Alfa or Ferrari...

Germany, Italy and Austria may very well be the countries that cooperated the most in Europe through the centuries.

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TonyM
Posts: 3376
Joined: Thu Jan 22, 2015 4:11 pm

by TonyM

For my C60 I decided to go for the LW Meilenstein. However I took the SchwarzED with the Ceramicspeed bearings (maybe even better than the CULT bearings of the Bora Ultra).

Excellent efficiency ! And very good comfort ! I am very very satisfied !! No complain at all!

At the end if you have the money (and are ready to spend if for a wheelset) then buy the LW. We have only one life .....


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bruno2000
Posts: 1289
Joined: Fri Jun 17, 2005 4:11 pm

by bruno2000

Yes I can.
I'm selling met MLW Meilensteins clinchers and got me the Bora Ultra 35 clincher.
Weightdifference on my scal is only 50 grams, better braking and Aero on the Bora's.

Delorre
Posts: 967
Joined: Sat May 24, 2014 12:09 pm

by Delorre

bruno2000 wrote:I'm selling met MLW Meilensteins clinchers and got me the Bora Ultra 35 clincher.
Weightdifference on my scal is only 50 grams, better braking and Aero on the Bora's.


How can that be? LW clincher is supposed to be around 1200g, Bora Ultra 35 clincher is more like 1350. :?:

2old4this
Posts: 366
Joined: Mon Jan 13, 2014 7:26 am

by 2old4this

Delorre wrote:
bruno2000 wrote:I'm selling met MLW Meilensteins clinchers and got me the Bora Ultra 35 clincher.
Weightdifference on my scal is only 50 grams, better braking and Aero on the Bora's.


How can that be? LW clincher is supposed to be around 1200g, Bora Ultra 35 clincher is more like 1350. :?:


Actually they should be around 1100 gr, right?

by Weenie


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Delorre
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by Delorre

2old4this wrote:
Delorre wrote:
bruno2000 wrote:I'm selling met MLW Meilensteins clinchers and got me the Bora Ultra 35 clincher.
Weightdifference on my scal is only 50 grams, better braking and Aero on the Bora's.


How can that be? LW clincher is supposed to be around 1200g, Bora Ultra 35 clincher is more like 1350. :?:


Actually they should be around 1100 gr, right?


You're right, it's the weiss version that is quoted 1220g :wink:

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