Need wheelset suggestions for my 15' Tarmac S-Works Disc

[mnmasotto]

As the title suggests, I bought a new Specialized S-Works Tarmac Disc road bike. I love it but it is a little heavy. It weighted about 7.17 kg out of the box. With the help from a few forumites I changed the bar tape, skewers and stem. I also exchanged the brake and seat post bolts for titanium bits. I have a new seat and seat post coming in the mail. I think the next item is a new wheelset. A few wonderful, helpful people on this forum have suggested that a new wheelset may through my chain alignment out! Is this true? I have been looking at carbon clincher wheelsets with center lock disc brakes but unfortunately they are all heavier than what I already have. I am told from a reliable source that the stock Roval Carbon Clinchers weight 1440 grams.

Any suggestions, recommendation are really appreciated. With more disc road bikes being sold I am hoping this will become a good reference post for future readers.

[Benno]

I bought a 2015 Giant Defy Advanced SL 0. It came with Zipp 202 Firecrest disc wheels that weighed in at a comical 1575 grams. Not only that but they were extremely harsh on the road which entirely defeats the purpose of having an endurance road bike.
I just sold the Zipps and I'm building up a set of light-bicycle rims with cx-ray spokes and Extralite Cyber SPD hubs. Should be around 1150 grams once they are finished being built. I went with the 24mm deep rims as well in hopes they would be more compliant.

[CBJ]

I think you do not need to rely on the quality of the break track then LB is a very interesting solution.

On a side not Benno why not experiment with air pressure and tire size. I have a Roubaix and I have found this is where you find comfort. Right now I run Continental 4 Seasons in 28c and they run great with lower pressure.

[stormur]

Continental 4 everyone !

Sorry, couldn't resist but u know what I mean

[mnmasotto]

CBJ.....what is LB? (Low Budget)???

[F45]

Light-Bicycle.com

Benno, can you post pics when you're done building those beasts?

[CBJ]

Continental 4 everyone !

Sorry, couldn't resist but u know what I mean

Hey comedy is not allow on here

This is another interesting company

http://www.nextie-bike.com/road/25mm-ci ... s-nxt38c06

but I have never heard of them. I like they have the option of no break track. I will hopefully move to a GT Grade which also runs full dics so I am something along the lines of what Benno is building.

[Benno]

I was already running the 25c tires at 90psi. I don't want to go to a bigger tire on that bike. I just felt that the Zipps had almost no redeeming qualities to them other than a bit of aero. On such a dream bike I figured I would tailor the wheels to my tastes as they are such a personal thing and make such a big difference.
Right now I am working on the custom decals, it'll be probably a month before the wheels are in my hands but I will certainly post pics.

[Benno]

Also, between the wheels, new rotors, and new skewers I am dropping like 1.5lbs.

[mnmasotto]

Benno.....What rims did you choose?

Some have brought up the possibility that a standard 135 disc rear hub may through off the chain alignment on my Tarmac Disc. Can anyone confirm that??

[netromsa]

I've read that the tarmac disc has a non standard cassette placement, they have moved it inwards to have a shorter wheelbase, read the bikeradar review for more information

http://www.bikeradar.com/road/gear/cate ... -15-48977/

Great bike by the way! Almost bought one myself, but decided to go for the domane disc instead

[Benno]

I got the 24mm rims.
Looks like the hub spacing is a concern with your bike. Someone with experience will have to weigh in on how that affects real world performance.

[dwaharvey]

I personally don't get why there is such a fuss about the Tarmac disc chain line. They've modified the hub so that the chainline is the same as for a standard 130mm rear... so the 135mm is only really gaining them a little bit of extra space for the disc rotor, and they're making no use of the potential benefits of pushing the DS hub flange out 2.5mm (half of 135-130) and the extra wheel stiffness that results. Their reasoning is I suppose that moving the chainline out by 2.5mm is going to ruin rear shifting, but I find that hard to believe. Since 2.5mm is less than a cog spacing, I think *at worst* you're going to lose a single cross-chaining gear (eg 39-11). To me that's not a big deal, and I'd take the stiffer wheel in preference (as I did with my Wilier Cento1SR disc).

To the OP: I don't think you're going to be able to save a lot of weight over what you have unless you go for tubulars, or a very shallow rim (and lose some aero benefits). My Enve 3.4SES clinchers (400g rim weight) with Aerolites and Tune Prince/Princess are 1380g or thereabouts. That's a lot of money to spend for you for a 60g weight reduction. You could get lighter by going Extralite Cyber hubs, and save another 80g or so, but I can't believe there isn't a durability penalty in doing so, and at the end of the day, weight saved at the hub is no more important than anywhere else on a bike (as opposed to the rim, where the inertia matters more).

[SteveB]

I personally don't get why there is such a fuss about the Tarmac disc chain line. They've modified the hub so that the chainline is the same as for a standard 130mm rear... so the 135mm is only really gaining them a little bit of extra space for the disc rotor, and they're making no use of the potential benefits of pushing the DS hub flange out 2.5mm (half of 135-130) and the extra wheel stiffness that results. Their reasoning is I suppose that moving the chainline out by 2.5mm is going to ruin rear shifting, but I find that hard to believe. Since 2.5mm is less than a cog spacing

I've been told by Specialized that Shimano wouldn't let them fit their group sets to the bike with that chainstay length and the chainline the extra 2.5mm out because it wouldn't work as intended. So they either had to lengthen the chainstays, do what they've done or make some other change at the chainset/BB end.

[CBJ]

I was already running the 25c tires at 90psi. I don't want to go to a bigger tire on that bike. I just felt that the Zipps had almost no redeeming qualities to them other than a bit of aero. On such a dream bike I figured I would tailor the wheels to my tastes as they are such a personal thing and make such a big difference.
Right now I am working on the custom decals, it'll be probably a month before the wheels are in my hands but I will certainly post pics.

Fair enough I think my 28c Continental are slower then my 25c Specialized Pro that I used to run. I would love to try the Continental in 25c as I think the sidewall on them are much better at running lower pressure and I could get the same comfort out of them. What I am trying to say comfort in tires are not only about the size.