I need a new wheelset, something handbuilt.

I'm currently considering one of the above rim choices, but Im unsure which. Both will be based on the same hub, with a 28/24, 2x spoke lacing.

Pros for the A23 are: Price, Width (how much difference does this make?), Longevity, Sitffness (?).

But they're about 50g per rim heavier than the Alphas.

Has anyone tried both? How did you find them?

Not tried both, so in my biased opinion you should buy my alphas :p Not sure how much difference the rim width makes, the Stans have very short bead sockets for the the tyre, so 23mm tyres take on a much more rounded profile, I can get normal wheels/tyres in and out without releasing the brakes, Stans need them wound right off to clear the pads, so it's maybe comparable to the extra width anyway.

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=112900

Can't complain about them other than I need new winter wheels, and really at 210lb I could lose a lot more weight than from the wheels so they're a bit wasted sat in the spare room waiting for the summer!

The 340s will actually make the tire wider and rounder than any 23mm rim. The only downside I've found is that the bead socket design seems to over-stretch some tire beads, such that they fail to keep the tire on. Neither rim is very stiff... note that the A23 is quite shallow.

Are you wanting to use tubeless tires? If so, consider the Pacenti also (it has a tubeless friendly channel)... and if not consider the HPS Archetype, Hed C2, and Kinlin XC279.

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formerly rruff...

Can definitely recommend the alpha 340. Come very round out of the box, have a VERY wide inside width, build into a very stiff wheel at higher spoke counts and weigh in at around 385g each.

The only real downside I could see is that they do indeed stretch tire beads, though if anything it just makes it easier to change flats and they might wear a little faster then say... and open pro.

The A23 is now available in tubless ready form which are the only one I build with to give that option for the future. The A23 rim is a bit stiffer than the 340 rim but as has been said wheels that are stiff enough can be built with the 340.

As with any wheel build pick the rims that with the over all package meet your requirements. rim weight should be only one part of that. What are your particualars and your requirments?

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www.thecycleclinic.co.uk

Thanks for the responses.

How hard wearing are the A23's compared to the 340?

@DJT21- By hard wearing, I assume you mean brake track wear? The 340 will probably wear down slightly faster, especially if your riding in the wet. The brake tracks on them are pretty thin.

Overall, I think that the A23 is a bit more practical. It is slightly stiffer than the 340, and the new OC rear drilling does a great job at giving you a solid NDS offset.

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http://www.zencyclery.com

http://www.wheelbuilder.org

My current training wheels are Velocity Aerohead OC 32H rear and Stans 1st generation 28H front on Campy 9-10-11 hubs. My next build will be Velocity A23 OC 28H rear and 20 or 24H Stans 340 front. Given the move to 11-speed OC rims are the way to go. Rims do not need to match, mix and match for your needs.

Thanks for the reply's. Currently thinking that A23's might be the better choice.

I'd go with the Stan's. Velocity has had some consistency problems since they moved their production to the USA from Australia.