[bikemanMD]

Okay, I guess its my turn to throw my plan up on the board for comment:

I'm hoping for sub-1300g and sub $500, here it goes:

American Classic hubs from Aussie on ebay
58+205 = ~265g, $140
Ambrosio Cronos
340x2 = 680g, ~$150
DT Revs, Alu Nips
~300g, ~$80
Velocity Rim Plugs
~6g, ?$ (fairly cheap)

So I'm at ~1250g for the typical weight assessment (no skewers, tires) and ~$380.

I'm thinking I'd like to give the build a try myself. I can always pay to have it fixed/rebuilt, so lets assume a max of $100 in labor for a complete build if necessary. Still under $500!
Now lets assume that there are an extra 50 grams total on all these components, still at 1300g!

Not bad, eh?

A few questions:
1) I'm a big guy (currently 205lb, will be down to 195 by end of spring, winter fat needs to come off), so I'm thinking 32F 2x, 32R 3x. Will this be enough/too much considering the build spec? (Yeah, I know, its better to drop a lot more weight from me than my bike, but this is more fun!).

2) How tough/durable are these rims? Can I train on these?

3) With the DT Revs, can I do 1.8/1.5/1.8, or do I need 2/1.5/2, or even some DT competitions thrown in to make them sturdy enough for me?

4) How am I doing on my estimates of weight and cost (esp, not real sure about the spokes/nips)?

5) Relatively light and cheap QRs, suggestions?

5) Any other comments/suggestions on the plan would be appreciated

Thanks

 

[SDizzle]

No suggestions - other than American Classic hubs suck and I would look anywhere but there - but here's my 1300g build:

- NOS Ritchey WCS rear hub, 20h, alloy Campy freehub body. $37 eBay.

- Speedcific front hub, 20h. $50 Mike Garcia.

- IRD Cadence rims, 20h. Purchased via sponsorship for very cheap.

- Mix of 14g Marwi Ti and WS AE15 spokes. Mike Garcia

Total price $180-200, depending on spoke choices. It'll probably be the most flexible and limited-use wheelset I've ever built or ridden, but for $200 max it's a fun experiment.

...OK, I'll try to give some honest advice. 200lbs and 1300g doesn't seem like the right combination, except in the case of some Lightweight Obermeyers or assorted Zipps - something exotic designed for phenomal strength at very light weight. 32 spokes and 1300g doesn't seem realistic...except maybe in the case of Marwi Ti, which I've never worked with and know very little about, but then you're looking at $130 for spokes. I'm 145-155 lb and broke the rear axle in my AC hubs in two months' use, and the front bearings went a month later. Not cool. If you're on Shimano, DA hubs can be had in 24h/f and 28h/r drillings. Not as light, but for a reason. You'll never have to replace them. The only reason I'm not using Record hubs (like Campy Dura-Ace - they're all the same quality) is...well, $180-200!

Ambrosio Crono rims are *probably* a very wise choice, however. I'm currently riding some Ambrosio Excellence (like older Excellights) and they'll hold up for a long time to come. (They're 465g, so take from that what you will!) I've *heard* that Cronos are usually the first choice for Paris-Roubaix wheels, and that bodes well for their durability. Good luck - S.

 

[Mark McM]

Rim plugs on tubular rims?

Ambrosio Cronos
340x2 = 680g, ~$150

Velocity Rim Plugs
~6g, ?$ (fairly cheap)

Why do you need the Velocity Rim Plugs for tubular rims?

A few questions:
1) I'm a big guy (currently 205lb, will be down to 195 by end of spring, winter fat needs to come off), so I'm thinking 32F 2x, 32R 3x. Will this be enough/too much considering the build spec? (Yeah, I know, its better to drop a lot more weight from me than my bike, but this is more fun!).

Given you're weight and the weight of the rims, I would suggest 36 spokes in the rear. 4 extra DT Revolution spokes only adds about 18 grams, or a 2 DT Competitions + 2 DT Revolutions adds about 25 grams.

2) How tough/durable are these rims? Can I train on these?

That depends on the types of roads you ride on and your riding style. Clearly, these wheels won't be as rugged as heavier wheels, but a 200 lb. rider who rides "light" (i.e. their riding style is easy on equipment) on good roads should be able to use these wheels as daily use wheels. On the other hand, if you regularly wreck standard equipment or ride mostly on rough roads, you might want to use these wheels just for special events instead.

3) With the DT Revs, can I do 1.8/1.5/1.8, or do I need 2/1.5/2, or even some DT competitions thrown in to make them sturdy enough for me?

The difference in weight between 1.8/1.5/1.8 and 2.0/1.5/2.0 spokes is miniscule, so better durability can be had with the 2.0/1.5/2.0 spokes at little weight penalty. The bigger issue will be flex - lightweight shallow rims with thin spokes equals flexy wheels. Using DT Competitions on the rear wheels, or at least on the right side of the rear wheel, can help make the rear wheel laterally stiffer.

4) How am I doing on my estimates of weight and cost (esp, not real sure about the spokes/nips)?

Checkout the Weight Weenies listings for some actual weight values. It looks like the 2005/2006 Crono F20 rims are coming in more like 360-370 grams. 300 grams is about right for 64 road length DT Revolution spokes, but the 64 alum. nipples will add about another 20 grams.

 

[bikemanMD]

Thanks for the reply.

Good point on the rim plugs. I was doing this at like 4am and got retarded after looking at so many possibilities.

I had a feeling I would need more/tougher spokes in the rear.

Thanks again for all the info.

Perhaps with these changes and the trouble of building, it might be eassier to get some Neuvation R28SLs and pay the clincher weight penalty. I'm not a big-time racer or anything, I just thought it would be cool to see how light I could get at the lowest cost.

 

[Lab Worker]

My suggestion would be to have them professionally built.

I'm all for people trying to build their own wheels, but Revolution spokes are difficult to work with, espeically when combined with a light rim like an F20 and alloy nipples.

Heavier, more durable, components allow a higher margin of error. At your weight, with a light set of wheels, you are going to have a very low margin of error, the last thing you probably want to do is damage some lovely bike parts and have to walk home