[vontress]

I have been riding for only a couple of years but have really gotten into long riding. I ride about 200 -250 miles per week including about every century or longer available in Northern California. My bike came with Mavic Kryslium Aksium wheels. They are considered heavy by most standards, but since I am riding a lot of roads and I weigh 190 lbs. should I stay with a stronger heavier wheel? I'm not out to win races, but no sense making this any harder than it needs to be. Please give a newbie your thoughts.

 

[Zen Cyclery]

Well it really depends. By going with a custom build you could definitely shave some weight. I believe the wheelset your riding currently comes in at 1850 grams (correct me if im wrong). By going with a build with Kinlin 270s, Alchemys, and Sapim Cxray spokes you could shave 400+ grams and have a much stiffer, more durable wheel. But if you dont mind having unnecessary rotating weight then you could probably just stick with what you have.

 

[valleycyclist]

Aksiums are fairly heavy.

You can get a lighter weight wheelset that is also strong, but, in general, as you get lighter you will sacrifice some strength.

For a fairly lightweight set you can use Kinlin XR-270 rims, White Industries hubs, and CX-Ray spokes. Round, double-butted spokes such as Wheelsmith DB-14 are strong and are less expensive than CX_Rays. 24/28 spokes should be adequate in your case.

Will you really notice the difference with lighter wheels? Probably slightly on quick accelerations, but don't expect an overall speed improvement. But if you get a new set you can keep your Aksiums for bad weather riding.

 

[josephjcole]

If you are enjoying longer rides and not racing than I don't think wheel weight is really an issue. The only real advantage of having light weight wheels is that they accelerate quicker, not really an issue during century rides as it's much more of an endurance event, without the need for strong accelerations to follow attacks. Of course everybody enjoys buys stuff for their bike, so don't let me rain on your parade.
Joe