[boomersooner69]

I'm currently riding a set Mavic Aksium Race wheels with 25mm tires and I'm considering upgrading to something a bit nicer. I'm intrigued by the new 23mm wide rims so I'm wondering if anyone can tell me, from experience if a23 wheels (24/28, radial/3x, double butted) would be a noticeable upgrade from my current wheels.

Thanks.

 

[Peanya]

I'm a convert, even aside from the build issue I've had. Handling got better for me. I did end up going down from 25's to 23's on the tires, as they end up being 25mm wide on the wider rims. I've heard good things about others like the H plus son rims. The only complaints I've had about the A23's is that the weld joint wasn't the best on mine, and velox rim tape doesn't work with them - they tend to curl at the edges and stick to the tire when changing a flat.

 

[Zen Cyclery]

That sounds like a decent upgrade to me. I think the A23 is a pretty average rim though. It doesn't have the best finish, and there is always lots of extra material in the spoke holes with is a PITA to build on.

I think there are better wide options out there. An H Plus Son Archetype or Pacenti SL23 would be leaps and bounds ahead of the A23.

If you do decide to go with the Velocity, be sure to get the OC version for the rear. It seems to do a good job at upping the NDS tension a bit.

 

[boomersooner69]

Thanks for the help guys. Zen, can you recommend a lower profile 23mm wide rim? It might be nuts but I just don't care for the look of the 25-28mm deep rims. Do you have any experience with the H Plus Son TB14?

 

[Zen Cyclery]

@boomersooner69- The only H Plus Son product I've worked with so far is the Archetype. We have yet to have any TB14s come through.
I think Ergott (wheelbuilder and regular to these forums) has built them up before so it may be worth asking him how they are.

 

[Clipped_in]

IMO, the A23 can build up into a pretty nice wheel. I'm into my 3rd season on them and I like 'em. They're not as pretty as some, and yes you may have to pull a cutting out of a spoke hole or two, but if properly built they produce a good, solid, and nice riding wheel. I've put over 13k miles on them and no complaints. For the price, I think they're a great value.

...But they sure seem to be getting some bad press on the interwebz lately.

 

[demonrider]

...But they sure seem to be getting some bad press on the interwebz lately.

I think that is because they were pretty much the only reasonably priced 23mm wide rim for a long time, now it is compared against new rims coming onto the market like the Pacenti, H+Son and the BHS 472w.

 

[98koukile]

The other thing is which hubs you plan on using, that can make or break this comparison

 

[cxwrench]

The other thing is which hubs you plan on using, that can make or break this comparison

how's that? virtually any hub is better than a Mavic hub.

 

[Zen Cyclery]

any hub is better than a Mavic hub.

This. It would be hard to find a hubset that isn't an upgrade over Mavic.

 

[tednugent]

This. It would be hard to find a hubset that isn't an upgrade over Mavic.

The hubs Specialized puts on their bikes?

 

[Clipped_in]

I think that is because they were pretty much the only reasonably priced 23mm wide rim for a long time, now it is compared against new rims coming onto the market like the Pacenti, H+Son and the BHS 472w.

Maybe, but the BHS/Kinlin rim is still the only one that compares price-wise, and it is notably heavier.

But, fully agreed with the others on the Mavic hubs. The one with the phenolic bushing in the freehub--oh pleeeze.

 

[demonrider]

Maybe, but the BHS/Kinlin rim is still the only one that compares price-wise, and it is notably heavier.

But, fully agreed with the others on the Mavic hubs. The one with the phenolic bushing in the freehub--oh pleeeze.

Actually the places I've checked the A23 hoop ($80+) costs more than the H+Son Archetype ($69 at BHS) and is only $20 less than the Pacenti SL23 ($98). By saying "reasonably priced" I was thinking cheaper than the likes of HED Belgiums.

 

[boomersooner69]

Thanks everyone. So the consensus seems to be that any of the mentioned rims would be an upgrade of the mavics. Does anyone out there have experience with h plus son tb14? I really like the classic style of that rim and I think it would contrast nicely with a modern caad10.

 

[9W9W]

B,
Talk about asking the right question!
Last week I sold my Mavic Aksium race wheels and put on a pair of Kinlin 279 (23mm wide, 28mm deep) 24/28, radial/2X, x-ray spokes, Novatec hubs... and it's like night and day. Being a bigger guy, I felt like a gorilla on a tricycle on the Aksiums. Wheels rubbed pad to pad on standing climbs, they were noodly, soft, and I was being robbed of power. I could feel it. Out of saddle sprinting was out of the question, and the bike cornered like unpredictable crap.

The new wheels transformed my bike for sure, and it's clearly perceptible. The bike is more rigid, all my energy gets put down onto the pavement. From clip in and push off and that first press on the crank, everything is more solid. I can now get out of the saddle and sprint - f** yeah! - and I no longer feel like I'm climbing hills of jello.

Maybe the Mavic's werent tensioned properly, who knows, not looking back. I sold my year old Aksium set on ebay for $150 and it got snapped up quick.

There's a switchback here which descends from a cliff here, before I would have to bleed off a lot of sped and precariously wrestle with the bike on the hairpin. I can now do this faster...and most telling of all, I can start on the outside of the curve and keep driving the bike to the inside line coming out on the inner curb... before things were all over the place.

I'm 200+, so maybe this is what cause the Mavic's to show their bad traits but the difference is perceptible and it is the best $350 (500-150) I have spent on my setup. When I think back I can't believe how much those wheels flexed, pinged and labored under me. Any chance your Aksiums make pinging noises (spokes) when you're climbing out of the saddle?

It's interesting that the one trait of 23's - improved ride quality - I have not been able to pick up on. Maybe I need to play with tire pressures but these aren't plush by any means. Just stiff, fast and predictable. I have 25mm Gatorskins and on the 23mm rims they are f-l-u-s-h with the rim... very nice.

In summary, and to a certain extent depending on your weight, IMO you will see a noticeable difference in power transfer and handling.

 

[boomersooner69]

9w9w, thanks for the input. Sounds like you definitely made the right call! My aksiums don't really flex (that I've noticed anyways), I'm around 180lbs.

Interesting that you didn't notice the improved ride, I'm sure you're right about the tire pressures. I'm running 90/95 in my 25mm tires right now and I have no complaints in that department. My concerns have more to deal with reliability & weight.

 

[9W9W]

9w9w, thanks for the input. Sounds like you definitely made the right call! My aksiums don't really flex (that I've noticed anyways), I'm around 180lbs.

Interesting that you didn't notice the improved ride, I'm sure you're right about the tire pressures. I'm running 90/95 in my 25mm tires right now and I have no complaints in that department. My concerns have more to deal with reliability & weight.

I run 'bout the same on the new rims with 25mm tires. Regardless of weight, I think you'd notice how much more you can "lean" into a wide tire on a wide rim and hit the inside line.

 

[.je]

I have a set of Aksiums, and have no complaints of them, only positive comments. The rear wheel, however, has a nice 3mm dent in it from that > one < pothole I couldn't avoid (it was huge, there was a family of raccoon living in it) that I can notice, and even the LBS couldn't get it out from between the 20 spokes in the rear wheel.

What rim would be good to replace it with? Both the Kinlin XR19W and Archetype have ERD of 595mm...

I could replace just the rear with 19mm Kinlin (this is $15 cheaper) Why make things complicated?
I could replace just the rear with 23mm Archetype. Is there great benefit from just the rear wheel?
I could replace both F&R with Archetypes, and sell off the front Aksium rim for some beer or good will. Is it worth doin that?

Or, just leave it. Get something better. The mind boggles. What's your opinion?

 

[cxwrench]

I have a set of Aksiums, and have no complaints of them, only positive comments. The rear wheel, however, has a nice 3mm dent in it from that > one < pothole I couldn't avoid (it was huge, there was a family of raccoon living in it) that I can notice, and even the LBS couldn't get it out from between the 20 spokes in the rear wheel.

What rim would be good to replace it with? Both the Kinlin XR19W and Archetype have ERD of 595mm...

I could replace just the rear with 19mm Kinlin (this is $15 cheaper) Why make things complicated?
I could replace just the rear with 23mm Archetype. Is there great benefit from just the rear wheel?
I could replace both F&R with Archetypes, and sell off the front Aksium rim for some beer or good will. Is it worth doin that?

Or, just leave it. Get something better. The mind boggles. What's your opinion?

Have fun calculating spokes length.

 

[changingleaf]

I have a set of TB14's in 32H. They are very nice and strong rims. They have the low profile look that you are interested in. The welded seam allows them to build up better than the A23.

The DT Swiss RR440 is 21mm wide. Not quite as wide as the others, but a very nice rim as well.