[dave11]

I am setting up a cross bike, and have a few options I am looking at for wheels. I'd like some opinions on my potential setups:

1. Bontrager race x lites tubular, cross laced to race lite hubs. Available for about $250 from a friend in good used shape. I would need new tubies for these soon. How much would the tires run me? Any suggestions on decent rubber?

2. Mavic Cosmos - currently road trainers. Pretty old/beat but I own them. Hold up on the road fine but I am worried I'd kill them in cross. A bit flexy.

3. Buy new open pros with ultegra hubs. Or should I make a jump to dura-ace. $170 new. 32 spoke. I use these on my powertap and they are rock solid, would seem to be great cross wheel.

Any thoughts? I am thinking race on the x-lites, and use one of the other 2 for training.

 

[Ronsonic]

I'm using D/A hubs on my wheels, but I buy used tubular wheelsets for ridiculously cheap prices. If I were building up a new wheelset I would go with the Ultegra, every bit as good in every way I can tell that counts. It's hard to go wrong with a classic built up wheel. Less bling and perhaps a little more aero drag but dead solid reliability goes a long way.

Ron