FWIW, I'm 170lbs and live in flat florida. I was coming down an overpass this morning (only my third or fourth ride w/ the wheelset) and the stopping power just isn't there, at least with the pads that came with the wheelset. My bike looks great and the weight savings is a plus, but I'm kind of having second thoughts with skimping on the wheels.

The pads are different, btw. You can't swap from aluminum to carbon brake tracks w/o switching pads, too.

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@floathammerholdon | @partners_in_tri

can they build them with 32 spokes? My limited experience with those wheels has been they machine build them with a lot of spoke prep and on the first ride the spokes ping and pang and release all the wind up and the wheel is wobbling around. After stress relieving it and re tensioning the wheel it's OK.

I really despise alloy nipples and narrow guage or bladed spokes for a training wheel, i'd avoid that stuff in favor of a normal spoke with a brass nipple.

Me personally I prefer to train on metal wheels with a box cross section, 32 spokes 3x

I am considering buying a cheap set of carbon clinchers ($500) as my everyday wheelset. I weight 240lbs and wonder if the 50mm Chinese carbon clinchers will hold up to everyday use from a clyde.

Those wheels make no sense for you unless you value "style" over everything else.

I really despise alloy nipples and narrow guage or bladed spokes for a training wheel, i'd avoid that stuff in favor of a normal spoke with a brass nipple

I rarely build with anything but bladed spokes and aluminum nipples. They last forever. Use a decent aluminum rim like a Pacenti SL23 or Kinlin 279 and they will be aero, stiff, pretty light.

I like those Pacenti, I used them for cross last year. We use a lot of road salt here, so the alloy doesn't seem to play nice with the salt and the damn flats round off because the nipples weld to the spokes. Then the flat spokes want to turn and you have to go run and get the pliers to set them straight.

I bought a rear 88mm a few years back to lace into my PT hub. They were able to get a 32 spoke hole and I used it for a year of training and racing then sold it to someone here who is still using it. I put the Sram pads on and the braking wasn't that bad. Not great but not terrible. I thought they worked well for me and I think they have the newer wider rims out there now.

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We use a lot of road salt here, so the alloy doesn't seem to play nice with the salt and the damn flats round off because the nipples weld to the spokes. Then the flat spokes want to turn and you have to go run and get the pliers to set them straight.

Been using Tefgel on threads since the beginning. It's designed for aluminum/SS threaded fasteners in salt water. It works.

Use a tool to hold the spoke blade. Bladed spokes are great because you can easily and completely eliminate windup and they are faster.

I have two such tools, one says "Vicegrip" while the other says "Channel Loc". Which is the better option? I usually opt for the closer one.

You can use those for all your bike wrenching needs. I hear ;)

the vicegrips double as a hammer in a pinch.

Is there an actual tool for holding flat spokes? I just used a crescent wrench

Yes. I use one from XTOOLS (chain reaction cycles house brand) seems to work fine.

I have 2300km on my ebay 38mm carbon clinchers on my cross bike and been very happy with them, disc brakes though.

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2014 P3 DI2 - RT6, CXR80, Power2Max S, 820, Fenix 3 HR. (gone)

Is there an actual tool for holding flat spokes? I just used a crescent wrench

Yes, many options. I like the Alchemy.

You can find some HED Jet6/9 (pre-owned) on Ebay for about $800 range (just have to be patient for that deal), and those have the aluminum brake track.

I have a set of ebay clinchers 88mm with Swisstop FlashPrince pads and I stop on a dime. I guess it all depends on the brake lever and brake that gives people different braking feel.

I say save just a bit more and get something preowned. check ebay or ask around your LBS - everyone knows someone that is getting rid of a set of wheels for cheap.

I am not at all interested in style. In fact, I am considering buying just a rear wheel which means my wheels will be mismatched. Instead of getting a so-so set I would spend almost as much on just a rear wheel. In theory for the same amount of money I should be getting a better rear wheel. If the biggest advantage to the carbon is style points I may just go with the alloy. I have heard Boyd has some real good alloy clinchers. Any others I should look at?

The biggest advantage to carbon is weight, but why take that risk if you're flirting with the already-questionable manufacturer's maximum load specs? It honestly isn't worth it for a training wheel, IMO.

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@floathammerholdon | @partners_in_tri

Whatever you get it should be designed for better strength and durability than the norm. Hubs, spokes, rims. I don't know of any stock wheels that fit that very well.

I think a build with the Archetype or Kinlin XC279 rim, and Ultegra hubs would be good for you. 36 DB14 spokes in the rear and 32 Lasers in the front.