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Re: Aluminum wheels - 2019 [MattyK] [ In reply to ]
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OP updated with suggestions, thanks all.

If I get inspired I'll try to format the table better, or make a pretty 3D/4D chart.

I have a table with a couple more columns, namely price and shape info. e.g. a shallower toroidal profile may be more desirable/better aero than a deep but straight-sided vee with a lip at the brake track. There are of course many other factors you could add (spokes, spoke type, alloy, brake track design, hubs/bearings, etc). But trying not to overthink it any more than I usually do.

Another point I think it important is keep an eye on the brake track thickness (ie outer minus inner widths). Typically it's about 6mm (3mm per side, ignoring the bead recess) but some are notably thinner. An easy spot to save some weight, but not much good if it wears out faster (ignore if you have disc brakes).

I used to have a nice scatter chart where I compared a "score" to the price of each, where "score" = depth*width/weight as a simplified conglomeration of the performance factors of each rim. My data is a bit dated on that table. But it was good at identifying bang-for-bucks.
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Re: Aluminum wheels - 2019 [MattyK] [ In reply to ]
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Vision got some cheap (240EUR), but quite heavy alloy wheels
Vision Team 30 Comp - 30/24/19/1920 https://shop.visiontechusa.com/en/team-30-comp
Vision Team 30 - 30/24/19/1820 TL Ready https://shop.visiontechusa.com/en/team-30
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Re: Aluminum wheels - 2019 [coachboyd] [ In reply to ]
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coachboyd wrote:
Tom A. wrote:
Make sure to look at the Boyd Altamonts. Available in both a machined braking surface, OR PEO coated ceramic:

- Boyd Altamont (30/24/19.86/485)

I'm running a set of wheels built around the ceramic version and they are VERY nice.


Careful! People will think I bought you off. Ha ha.
Nice getting to meet you at the NAHBS show.

Hey! I just calls them as I sees them...and I PAID for my rims! :-)

Great meeting up with you too...I was completely blown away that you remembered that rim purchase.

http://bikeblather.blogspot.com/
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Re: Aluminum wheels - 2019 [MattyK] [ In reply to ]
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MattyK wrote:
OP updated with suggestions, thanks all.

It doesn't appear that some of the options that are available as rims only made it into the rim section of your update (e.g. the Boyd Altamonts I suggested earlier)...just thought I'd point that out.

MattyK wrote:
Another point I think it important is keep an eye on the brake track thickness (ie outer minus inner widths). Typically it's about 6mm (3mm per side, ignoring the bead recess) but some are notably thinner. An easy spot to save some weight, but not much good if it wears out faster (ignore if you have disc brakes).

One caveat on the above...if the rim has a PEO coating (like some of the AL33s, or the Altamont Ceramics), then that wall thickness concern is much less of a factor. When used with the proper pads (typically SwissStop BXP blue), the ceramic coating is hard enough that it doesn't wear away...so, rim brake wall thickness doesn't change.

http://bikeblather.blogspot.com/
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Re: Aluminum wheels - 2019 [mauricemaher] [ In reply to ]
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mauricemaher wrote:
Flo 30 at 40$ per rim....

“Buy now”

“Not currently available”

Maurice

Lol. Yeah, that was my experience too.
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Re: Aluminum wheels - 2019 [MattyK] [ In reply to ]
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For the last couple of years I’ve been using Velocity Quills and Ailerons. Great wheels, relatively light, semi-aero, solid build, tubeless ready. They have taken the roads of PA and are still true.

Just ordered a custom set, 20/24, anodized red, to use with Kenda Valkyrie tubeless tires.

http://www.velocityusa.com/.../quill-comp-wheelset
http://www.velocityusa.com/...ileron-comp-wheelset
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Re: Aluminum wheels - 2019 [Tom A.] [ In reply to ]
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Tom A. wrote:
One caveat on the above...if the rim has a PEO coating (like some of the AL33s, or the Altamont Ceramics), then that wall thickness concern is much less of a factor. When used with the proper pads (typically SwissStop BXP blue), the ceramic coating is hard enough that it doesn't wear away...so, rim brake wall thickness doesn't change.

How do the Altamont Ceramics hold up in terms of pad wear? I know the AL33 ceramics tend to chew up pads at a pretty fast rate, even is you use the suggested BXPs. Saw online reviews and in person from a friend. That's part of the reason I had mine built up with the standard aluminum track. I know it may not last as long, but in 3-5 years I may want something else anyway. Maybe road tubeless will finally have all the quirks worked out but require a different rim design? Or 13 speed? Or something else? It's kind of why I didn't want to invest too much in a wheelset as a long term investment. Give me something affordable that has all the modern advancements of today and in 3-5 years I can easily pivot to whatever the latest and greatest is.
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Re: Aluminum wheels - 2019 [Jason N] [ In reply to ]
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Jason N wrote:
Tom A. wrote:

One caveat on the above...if the rim has a PEO coating (like some of the AL33s, or the Altamont Ceramics), then that wall thickness concern is much less of a factor. When used with the proper pads (typically SwissStop BXP blue), the ceramic coating is hard enough that it doesn't wear away...so, rim brake wall thickness doesn't change.


How do the Altamont Ceramics hold up in terms of pad wear? I know the AL33 ceramics tend to chew up pads at a pretty fast rate, even is you use the suggested BXPs. Saw online reviews and in person from a friend. That's part of the reason I had mine built up with the standard aluminum track. I know it may not last as long, but in 3-5 years I may want something else anyway. Maybe road tubeless will finally have all the quirks worked out but require a different rim design? Or 13 speed? Or something else? It's kind of why I didn't want to invest too much in a wheelset as a long term investment. Give me something affordable that has all the modern advancements of today and in 3-5 years I can easily pivot to whatever the latest and greatest is.

The BXP pads are soft to begin with, so them wearing faster than a typical pad is understandable. Of course, that's also why they work so well with the ceramic coating and "protect" it ;-) That said, what I've seen is that the initial pad wear is fairly fast, but once there's a thin layer of pad material on the ceramic surface, the wear rate slows down...kinda similar to disk brake pad "bedding".

I'll take slightly faster pad wear over the rim being worn away as a decent trade-off...

http://bikeblather.blogspot.com/
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Re: Aluminum wheels - 2019 [MattyK] [ In reply to ]
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Hey MattyK (and everyone else) - I just posted a follow-up to the original story last night:
https://www.slowtwitch.com/...s_for_2019_7204.html

There isn't really much in there that's not in this thread (and in fact, this thread is what sparked it). Not everyone who reads the home page reads the forum, and vice versa - so I wanted to share a few more specific wheel choices. I had heard of the Aforce and Kinlin stuff a bit, but this thread helped to get me up to speed - thanks, ya'll!

How did I pick what I picked? It was based on:

1. What fit the dimensional requirements (yes, I realize that the DT is a tiny bit under the 22mm width, @ 21.5mm). I like enough about that rim/wheel that it made the cut - I've always had success with their rims as a wheel builder and athlete.

2. I focused on rim brake wheels only for now (eliminating choices like the Velocity Aileron).

3. Can you realistically buy it (new) today?

4. I tend to feature companies that will dialogue with us (i.e. answer questions, provide photos, etc) - often just for practical purposes and because deadlines exist.
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Re: Aluminum wheels - 2019 [gregk] [ In reply to ]
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Hey Greg, no worries for the inspiration, and for doing a better job of it than I did...

Shame about the deadline requirement, I know I threw a few smaller/local brands into the mix, but I think there were still some options from major brands that are widely available and highly regarded that deserved to be listed.

Fulcrum Racing 4, Prolite Bracciano A42W should tick all your boxes.
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Re: Aluminum wheels - 2019 [MattyK] [ In reply to ]
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MattyK wrote:
Hey Greg, no worries for the inspiration, and for doing a better job of it than I did...

Shame about the deadline requirement, I know I threw a few smaller/local brands into the mix, but I think there were still some options from major brands that are widely available and highly regarded that deserved to be listed.

Fulcrum Racing 4, Prolite Bracciano A42W should tick all your boxes.

That Prolite vaguely rang a bell, but I didn't look in to it much just based on my own lack of name recognition, and the fact that I've never had any contact with them. It does look cool, and has to be the deepest alloy rim I've ever seen. Fulcrum / Campy falls in to the 'no contact' camp, too - I've reached out on several occasions over the years, but have never received return correspondence (and have no experience with their latest stuff). Campy has never been heavily tri-focused, so they might just be concentrating on their larger customer base of road cyclists.
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Re: Aluminum wheels - 2019 [gregk] [ In reply to ]
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FYI I fixed the weight of the XR31T rim; you might want to update your article to do the same. (My error, I stole the wrong number from a web page)

M.
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Re: Aluminum wheels - 2019 [MattyK] [ In reply to ]
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Thanks - I saw that yesterday afternoon and corrected. That was the lone rim that I had a VERY hard time finding info on - it isn't even on their own website.
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Re: Aluminum wheels - 2019 [gregk] [ In reply to ]
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Interesting that they don't list it. But there are lots of "OEM" wheels that are magically 31mm x 24mm or otherwise acknowledge it.

You might want to also update your comments about weight under the table of data.
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Re: Aluminum wheels - 2019 [gregk] [ In reply to ]
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This is a pretty small store, but it's an excellent resource.
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Re: Aluminum wheels - 2019 [MattyK] [ In reply to ]
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Check Hunt Wheels that are made in the UK. Also, somebody below mentioned Boyd as well. Two thumbs up.
https://www.huntbikewheels.com/


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Re: Aluminum wheels - 2019 [Nerd] [ In reply to ]
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Nerd wrote:
Check Hunt Wheels that are made in the UK.

MattyK wrote:
...there are lots of "OEM" wheels that are magically 31mm x 24mm...

They don't say Kinlin on their website but it's plain as day that that's what they use (XR31T and XC279).
You might as well buy the DIY build kits from BDOP for a fraction of the price.
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Re: Aluminum wheels - 2019 [MattyK] [ In reply to ]
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On this same topic, I was just browsing on one of those bike websites that sells high end stuff that it wouldn’t really be prudent for me to buy right now. I looked under the Campy category, and they were listing $3600 carbon wheeksets and $1500 aluminum ones.

Those seem like a lot of money. You could get a more than decent complete bike for that price.

What am I missing here? What makes them so special vs a $400 OEM aluminum wheel set with cx ray spokes and decent hubs?
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