I know on this forum there is usually a lot of duscussion on aero wheels or “race wheels”, but I want to know what is a good pair of training wheels? You can’t always go riding with your disc or aero whees for hill climbs and training. What does everyone use? Ksyrium Elite’s, Easton, Shimano/Mavic? What are the best choiices for solid training wheelsets?
I could not be happier with my Campy Eurus wheelset.
You’re asking two different questions. Best training wheels and best climbing wheels are generally two very different things. Training wheels are usually built stout to handle harsh conditions. Climbing wheels are built light to be … light! If you’re looking for a great all-around wheelset that’s bulletproof, fast and reasonably light for climbing, I’ve been extremely happy with the Bontrager Race X Lites I purchased three years ago now. They’re awesome wheels. I’m a wheel addict and I’ve owned many, many sets of wheels. I’ve not been happier with any wheels than I am with the Race X Lites.
Of course, you could go quite a bit cheaper by just having a good wheelbuilder build you a set of wheels using some Shimano Ultegra or DuraAce hubs and some Mavic rims (can’t recall the standard semi-aero road rim) or Velocity Aerohead rims. Go with 24 or 28 spokes up front and 28 or 32 spokes rear and you’ll have a light, strong, reliable set of training wheels that are almost as light as some of the best manufactured “climbing” wheels.
Hope that helps some.
Bob C.
Not fancy but I really like my mavic open pros’s on campy record hubs from Performance cycle. 32 double butted spokes. $300 for the pair. They accelerate well, no flex at all when cornering, absorb a lot more vibration than my Easton Vistas. I think they sell the same wheel with d/a hubs for the same price.
Training and climbing wheels are about as opposite as wheels get. Can’t argue that the lighter the better for climbing. Zipp 202s are hard to beat on that front.
I personally think either Shimano Ultegra 32 or 36 hole on Open Pro rims or Campy Centar or Chorus 32 or 36 hole on OpenPros are about as good as training wheels get. Any bike shop in the world can replace a broken spoke, not too expensive, very reliable, and will last at least 5-8 years if you don’t hit a huge hole or crash. I don’t understand why some people train on an$800 set of wheels with as many spokes in the set as I have in one wheel. Whatevers
Yes, you guys are right? I should have specified more. Climbing and/or training. I meant basically a "training or “everyday” wheelset for which you do go on all types of terrain inculding hills, rough roads, etc. I had read reviews on different wheels like some of the Bontrager wheels I see that I like about the rear flange breaking and some of the Zipps not staying true all of the time. I also see this as my LBS. I know all of the wheels can break, but I just want to limit my damages. I look at the HED web site and the road wheels they have called the Ti 2.7 look really nice, but I am thinking that $700 is too much for everday wheels. It seems as if handbuilts may be the way to go for being bombproof, weight and for the best price. Mavic rims with Ultega hubs or something like that.
Well, I can’t speak for everyone else, but for me, the race wheel vs. training wheel thing is a bit silly. It’ll be a long, long time before my wheel choice is the limiting factor for success in any race.
So, I’m satisfied with one set of high quality wheels which can do most things, certainly to the upper boundary of my physical limits.
You have to spend money to save money I guess. Would a second set of only marginally cheaper “training wheels” prevent ruining my “race” wheels during training? Perhaps, but I don’t feel the risk vs. cost argument is worth it at my level.
I realize that many of you out there do the types of bike volume where this becomes more of a necessity. I only wish I were one of you!!
I have been very pleased with a set of wheels that Mike Garcia built from oddsandendos.com. They are Speedcific Hubs with Velocity Aerohead rims. I have had them for 1 year and they are still perceftly true. They are reasonably light at 1530 grams for the set.
Give Mike a call or check out roadbikereview.com for others opinions.
This is a beautiful wheel and at 1530 it seems pretty light. I have hear Mike Garcia’s name mentioned quite a bit for wheelbuiling. Is this an expensive wheel? Is it better to spend a lot on these kind of wheels? My LBS has a pair of Mavic Cosmos that caught my eye, mavbe because of the cost was like $280, but after researching it, it does not look like anything that special. The Mavic Elite’s look much better for $500, but now these by Mike Garcia look really good.
$339 for the pair (includes shipping).
If you are not too heavy, Rolf Elans are great climbing wheels. You can also get them with aero spokes.
"What are the best choices for solid training wheelsets? "
Best value for the money - Neuvation. Check out the reviews for these on roadbikereview.com also.
Does Mike only build with Velocity rims?
Check out his website and call him. He builds with
His house brand Rims that are made in the same factory as the American Classic
Velocity
Dt Swiss,
Sun,
IRD
and if you call him, he may do something else.
Excelsports Boulder built me a set of Mavic CXP-33’s on Ultegra hubs for under 300 dollars. Double-butted DT spokes. They are about as light as Ksyrium Elites at half the price. 24mm deep. I love them.
Bontrager Race Lights and Race X-Lights. They have never even needed to be trued.
After 3 years and 40,000 miles (yes I put in usually at or above 300 miles per week) the Open Pro on my rear powertap wheel finally gave up the ghost, a spoke nipple pulled through the rim. New rim and spokes, an afternoon with the truing stand and voila! good to go for another 40,000. Front wheel still going strong.
My suggestion would be dura-ace hubs (better bearings) 32 hole with 14/15 spokes. I would not reccomend the Rolf Elans for training, they are very light, but the rims have thin sidewalls so they would probably wear through quickly, especially if you rode a lot in wet conditions.
Are Dura Ace that much better than Ultegra hubs and it seems like most people choose open pro’s over the cxp 33 rims. Is there a reason? Rolf are awesome looking wheels but I do want to feel free to beat my wheels up a bit and not worry.
I could not be happier with my Ksyrium SSC SL’s - they are bomb proof wheels. I have raced them, trained on them, even jumped a few curbs on them, they have never gone out of true. They were expensive, but are damn fine wheels.
“Are Dura Ace that much better than Ultegra hubs and it seems like most people choose open pro’s over the cxp 33 rims. Is there a reason?”
Open Pros are an old standard in the road world. CXP-33’s are more aero and stronger - and heavier. But aero should win out over weight for tri if you will ever race with them. I have them because I weigh 210 and like the extra strength. Open Pros are cheaper. I have Open Pros on my fixie because they look good on a retro bike. They are more traditional box rims. Some people prefer the look.