For reasons unknown, I seem to break spokes frequently. I only weigh about 182 pounds and ride almost exclusively on a pot-hole free, well paved trail, in flat central Florida, yet I break spokes frequently. I’m not a super strong rider so I have no idea why I break spokes, but I’m looking for an inexpensive (less than $500) and Strong wheelset for training rides. My training rides are usually between 40 and 100 miles. I am currently riding on Neuvation M28 Aero 3’s. I like the wheels, but I have popped three spokes in about six months and the wheels are unrideable when you lose a spoke (too far out of true).
I was looking at the Velocity Spartacus (I love the name, go figure), Mavic Aksium and Mavic Ksyrium Equipe. Any suggestions?
Since they’re for training, get some 32 spoke Mavic Open Pros with Ultegra hubs. You can find those for WAY less than your budget. Heck, you could get them with Dura-Ace hubs for less than your budget. Tough to break a spoke with these, and even if you do, you can still get home on it.
Popping spokes is generally the sign of an improperly tensioned wheel. When you replace the spokes (or have them replaced) do you check the tension on the entire wheel, or just true it up and be done with it. I don’t have any experience with the wheels you mentioned, but you may have a simple tension issue that a good wheelbuilder with a tension gauge can fix in no time. I’d try that before I spent a bunch of money on another set of training wheels. If that doesn’t work, I’ll echo the recommendation to get a set of Mavic Open Pro built up on a set of Ultegra hubs. If you look around you can even find some deals on wheelsets like this at places like performance. I got a set two years ago through Bike Nashbar for just over $200. I’ve put two seasons of Cyclocross on them and they are as true as they day I got them. They’re not particularly flashy or light, but you’re looking for training wheels, so…
I’ll second the set of Mavic Open Pros or maybe CXP-33s, 32 spokes, ultegra hubs. Have them built by a reputable shop and you will NOT damage that wheel.
Please, please, please go hand built. There are so many great options out there. Consider Open Pros, Velocity Deep V, Niobium 30 for rims. 105, Ultegra, DA, Record hubs. Double butted spokes and brass nipples (maybe Al on NDS and front). At 180, 32 front and 36 rear should last you a decade or so. Find a good wheel builder, and you will never look back.
There is a guy in Tampa who is awesome. www.oddsandendos.com Call him, as he doesnt respond to email. A reputable shop should be able to do a great job too, but will probably be a bit more. Bicycle wheel warehouse has good prices, but I dont know anything of their quality.
Seriously, boutique wheels are overpriced for what they are. Almost everyone I know who goes with traditional handbuilt wheels never looks back.
See a trend here? but, i would say to avoid Performance and Nashbar for the build. A good builder can make a big difference
Hmmm…I’ve put a ton of miles nearly everyday use on a pair of Performance Forte wheels in the last year and they’ve been virtually bombproof (I weigh about 20 lbs less than the OP).
Of course, I checked the tension on the wheels before using them and they were adequately tensioned AND even all around.
If you wait for special sales from Performance, you can actually get them for as little as $120-$130 for the pair…and if you have a Performance shop nearby enough, you can have them ship to the shop and save the shipping cost.
Couple that with Performances “100% satisfaction guarantee” (i.e. you have a problem, take it back and they’ll replace it) they’re REALLY tough to beat on a “bang for the buck” basis.
See a trend here? but, i would say to avoid Performance and Nashbar for the build. A good builder can make a big difference
Hmmm…I’ve put a ton of miles nearly everyday use on a pair of Performance Forte wheels in the last year and they’ve been virtually bombproof (I weigh about 20 lbs less than the OP).
Of course, I checked the tension on the wheels before using them and they were adequately tensioned AND even all around.
If you wait for special sales from Performance, you can actually get them for as little as $120-$130 for the pair…and if you have a Performance shop nearby enough, you can have them ship to the shop and save the shipping cost.
Couple that with Performances “100% satisfaction guarantee” (i.e. you have a problem, take it back and they’ll replace it) they’re REALLY tough to beat on a “bang for the buck” basis.
Agreed, more or less. But a lot (most?) Performance/Nashbar wheels are machine made, and inconsistent in build quality. My main set of wheels right now came from Performance about 4-5 years ago. Ultegra hubs, Mavic rims, db spokes, brass nips. The front has been fine. The rear was junk and I had to have it rebuilt by a competent builder.
So for the OP who has proven himself hard on wheels, I would still say go with a good builder. It does make a big difference.
Better build, more spokes or heavier duty spokes. In 1996 while riding my Trek 200 with my daughter, a soccer superstar, we got up over 35mph on a flat road going into a curve and popped 5 spokes on the stock 36 spoke Matrix rimmed wheels. I had a pair of 48 hole Phil Woods hubs built onto heavier rims. I have never had to true the wheels to this day nor have I had to service the hubs and we put about 1000 miles on it every year. Pricey at the time but it has more than paid for itself.
Echoing the handbuilt suggestions, but I’d add that you should really try to go local if possible. A good builder will not only be able to finely tune the part selection, weight, and budget to your requirements – but a good builder will (a) never sell you something that’s likely to fail because (b) a good builder will provide a lifetime warranty on the labor so that in the unlikely event that you do ever break a spoke again, the replacement will be convenient and free.
One of the things about all of the low spoke count prefab wheels is that once you break one spoke, you’ll likely continue to break them unless your completely retension the wheel when it’s repaired. Neuvation is certainly not the only wheel brand to have this issue. Virtually every OEM 20/24h road wheelset I’ve seen runs into durability problems after a year of riding for anyone over 160#.
And if you didn’t want new wheels, you could just try running larger volume tires.
The Performance Forte wheels are re-badged Neuvation wheels.
Umm…no.
I think they’re both re-badged Alex wheels, actually…
There fine wheels, and great set of ‘I don’t care about these wheels’ race wheels. For training–and for a >180 pound dude, I’d probably want more spokes.
Alex seems to run into the occasional QC issue with both hub flanges and spokes, though this wouldn’t stop me from buying the wheels. I just mention it because while you’ve had good luck with them, others haven’t–and through no fault of their own.