# Wheelset upgrade advice please



## brokenflipflop (28 Jan 2012)

Hello. I want to upgrade the wheels on my wife's Scott Speedster S35 (currently Alex Race 28) 

My budget is about £140-£160 and I think I've narrowed it down to these unless I've missed anything obvious. Any comments/positives/negatives about these wheels most welcome

Planet X AL30 (1622 g)
Shimano RS30 (1952 g)
Fulcrum 5 (1770 g)
Mavic Aksium (1795 g)

The wife is about 11 stone if that's important.

cheers


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## endoman (28 Jan 2012)

I changed the stock wheels on my Focus Cayo to the Fulcrum 5's, been very pleased, smoother, easier up hills and a more solid feel to them.


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## Bicycle (28 Jan 2012)

Campag have some nice stuff in that price range.

I have Siroccos, Ventos and others that have given me excellent service, near-zero maintenance and no reaction to some decent offs for a number of years.

Nice stuff and not too 'posh looking'.


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## brokenflipflop (28 Jan 2012)

endoman said:


> I changed the stock wheels on my Focus Cayo to the Fulcrum 5's, been very pleased, smoother, easier up hills and a more solid feel to them.


Cheers endoman. They seem to get good reviews and they are lighter (other than the planet x). I've not seen many reviews about the Planet X wheels but apparently the spokes are easy to work on, they're light and spare parts easily obtained. That said I've not seen one review so I think Fulcrums are winning. cheers.


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## brokenflipflop (28 Jan 2012)

Bicycle said:


> Campag have some nice stuff in that price range.
> 
> I have Siroccos, Ventos and others that have given me excellent service, near-zero maintenance and no reaction to some decent offs for a number of years.
> 
> Nice stuff and not too 'posh looking'.


The groupset is shimano so I assumed Campag stuff wouldn't be compatible. cheers, I'll google 'em.


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## HLaB (28 Jan 2012)

Some reviews say the Planet X Model B's free wheel is made of cheese (tasty ) and shimano cassettes eat them up but I've known folk who have no problem with them and they were the lightest and cheapest when I compiled a similar list; I don't know if the AL30's are similar. I've still not fitted mine; I'm waiting for milder weather until then I've been wearing/ wore out the stock wheels; I'm using an old Aksium at the moment. The Aksiums are pretty bomb proof for me, but I only weigh 9st10'ish; I'd be a bit concerned about bladed spokes as they don't seem to be readily available. I don't know much about the other two but Fulcrums usually get a good review but a mate who posts on here said recently thats another Pawl Spring failed on his Fulcrums again.


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## brokenflipflop (28 Jan 2012)

HLaB said:


> Some reviews say the Planet X Model B's free wheel is made of cheese (tasty ) and shimano cassettes eat them up but I've known folk who have no problem with them and they were the lightest and cheapest when I compiled a similar list; I don't know if the AL30's are similar. I've still not fitted mine; I'm waiting for milder weather until then I've been wearing/ wore out the stock wheels; I'm using an old Aksium at the moment. The Aksiums are pretty bomb proof for me, but I only weigh 9st10'ish; I'd be a bit concerned about bladed spokes as they don't seem to be readily available. I don't know much about the other two but Fulcrums usually get a good review but a mate who posts on here said recently thats another Pawl Spring failed on his Fulcrums again.


I read that the AL30's replaced the model B's but I went on Planet X site and the model B's are still listed (£130) and the AL30's are £150. I don't know what a pawl spring is but this info is a bit like hearing there's a rat been found in the kitchen of my favourite restaurant . What do you reckon then? Planet X AL30's or Mavic's ?


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## HLaB (28 Jan 2012)

brokenflipflop said:


> I read that the AL30's replaced the model B's but I went on Planet X site and the model B's are still listed (£130) and the AL30's are £150. I don't know what a pawl spring is but this info is a bit like hearing there's a rat been found in the kitchen of my favourite restaurant . What do you reckon then? Planet X AL30's or Mavic's ?


I opted for the Planet X's mainly on price, on past experience I think however, I'd go with Aksiums again because of their robustness (they've not failed me in over 7,000 (the rear went slightly out of true when somebody crashed into me but that was easily sorted) but I would investigate spare spokes. Only time will tell if the Planet X's were the right decision.


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## brokenflipflop (28 Jan 2012)

HLaB said:


> I opted for the Planet X's mainly on price, on past experience I think however, I'd go with Aksiums again because of their robustness (they've not failed me in over 7,000 (the rear went slightly out of true when somebody crashed into me but that was easily sorted) but I would investigate spare spokes. Only time will tell if the Planet X's were the right decision.


Cheers for that.


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## DiddlyDodds (29 Jan 2012)

brokenflipflop said:


> Hello. I want to upgrade the wheels on my wife's Scott Speedster S35 (currently Alex Race 28)
> 
> My budget is about £140-£160 and I think I've narrowed it down to these unless I've missed anything obvious. Any comments/positives/negatives about these wheels most welcome
> 
> ...


 
Is there a reason you want to upgrade , i have the same wheels on a Scott S50 and have used them now for two years and they are still true and roll just as well as all the other lads i ride with.
I was told i need to upgrade so bought some Mavic Open Pro wheels , they seemed slower and had no feel to them like riding in cake , cant explaine the feeling but i put the good old Alex Race 28 back on and sold the Mavic and carried on riding with them.
Over the winter i have lost 1 stone so far and another one to go so come spring my bike and me will two stone lighter for £0.00 - Good god i feel a right tight wad after that last sentence


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## brokenflipflop (29 Jan 2012)

Well the reasons for me thinking about it are:

1. I'm assuming the Alex rims are a bit cheap and heavy (maybe I'm wrong)
2. They are white and I don't think they look terribly nice (shallow I know)
3. The wife will think I'm attentive and care about her bike. (gay I know)
4. Some of these other rims will improve the look of the bike (shallow again)


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## DiddlyDodds (30 Jan 2012)

brokenflipflop said:


> Well the reasons for me thinking about it are:
> 
> 1. I'm assuming the Alex rims are a bit cheap and heavy (maybe I'm wrong)
> 2. They are white and I don't think they look terribly nice (shallow I know)
> ...


All good points so the way to go then.


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