Are better wheels really a step up ?

[Paul_Smith SRCC]

For a home trainer then it doesn't really matter in my opinion. I'm from a generation where we put bricks in our saddle bags for winter training to make it harder not easier.

Fitting higher quality wheels to any bike and to how much the rider notices will come down to the individuals perception, a deal breaking difference for one maybe no difference to another. One of my bikes when I initially bought it 10 years or so ago funds dictated that it was not quite what I wanted interms of specification, at the time I fitted Fulcrum 5 wheels with Continental Ultra Gator Skins, both quality products. A couple of years later I changed the wheels to Mavic Kysrium SL with lightweight Vittoria Open Corsa CX tyres. To me the difference was such that it felt like a new bike.

So does that mean the Fulcrum 5 wheels with Continental Ultra Gator Skins were poor and I needed to change them? No, they were good, really good, much of my decision to upgrade was that this bike replaced a 30 year old race bike that had just what I wanted spec' wise and I wanted the replacement to tick the same boxes interms of desirability. I keep my bikes a long time and they are more than just a tool to ride, although desire was my main drive behind the upgrade I can definitely feel the improvements to the riding experience. For sure I have paid for the privilege but they feel faster, lighter, stiffer, more comfortable and they make me smile when I say hello to my bike every morning; I keep it in my bedroom

 

[MrGrumpy]

Freehub on my current commuter wheel (Shimano RS505) has done well over that, still buttery smooth and silent.

The Fulcrums are just plain bad wheels, cheap as chips, equally cheap as chips Mavic Askiums on my road bike have more mileage and are still sweet ! But two free hubs in 6 months is just poor design and don`t get me started on replacing, you have to remove a bearing to get an Allen key in lol , bleedin joke. Sorry ranting here.

 

[winjim]

For a home trainer then it doesn't really matter in my opinion. I'm from a generation where we put bricks in our saddle bags for winter training to make it harder not easier.

Fitting higher quality wheels to any bike and to how much the rider notices will come down to the individuals perception, a deal breaking difference for one maybe no difference to another. One of my bikes when I initially bought it 10 years or so ago funds dictated that it was not quite what I wanted interms of specification, at the time I fitted Fulcrum 5 wheels with Continental Ultra Gator Skins, both quality products. A couple of years later I changed the wheels to Mavic Kysrium SL with lightweight Vittoria Open Corsa CX tyres. To me the difference was such that it felt like a new bike.

So does that mean the Fulcrum 5 wheels with Continental Ultra Gator Skins were poor and I needed to change them? No, they were good, really good, much of my decision to upgrade was that this bike replaced a 30 year old race bike that had just what I wanted spec' wise and I wanted the replacement to tick the same boxes interms of desirability. I keep my bikes a long time and they are more than just a tool to ride, although desire was my main drive behind the upgrade I can definitely feel the improvements to the riding experience. For sure I have paid for the privilege but they feel faster, lighter, stiffer, more comfortable and they make me smile when I say hello to my bike every morning; I keep it in my bedroom

Not doubting your perception but you've altered two variables there.

 

[Tenacious Sloth]

I would be tempted to have a go at building a wheel for the turbo.

You could do it fairly cheaply and learn a useful skill at the same time.

Graham

 

[vickster]

Are you trolling ? New wheel is circa £100-120, - exactly what could I buy for less than £100 that would do the job, as you say ? And be the same fit a I'm used to ?

He says he spends £30 max on bikes or fishes them out of skips, so no he probably isn't joking. He also appears averse to spending any money at all on anything new for bikes

 

[Paul_Smith SRCC]

Not doubting your perception but you've altered two variables there.

My point exactly, wheels are the sum of their parts, the tyre choice is just as valid as the wheel choice as, both compliment each other and influence the performance and riding experience

 

[Blue Hills]

He says he spends £30 max on bikes or fishes them out of skips, so no he probably isn't joking. He also appears averse to spending any money at all on anything new for bikes

Not a bad approach once you reach a certain stage in cycling. My favourite bike (and I have getting towards 10) cost me £30 for the frame, some bits and a still functioning 20 year old front mech (they built them well in those days) and I could probably have got it for £20. It now holds lots of the bits from my £1,500 (15 years ago prices) Dale and I am sure it rides better. And unlike my Dale, I feel pretty relaxed about locking it up of a dark night in London. It's the bike with the wheels I referred to above - rebuilt from Dale originals. Have stocked up on more of the mechs - cost about £6.50 each from Germany I think. Oh and despite its wondrous smooth running it needs less maintenance -I gave a bod from dale a right telling off when he told me to throw the bike away as it was "unsupported". t***t.

 

[vickster]

It doesn't really answer the OP though

I personally like new shiny things and can afford them so why not

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

He says he spends £30 max on bikes or fishes them out of skips, so no he probably isn't joking. He also appears averse to spending any money at all on anything new for bikes

I'm not joking, and I haven't bought a used bike for more than £20, not £30. I really don't see any point in wasting cash buying new wheels for what is basically a glorified exercise bike. Turbo training is just resistance exercise, it is NOT cycling. There's nothing wrong with dropping a brick in a saddlebag to add a bit of ballast, and there's nothing wrong with using some old beaten-up heap on 26" knobbly tyres for fitness training in place of an expensive road bike either. The whole point of doing any kind of resistance training is to make your body work harder, so it gets stronger/fitter. You don't get any extra benefit from training on a bike fitted with lighter components! Someone I know at work uses the crappiest old steel-rimmed thing imaginable as his turbo trainer bike. It's roughly the same size as his good bike, but the similarity ends there. He wouldn't ride that same bike on the road as his first choice, but it serves it's purpose of maintaining his fitness during winter when he doesn't commute on two wheels.

 

[Blue Hills]

It doesn't really answer the OP though

I personally like new shiny things and can afford them so why not

i answered the OP above - I was replying to your post. If you get on the movie ride I may possibly turn up on the thing.

edit - I happen to know that that favourite bike of mine is also the favourite bike of someone else on here, and he also has lots of bikes. Come to think of it, won't turn up on it - don't want to alert folks/raise its value - wouldn't mind getting another to put some bits onto.

If the other enlightened bod is reading this, please keep schtum

 

[zak3737]

I'm not joking, and I haven't bought a used bike for more than £20, not £30. I really don't see any point in wasting cash buying new wheels for what is basically a glorified exercise bike. Turbo training is just resistance exercise, it is NOT cycling. There's nothing wrong with dropping a brick in a saddlebag to add a bit of ballast, and there's nothing wrong with using some old beaten-up heap on 26" knobbly tyres for fitness training in place of an expensive road bike either. The whole point of doing any kind of resistance training is to make your body work harder, so it gets stronger/fitter. You don't get any extra benefit from training on a bike fitted with lighter components! Someone I know at work uses the crappiest old steel-rimmed thing imaginable as his turbo trainer bike. It's roughly the same size as his good bike, but the similarity ends there. He wouldn't ride that same bike on the road as his first choice, but it serves it's purpose of maintaining his fitness during winter when he doesn't commute on two wheels.

Each to their own, but putting some old crappy knocked up creaking wreck on my TT wouldnt exactly be motivating for me to use, and therefore negate the whole point.
My Wahoo Kickr Snap cost me £250, whereas new its £500, but its been money bloody well spent, as I've done 4/5hrs/week on it since November, whereas I'm certain that without it, I'd have been lucky to get out on a ride perhaps half a dozen times, as I'm a fair weather rider I'm afraid. (as I am with all sports)

Getting a beaten up wreck to sit on just seems ridiculous, I'd rather spend money.

You must be a blast to go out with..........

 

[Andrew_P]

If I were buying disc wheels I would go for a decent easy to service hub such as hope or dtswiss and standard spoke and pattern after choose the rims.

It really depends on budget thereafter or get a cheap throw away wheel for the turbo

The only time I never felt I got value out of an upgrade was moving from £400 to £800 range enough that I replaced the £800 with a unknown brand for £300 with decent hub and standard spokes.

It really depends on how you view the bike and cycling value of the bike and cash you have or want to spend. Decide that first I personally think going from eighty quid wheelset to three four hundred you will feel a difference whether that's worth the money is up to you. Biggest benefit to disc is at leatl younare not rubbing your money away.

inything is subjective and relative to

 

[T4tomo]

The Fulcrums are just plain bad wheels, cheap as chips, equally cheap as chips Mavic Askiums on my road bike have more mileage and are still sweet ! But two free hubs in 6 months is just poor design and don`t get me started on replacing, you have to remove a bearing to get an Allen key in lol , bleedin joke. Sorry ranting here.

what all Fulcrum wheels? I'm surprised they are still in business if that is the case!

 

[Tin Pot]

Morning,
I made a couple of calls about buying a new rear wheel to put on a Turbo Trainer tyre, to swap between road & turbo use etc, and someone suggested to me to consider upgrading the wheels on my Roubaix instead, - they are only Axis 4.0's on a 2015 Roubaix. Standard wheels etc, so I guess 'lead-in' & average in every respect.

Cost of another rear Disc wheel is circa £120+, whereas I'm told that a 'good' set of new Aluminium wheels will be circa £400-500, or Carbon at perhaps £800+, which is too much.
Local Specialized dealer suggested some Hope 20Five wheels & Hubs, @ £400, and said they'd be a significant upgrade and ride wayyyy better, but in reality, for a 'climb-hating', non- racing, social kind of rider, is that likely to be money well spent ?

Or stick with my original plan of just getting a cheap Trainer wheel instead ?? *puzzled*

Hi Zak,

It’s not clear what your criteria are for comparing wheels, but as a regular turbo rider I thought I’d share my experience.

I turbo train 2-3 times a week, on an argon18 TT, peaked single session volume last year at 4hrs45.

At first I put my old roadie miche reflax wheels on it, hard to describe but it was awkward at times maintaining consistent power output. Nowadays I have Campagnolo Bullet 80s on it and it’s a much much smoother experience on the trainer. These are my race wheels, I don’t run a trainer tyre, but then I have got a back log of tyres to work through - currently using Vitoria Pro III.

I don’t know, but there is a lot of chatter about turbos wrecking vs not affecting wheels at all. All I know is that my cheapest wheel was a pain on the turbo, and turbo training is enough hassle as it is.

 

[MrGrumpy]

what all Fulcrum wheels?

Maybe the more expensive are built better but the stock racing sport 77 CX are just utter rubbish. My experience. The fact that you have to remove the outer bearing to fit a 12mm Allen key to remove the freehub is just daft !! It has put me off buying Fulcrum’s more expensive sets as a replacements.