Bamboozled by touring bike bits

[Burrbee]

Hello!

I'm new to cycle chat, so I hope starting a new thread is ok.
I'm about to cycle LeJog, and then some Spainish touring, and then finally Vancouver to San Fran.
I have a Cinelli Racing Rat, running on Shimano 105.

I need to buy some new wheels, as London has ruined my standard ones. And I'd like to get some good strong ones for the adventures.

I was thinking of buying Mavic A719 rims, and (because I can get a discount) some Hope Pro Evo 2 Hubs. I don't want my bike to get too heavy, but it needs to be strong. I reckon it will cost me about £120 each wheel (around that), after they have been built etc.

Is this a good combination for wheels? And a good price? I'm not going to be earning much this summer, so value for money is something I need to consider..any advice would be appreciated so much!

I look forward to hearing from you all.

I hope everyones fingers and toes aren't frozen off!

 

[Brommyboy]

I have run basic touring wheels for tens of thousands of miles of cycle-camping tours. Endeavour rims on Shimano Alivio hubs. The important thing is to have 36 spokes. Quite frankly, it is totally unnecessary to spend your suggested sort of amounts on good touring wheels! Spa Cycles would build a pair for around £150.

 

[Blue Hills]

+ 1 to above - I got some wheels from Spa for round about that price.No need to pay more.They turned my old chromo Ridgeback hybrid into a perfectly decent tourer.

 

[jay clock]

+1 for Spa

 

[Blue Hills]

Well burrbee, seems you have an (ultra quick) unanimous answer -I gather by the way that Spa have a certain reputation in some areas for being somewhat grumpy but I found them absolutely fine - I'm not that techie, particularly with cycle touring bits, but I was talked through the options for rims and hubs in a perfectly decent manner. When the wheels arrived they had forgotten to include the spacer for putting a 7-speed cassette on but a quick call and they sent it on no problems. They are also often more competitive on price for things like panniers than far far bigger outfits.
(typo edited)

 

[MacB]

Spa are good as are other wheelbuilders and you'll definitely get plenty of recommends for handbuilt and 36h for touring. As the Cinelli Racing Rat comes with 700x35 tyres then clearances are good and you'd certainly want a rim at least 622-15(Open Pro size) up to 622-19(A719 size). I don't think Spa use Mavic rims anymore, unless they've altered, but they do offer a lot of Rigida rims. There can be a risk of very difficult to fit tyre/rim combos with the Rigidas, especially the Sputnik as I found.

All of my handbuilt wheels have had either Mavic A719 for rim brake wheels or TN719 for disc brake and I've not been disappointed. However I wouldn't want to go below a 700x28 tyre on them, though 700x25 is permitted in the specs, and find that a 700x32 or bigger is nicer.

Hope hubs are excellent but you do need to be aware how noisy they are when freewheeling. If you plan any riding that involves just bumbling along soaking up the ambience then the trailing machine gun noise can put a crimp in that.

 

[Blue Hills]

but they do offer a lot of Rigida rims. There can be a risk of very difficult to fit tyre/rim combos with the Rigidas, especially the Sputnik as I found.

I found the same - after a few rides I started to worry that Spa's wheelbuilding maestro had built me a square rear wheel. With the tyre on (Conti Top Touring 700 37 or 38 wide) it looked all to ******.Took the tyre off and the rim seemed fine. Solved it in the end by taking off the high quality rim tape Spa had used and changing it for one of a slightly different spec.

Not being technical am still puzzled as to why there should be this problem we've both (and others) found - clearly standards aren't exactly all they are cracked up to be.

 

[MacB]

As I said I've only experienced the Sputniks and I did notice that they seemed to have very high sidewalls, but I didn't do any measuring or anything. I managed ok but tyres that could slip on and off easily on other rims were more challenging. When it came to M+ I still managed without levers but it took patience and you really had to eke out every last bit of space getting the already mounted tyre into the rim well.

As you say different rim tapes will make a difference, I tend to use the Velox cloth one and that was ok. I just think it's worth being aware of this sort of potential issue before purchase. My Sputniks went when I moved across to disc brakes and my rim of choice, the TN719, was tested with some tyres before I went ahead with further builds. I may be quite proficient at fitting/removing tyres in the comfort of my garage but I really didn't want extra hassle out on the road.

 

[Burrbee]

Super, Thanks all!
Well, I shall happily contact Spa Wheels.
I know the mavic rims are very well regarded, but if you say the Spa is good, then I shall go with that.
I'm going to put marathon tyres on, so although they'll be a total pain to put on, once they are on, hopefully that will be IT!

I had heard Hope hubs were noisy, and whilst it wouldn't bother me, it might my co-riders, so I shall steer away from them.

thanks!

 

[MontyVeda]

another +1 for spa cycles here. bough a pair off them a few months ago and the build is rock solid.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Super, Thanks all!
Well, I shall happily contact Spa Wheels.
I know the mavic rims are very well regarded, but if you say the Spa is good, then I shall go with that.
I'm going to put marathon tyres on, so although they'll be a total pain to put on, once they are on, hopefully that will be IT!

I had heard Hope hubs were noisy, and whilst it wouldn't bother me, it might my co-riders, so I shall steer away from them.

thanks!

simple solution.... just keep pedalling.

 

[oldfatfool]

I'll buck the spa trend and recommend Rose, much cheaper and excellent quality, Had a set of these built by them and toured through the Alps and Pyrenees fully loaded as well as riding around the UK and they have never moved from true.

 

[andym]

i've bought wheels from Spa and been very happy with them, but there's also Harry Rowland.

I can't (or hear) see any reason to avoid Hope hubs.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Ooh, I know who you are! Hi there!

 

[doog]

I'll buck the spa trend and recommend Rose, much cheaper and excellent quality, Had a set of these built by them and toured through the Alps and Pyrenees fully loaded as well as riding around the UK and they have never moved from true.

Agree with this, try Rose in Germany. I have just ordered these for a tourer I am making up.

http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/products/detail/aid:556278/

Thats for a set! They are hand built and I dont know how they do it for the money. Must be a loss leader as I ended up buying a load of other stuff from them. Ive had gear from spa in the past but their wheel prices seem to have rocketed lately.

You need to ignore the not in stock bit, they are they just need to make them up.