Budget wheels

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Cyclist33

Guest
Location
Warrington
Go for the Askiums. Bombproof, and a definite upgrade on the R501s.

In what way?
 

MrGrumpy

Huge Member
Location
Fly Fifer
Go for the Askiums. Bombproof, and a definite upgrade on the R501s.
but a downgrade on what I already have which proves the point best buying cheap crap to begin with lol, the only way is up after that! In seriousness though I`m looking at those as well but I wonder how much better they over the entry level shimano`s?
 
Location
Pontefract
They are looking like my get out of jail card, however googling my issue some suggest riding my existing wheels till they fail. Thinking buy a cheap set like above for I need a front wheel anyway for my fixed anyway so that would help and then I think i might start buying parts to get a set of handbuilts in something sensible and bomb proof for my weighty @rse :biggrin:
I had RS10 and 11's and both rear rims fractured in less than a year, these a bit cheaper, I don't think as quick, but that could just be me being not as fit, so far they have stood up to the roads round here 1,600+ miles mind the other were ok upto 7,000 but the winter seemed to take its toll.
 

zacklaws

Guru
Location
Beverley
Come to Yorkshire they top dress roads they have just repaired that are nice a smooth till a month later when they top dress the bits they just did, but leave roads badly in need of repair untouched.

Dead right, I had to laugh last year, they resurfaced a road near me, never filled the potholes or cracks in, just resurfaced the road, so you ended up with a smooth surface road.....full of cracks and potholes.

I myself have got sick of ruining expensive wheels with hardly any mileage on, and just bought a cheap set, just over £150 from the Raleigh catalogue, Mavic open pro rims with a Tiagra hub, 36 spoke, not had them long so how long they will last I do not know. As for Mavic Askium's, I would never buy them, I have a set and get sick of the spokes twisting and coming loose. Had them to the LBS to retighten whilst under warranty but they said it is a common problem with them but they bed in eventually, but some wheels they never do and they have to replace them. Mine have sat in my shed for about a year now so I hope they may have corroded in if I ever have to use them again.
 
Location
Pontefract
@zacklaws I wonder if for my level if its just better to get a new set each year at sort of £50-70, hopefully with these having a slightly higher spoke count they might cope better, we will see, putting lighter wheels on isn't going to make much difference the bike at best ways 12.5Kg's.
 

gbb

Squire
Location
Peterborough
Took a ride on my rarely used nowadays winter commuter, shod with R500s. Circa 5 or 6 years old, used daily during the very filthiest weather, only overhauled last year...and its still remarkable how smooth they are for the money.
 
I managed to wear out Open Pros in just over a year, so I replaced them with some cheap R501s (think they were <£60 on Amazon) which have been fine so far.They're on my winter bike which gets ridden in all weathers on some very potholed roads, so I've decided to just treat them as disposable and replace them when they wear out - it actually works out cheaper than getting new rims!
 

zacklaws

Guru
Location
Beverley
@zacklaws I wonder if for my level if its just better to get a new set each year at sort of £50-70, hopefully with these having a slightly higher spoke count they might cope better, we will see, putting lighter wheels on isn't going to make much difference the bike at best ways 12.5Kg's.

That's becoming my way of thinking now, its all getting too expensive, I have finally found a good tyre, Maxxiss Re-fuse, cheaper than Conti 4000gps and far more hard wearing, hoping to get more miles out of cheaper wheel sets than I would one set of expensive ones, more spokes for strength. Prefer riding my old £400+ Trek 1.2 now all the parts on it are cheaper than my best bike, steel chain rings etc, and goes just as fast as my £2000 carbon but cheaper to maintain. I even ride Marathon plus on my CX bike, got that used to them, I can push them almost as fast as lighter tyres, but do get tiring on 600K audax's. I call it resistance training riding with cheaper heavier parts.

I will never go over a £1000 on a new bike now, preferring to stay in the £500 to £800 bracket, or ever buy carbon again. Even the manager in my LBS advises you do not need to buy an expensive bike for just normal riding as the cheaper options are just as good and reliable with almost the same performance. And if you ride on your own most of the time, does it really matter what your on or how fast it goes.
 

MrGrumpy

Huge Member
Location
Fly Fifer
Found the mavics for £119 all in . Maybe be worth spending the extra. Can't help thinking the shimano's will get trashed by me?
 
Location
Pontefract
@zacklaws I only have one bike and it has to do everything, I have just passed 20,000 miles on it in just over three years (by about 4 days), I have gatorskins the front has seen three wheelsets, and still going after 12,000 miles without a puncture, the rear didn't far so well having two pinch punctures in 5,500 miles or so from hitting stones at speed, the new rear hasn't had an issue in 5,500 miles or so, the bike cost £300 in 2007, mind you @ rrp to replace it with what I have on it, I guess the better part of a grand, though you would get a bike a bit cheaper, but as it has a 105 triple, it would be difficult to source new. though no doubt a custom build could be had at a price, though in all honest I would just get the parts and build it.
 

MrGrumpy

Huge Member
Location
Fly Fifer
Merlin cycles have some cracking deals on wheels bagged myself Askium Elite wheels for £140, was going to plump for the shimano RS61 and then there was the Fulcrum 5`s lol , you could just keep adding and adding!! :biggrin: Have to say Merlin are becoming my first stop shop just now, bought quite alot from them over the years and service has been great even with returns. Shall see how these turn out, oh and next day delivery free so coming tomorrow. Just have to see if a neighbour can take them!
 
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