Cheap Wheelset

[Mapster1989]

Just recently (yesterday) purchased a Planet-X Pro Carbon as my Summer bike and the bike that I'll be taking on the London to Paris ride too...

...and I'm going to downgrade by current bike, Giant Defy 4, to my commuter. The thing is I need a new rear wheel as the one I have at the moment has taken two years of battering so was going to replace the pair with some cheap wheels.

Can any of you reccomend some cheap wheels for my Giant Defy 4?

 

[vickster]

I have read good things about these

http://www.merlincycles.com/bike-sh.../factory-road-wheels/shimano-r501-wheels.html

 

[youngoldbloke]

Aother vote for the R501s. Ribble have them listed for around £63 but out of stock at the moment. 30mm version around £75 - in stock. When I bought mine Rose were the best price, even inc. carr.

 

[Norry1]

I recently put a set of R501s on my hack. Done a few hundred miles on them and they are a great improvement on the originals. Think I paid about £80 for them.

 

[Rob3rt]

Do the R501's have angular contact bearings like many Shimano wheels? If so, you will need to maintain them.

 

[Norry1]

What's an angular contact bearing?

 

[Rob3rt]

Basically they have bearings with balls in them, not cartridge bearings like many other modern wheels, so you need to maintain them more often to prevent the bearing races becoming pitted or the balls to end up seeping out of the hub in paste form!

 

[Mapster1989]

Thanks for that guys. From what you've said and the reviews on Merlin you can't go wrong with them!

 

[User6179]

Basically they have bearings with balls in them, not cartridge bearings like many other modern wheels, so you need to maintain them more often to prevent the bearing races becoming pitted or the balls to end up seeping out of the hub in paste form!

Are you sure ? I was looking at these wheels as i just cracked a rim and I always thought all angular contact bearings were cartridge?

 

[Rob3rt]

Yup


View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9p9bdzJubw

 

[User6179]

Yup:
View:
View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9p9bdzJubw

cheers, always just thought these were called cup n cone , thought because I use catridge type Angular Contact Bearings in my headsets that ACBs were cartridge.

 

[Rob3rt]

Maybe Shimano like to call them angular contact bearings (and they do call them that) so it sounds more impressive No idea, I just know they have balls in them and are not cartridge bearings.

 

[Hacienda71]

Cup and cone bearings. My Shimano wheels started making a horrible noise after about three months use. Stripped them down rusty ball bearings. I know a lot of people swear by them though. My Mavics on the other hand lasted years with their sealed cartridge bearings.

So what Robert says. If you want to be certain clean and regrease every couple of thousand miles and no harm doing it when first bought as there is a chance they have not had sufficient grease at manufacture.

 

[Rob3rt]

^^ On my Shimano RS10 wheels, the rear hub started expelling a metallic paste on a very wet ride. I couldn't be bothered to have a look inside as there was more wrong with them than this (the rear wheel kept pinging spokes), but I imagine the sight in there is not a pretty one.

 

[Mapster1989]

Thanks for all your responses and I went to the LBS with every intention to come away with some R501's...

...walked away with a pair of Mavic Aksium's, an SRAM cassette and chain.

Good salesmen at my LBS.