[chappers]

right then lets have em:
best sub £400 road wheelset.

ta

[soapy]

tt/race?

[fatkid2000]

With component prices sky rocketing - some are talking of around 30% increase on components (SRAM especially) look at 2008 models being sold off.

I bought some Zipp Team CSC wheels for £450 last year - they have been replaced with a similar wheel as CSC is no longer in existence. Do some internet searches - if you ride Shimano lots of people rate the Shimano range but they may be out of your price range.
Bike radar rated the the HED Ardenne as the best clincher on the market but I think they retail for around £500 - they are available at a certain 'bespoke' bike emporium in Sheffield.

[soapy]

700 more like it..

if you want otp clinchers these look ok > http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Fulcrum_Racing_3_Wheel_Set/5360017034/

or Ksyrium elites

or Easton EA90 aero/sl

or knock yourself out for an extra 100 > http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/DT_Swiss_RR1850_Wheel_Set_-_Ex_Demo/5360041931/

[chappers]

they are for my race bike which has campag groupset.
i looked at those fulcrum 3's what do people think about those? i have also been looking at the campag neutrons- both sets are made by campag, but does one shine over the other?
i hadnt thought about mavic's, ill look into them...

[Percy B]

Woah, woah, Chappers....easy tiger! It just so happens I was chatting to a mate of mine (and new owner of said bespoke roadie shop in Sheffield) yesterday, and as of t'other week all the European wheelsets have gone up in price, big style. For example, last year a pair of top of the range Mavic R-S wheels would have cost you around £800 if you shopped around - this week they cost £1100 for the basic ones and £1300 for the top of the range ones.
If you wanted an expensive pair of race wheels we are now in the bizarre situation that a pair of Zipp 303's can be picked up for £900, and these are lighter, better, faster and cooler than anything Mavic make!

What this does mean is that if you wanted a decent pair of wheels (like a pair of Mavic Ksyrium SSL's, or Fulcrum 3's (or 1's for that matter)) you won't find any for a reasonable price - like the £400 range you are after. Even the basic Mavic Aksiums are now nearly £200 a pair.

My top tip is a pair of these - http://www.planet-x-warehouse.co.uk/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Planet_X_Pro_Carbon___Pairs_276.html

Its the Pro Carbon 50's you want. I have some, and I love them. Light, fast, CHEAP for what you get, and bling into the bargain. I got a deal last year which included wheel bags, valve extenders, a pair of Tufo tubs, tub tape and skewers for £499. BARGAIN! They have wheel deals on the site reasonably regularly so its worth watching out for the bargains.

[fatkid2000]

Looks like the usual roadie scenairo set your budget then double it and you'll then get close to what you want!! Got to love it . Look how weird zipp wheels look good value. Everything else is getting cheaper apart from bikes!!

What's the story with la bicicletta?? Fd told me it's changed hands.

[bigd942]

I've had a couple sets of the Mavics and just seem to get 12months outa them before the nipple pulls through the rim, if your 90kg+ I'd recommend a 36 hole open pro or something that'll last, I do 15k a year and my latest wheels, chorus on open pros have been great for 24 months with only a few tweaks, I'm 100kg and the roads round here aren't the best.

The Goldtech get good reviews as well if you want to spend £400

http://www.mountainbikecomponents.co.uk/items.asp?CategoryID=120&Name=Goldtec+Road+Hubs

[Percy B]

What's the story with la bicicletta?? Fd told me it's changed hands.

Kind of - Joe has sacked sitting in the shop all day off so now Alex is running the show (these are the same two guys who set the place up in the first place) Same shop, but more stuff - clothing, bikes, etc. but all still bling. The new upstairs bit is very very posh indeed. Alex has also done a stack of cyclefit qualifications, and now will probably do you this best bike fitting this side of Lahndahn. Oh, and he's a nice guy and will probably make you a brew while he shoots the breeze with you (and as he coaxes your wallet out from its hiding place...!!!)

Steer clear, Fatkid.....a pair of 303's on your bike would be dangerous.

[Duma]

Even the basic Mavic Aksiums are now nearly £200 a pair.

things have changed 
when I built the principia up in the summer I scored a pair of kysirium elites for £161!!

[fatkid2000]

Steer clear, Fatkid.....a pair of 303's on your bike would be dangerous.

Now there's an idea!! Plus I've seen my dream bike with £1K knocked off!!

[soapy]

parker's have reductions on 2009 wheels

[Yossarian]

i love zipp wheels, but i don't like the aluminium braking bits on the clincher versions...

as far as i'm concerned, the only reason for buying fancy wheels is to lend one's steed a little bit of xzibit flava.  well, unless you're doing loads of TTs.  I had some Campag factory wheels a while back, and I wasn't amazingly impressed.  My current wheels, which I have road raced, TTed and ridden (laden) across half of Vietnam are a pair that Harry Rowland build for me.  Ambrosio hubs (which he thought were better made than Tune, which is what he gets asked to build up for Poshbikes) and Open Pros.  They don't weigh very much, are are nearly as true as they were when I bought them in 2007.

i've got some pre-Trek Rolf tubs which are very sexy. 

i just wonder about a lot of these factory wheels.  to build them as stiff and strong as they claim to be, with a low spoke count the rim itself is going to have to be a lot heavier than a decent standard rim.  with a lightweight handbuilt (and thus very strong) 32 spoke wheel, most of the weight is going to be towards the centre of the wheel (and therefore quicker to accelerate) than an overbuilt rim with less spokes.

i mean, i want a pair of lightweights as much as the next man, but more because i want to look like a very slow jan ullrich than because i think they'll turn me into a superman...

[tlr]

Something second hand like these Kysrium SLs for £180 http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/2006-ksyrium-sls-shimano-freehub would be where I put my money.

Failing that then the bike forums always recommend something like Ultegra on Open Pro as being light, strong and repairable.

[fatkid2000]

Aren't ambrosio hubs made by zenith?

Now I admit I like spending cash on bikes but wasn't the budget £400 lots of the wheels being talked about are £1K plus - typical roadies!!

[chappers]

i hadnt thought about hand built wheels, im going to look into that - seem to have pretty good value, some record hubs on open pro ceramic rims....

[Ena]

I'm out of touch with these fancy wheels but would endorse the idea of just getting a pair made up by a real wheel builder. Find someone with a good reputation and ask him (it will be a him) what you can get for your budget. £400 should still get you some real quality if you avoid the fancy stuff. Good luck.

[BB]

I had some Campag factory wheels a while back, and I wasn't amazingly impressed. 

Ditto. i don't know about prices at the moment, but my training wheels are campag zondas and I can recommend them. Of course factory wheels are factory wheels and can only ever come 2nd against a set of handmade clinchers. That said, finding yourself a good wheel builder isn't always easy.

[Yossarian]

Well, I recommend Harry Rowland...

http://www.rstocker.freeserve.co.uk/harry.htm

A good guy and tries very hard to sell you something less trick that you actually want.

[chappers]

cheers for that - i may think a bit more local to avoid ramping the price up with postage. anyone know a good builder in manchester? i am thinking about paul hewitt in leyland.

[soapy]

also, harry halls in the centre of manchester