Hello,

I'm looking to buy a new wheelset for my road bike, and I would like tou have any recommendations or advises. I'm 5' 6 - 150 pounds and most of the rides are between 50-100 km or 30-60 mi (75% flat ground) I've been looking on 4 wheelset:

Mavic ksyrium Equipe
Easton Circuit
Fulcrum Racing 5
Bontrager X-Lite

Any idea?

Thanks,

At your size & weight, you could ride most anything.

Consider the Ksyrium Elites (2007), you get much more wheel for your money than the Equipes. Go to the Mavic website and compare the two on their product comparitor. I think the Elites run about 180-200 dollars more but they are worth it. Also when you look at your other choices look at the weight and the stiffness of each as they compare to the others. Reducing rolling weight is a very important consideration when buying new wheels. Also stiffer wheel will transfer more power over a flexable one. Good luck in your search.

I'd put Neuvation on this list. In fact, Neuvation is what I'd recommend. Particularly the R28 SL3 http://www.neuvationcycling.com/wheel/r28sl3/r28sl3.html

New Cerlevo R3 and new to road biking: Mavic ksyrium Equipe or Easton Circuit

I weigh 200lbs and suggestions???

New Cerlevo R3 and new to road biking: Mavic ksyrium Equipe or Easton Circuit

I weigh 200lbs and suggestions???

This may not be a popular view but don't go for the Ksyrium line. They're NOT stiff compared to any half decent wheel. Especially rear wheel is horrible all the way from Equipe to ES. I'm only 138lbs but do have some power in my legs and the Ksyriums just don't cut it for me, waste of money unless you like the looks so much.

This may not be a popular view but don't go for the Ksyrium line. They're NOT stiff compared to any half decent wheel. Especially rear wheel is horrible all the way from Equipe to ES. I'm only 138lbs but do have some power in my legs and the Ksyriums just don't cut it for me, waste of money unless you like the looks so much.

A question, if the Ksyrium line is such crap than why are they so common in races from local crits to international events. For what it is worth I have SLs and I love them. But, I would like to hear specifics rather than just statements. And how does this apply to the average Joe who wants something of reasonable weight, quality, smoothness and power transfer without taking out a second mortgage.

A question, if the Ksyrium line is such crap than why are they so common in races from local crits to international events. For what it is worth I have SLs and I love them. But, I would like to hear specifics rather than just statements. And how does this apply to the average Joe who wants something of reasonable weight, quality, smoothness and power transfer without taking out a second mortgage.

They're not crap, just not as good as they look. They look friggin cool and everybody has them me included (had to get them because they look so cool and everybody has them and therefore they have to be darn good). I just cannot stand the brake pads rubbing in the rear. If you can live with that you'll be a happy man. 200lbs I'd say is a certain brakerub situation when putting the power down in an uphill, sprint, tt-start, leaving home, after stopping for red light, you name it. Jeez, I do it with my modest weight in all those situations if I accelerate fast into cruise speed and hate it happening, brakerub sucks. Still own Elites for crappy roads and training though but tried SL and ES also. I doubt the mentioned Eastons are as bad in the rear, cheapo Fulcrums certainly aren't.

Thanks for the explanation, I have a set of Elites and I felt there was some brake rub if I really torqued on them. However I have not had that happen on my SLs. And to be honest it only happened a couple times on the Elites. Again thanks for explaining yourself.

Thanks for the explanation, I have a set of Elites and I felt there was some brake rub if I really torqued on them. However I have not had that happen on my SLs. And to be honest it only happened a couple times on the Elites. Again thanks for explaining yourself.

No problemo. Cosmics (Elite/SSL, haven't owned full carbon versions) are stiffer but boy do they weigh some.

I am 6'3", 215 pounds, pretty strong recreational rider, avg 18 - 20 mph most rides, some hills, some steep, no extended climbs. I have 2 bikes now, 2006 SL3 wheels on one, 4000-5000 miles on those wheels, no problems. Just bought a Litespeed Tuscany, with Ksyrium wheels this year, 2500+ miles on that, and I have never noticed brake rub, as far as I know. I also had the 1st edition Ksyriums, that I rode on same bike (steel frame / fork) as the 2006 SL3 wheels, that I traded to a friend with some $$$ (nothing wrong with them, I wanted to switch to the silver 2006 Ksyriums, the originals were black), had a few thousand on them, no problems there either.

Regarding the poster who stated you constantly rub the rear wheel on the brakes, how do you tell the rear is rubbing - I am curious ? If you are cranking enough to make that happen, I would think it difficult and dangerous to look. I have a friend, similar weight, stronger than I a bit, I will look at his rear next time we ride. Are your brake shoes extremely close to the wheel. I would guess, perhaps, that every wheel can flex a little bit, under a hard load. I don't have proof of this, but that's a guess -- I think just about any / every part on bikes flexes a bit, frame, bars, etc.

Out of the list you mentioned I would go with the Easton or Fulcrum. Pick the one you like the way they look better. I think both will be a decent wheel. In that price range you might want to consider a set off ultegra or chorus hubs and open pro's.

Regarding the poster who stated you constantly rub the rear wheel on the brakes, how do you tell the rear is rubbing - I am curious ? If you are cranking enough to make that happen, I would think it difficult and dangerous to look. I have a friend, similar weight, stronger than I a bit, I will look at his rear next time we ride. Are your brake shoes extremely close to the wheel. I would guess, perhaps, that every wheel can flex a little bit, under a hard load. I don't have proof of this, but that's a guess -- I think just about any / every part on bikes flexes a bit, frame, bars, etc.

It's highly audible. No need to look. ;)

Easy to hear in the dry when spinning it up from standstill. Even more so in the wet especially when going uphill out of the saddle when it is a constant rimrub noise. And I do have brakeblocks with about 2mm clearance both sides which is simply not enough for Ksyriums but just fine for all the other rear wheels I've ever used on the same frames. With the Cosmics I have only 1,5mm clearance and no rub. Rubbing probably doesn't slow me down at all but is annoying. I rather do without. On the positive side Ksyrium Elites unlike SLs (spoke failures) seem to be able to take a good beating on unsurfaced roads, pave and such and that's where I use them.

Given your weight all those wheels should serve you well, I have FSA 220,s and they have great reviews here on RBR as do campy Vento's so you may want to look at them too.

It's highly audible. No need to look. ;)

Easy to hear in the dry when spinning it up from standstill. Even more so in the wet especially when going uphill out of the saddle when it is a constant rimrub noise. And I do have brakeblocks with about 2mm clearance both sides which is simply not enough for Ksyriums but just fine for all the other rear wheels I've ever used on the same frames. With the Cosmics I have only 1,5mm clearance and no rub. Rubbing probably doesn't slow me down at all but is annoying. I rather do without. On the positive side Ksyrium Elites unlike SLs (spoke failures) seem to be able to take a good beating on unsurfaced roads, pave and such and that's where I use them.

My pal and I (both 6' plus, and 215 pounds, both with 2006 Ksyrium SL equipped bikes, both with a few thousand miles) went riding today, about 50 miles, over mild rolling hills, plenty of chances to look for this, plenty of times we were out of the saddle hammering up a hill, avg 18.7, not a kick-back ride. Neither of us could detect any brake pad rub whatsoever, never have. My friend did say he once tried loosening up the bearings on his SL wheels, and the wheel had side-to-side play, so he (using the included tool) tightened the wheel bearings back to where they were. Perhaps your bearings have loosened up some ? I have probably 10,000 on 2 diff bikes, 3 different sets of Ksyriums (original all black ones, 2006 SLs, and a new this year set pair of ES wheels), never detected any problem with the wheel flexing and rubbing the pads.

Ditto-
I was on a ride yesterday, about 40 miles, long climbs, short punchy rollers were you just stand pedal and gut it out. Ave. speed 18.3, max 41 on the downhills, you know a good ride. Not at anytime during the ride did I have brake rub on m '07 Ksyrium SLs . Now I'm not a big rider (5'10" 152 lbs) but my buddy is 6'2" and 210, he rides 07' Ksyrium Elite 2s and he did not have any problems. I am thinking that the rub felt was the fork/frame flexing on my previous bike not the wheelset (Bianchi C2C) my current ride (08 LeMond Tete de Course -ala Dura-ace Ksyrium) has NO such issues.

Aside from the weight and spokes what the man difference between the ES and ELITE? The new 2008's look almost identical except for the hub color and spokes? I heard from the Elites up in the line its just weight saving

Weight, skewers (Ti vs steel), ISM ( fancy milling between spokes), Ti bits in the hub, carbon front hub, neat-o red spoke, and about 500 clams. The'08 models are all black with nearly the same graphics. This is why I snatched up some 07 SLs, they have the silver rim and painted on graphics instead stickers.

My pal and I (both 6' plus, and 215 pounds, both with 2006 Ksyrium SL equipped bikes, both with a few thousand miles) went riding today, about 50 miles, over mild rolling hills, plenty of chances to look for this, plenty of times we were out of the saddle hammering up a hill, avg 18.7, not a kick-back ride. Neither of us could detect any brake pad rub whatsoever, never have. My friend did say he once tried loosening up the bearings on his SL wheels, and the wheel had side-to-side play, so he (using the included tool) tightened the wheel bearings back to where they were. Perhaps your bearings have loosened up some ? I have probably 10,000 on 2 diff bikes, 3 different sets of Ksyriums (original all black ones, 2006 SLs, and a new this year set pair of ES wheels), never detected any problem with the wheel flexing and rubbing the pads.

Well what can I say? I've got the problem on both my raceframes of which the new one is very stiff (not light because I wanted stiff). Bearing play is not an issue. I check it quite often because the cap used to eliminate play slowly comes loose when riding and maybe once every 1200 miles needs readjusting. In races I see some Ksyrium users opening up the rear brakes before race start. Wonder why. I do it myself also but not full open like some people, that's madness. 4mm brakepad clearance seems to be enough.

The original black K's I have no experience with, but they were heavier and therefore probably stiffer than the current ones, also used different spokes?

I did a short 42 mile ride yesterday evening and sure enough sprinting uphill causes the unwanted squealing (or in the wet screeching)noise just about everytime I do it. Averaged 21.1mph with 26mph max but what does that tell, nothing.

Well what can I say? I've got the problem on both my raceframes of which the new one is very stiff (not light because I wanted stiff). Bearing play is not an issue. I check it quite often because the cap used to eliminate play slowly comes loose when riding and maybe once every 1200 miles needs readjusting. In races I see some Ksyrium users opening up the rear brakes before race start. Wonder why. I do it myself also but not full open like some people, that's madness. 4mm brakepad clearance seems to be enough.

The original black K's I have no experience with, but they were heavier and therefore probably stiffer than the current ones, also used different spokes?

I did a short 42 mile ride yesterday evening and sure enough sprinting uphill causes the unwanted squealing (or in the wet screeching)noise just about everytime I do it. Averaged 21.1mph with 26mph max but what does that tell, nothing.

Well, your avg of 21.1 indicates that you are a pretty strong rider, at least from my viewpoint as a recreational rider, and that you may put more torque on your wheels than I do mine. In contrast, I think I am larger, and put a fair amount of torque into the bike when I stand and hammer up a climb (often in the big ring) or sprint. I don't race, but ride in recreational groups that are at least a little competitive. I will say that I don't beleive my wheels have ever rubbed the brake shoes, nor have I ever had to have the bearings adjusted, at all. My ES wheels have about 2500 miles, the SL wheels have approximately twice that. On the original Ksyriums, I think the spokes were pretty much the same, what was (at least one) difference is there was no milling of the rims between the spokes as on the new Ksyriums. Maybe your issue of the brakes rubbing is an issue for stronger / faster riders (racers), as I might be above average in recreational circles, I am certainly not racer caliber and strength. Have you contacted Mavic and asked them ? I know a lot of riders (recreational, not racers) who have Ksyriums, and honestly never heard a bad word said about them, nor have I ever had a bad experience. My 5000 miles SL pair haven't ever been even trued, nor the pair of ES wheels that have 2500 miles on them.

Doug

I have the second generation SLs circa 2003 with 7500+ miles and have never noticed rear brake rub during sprinting flat out or up hills. I'm 6' 150 lbs so maybe I'm not applying as much torque. I did notice though that I had to tighten the bearings when I first got the wheels to eliminate some side to side play.