I've been looking to buy a new wheelset, i'm working on loosing some weight. I didnt want to buy a heavier/stronger wheelset when i'd like to have the lightest wheel i can ride. I've been looking at the orion II and the ea 90 slx I thought about the ascent II but with the weight limit on them being 180lb. i've had people tell me that companys are conseritive on the ratings. I'm not sure what is fact an fiction thanks for any help.

I rode Rolf Vector Comps at 220 lbs afew years ago, with no issues. I just had to loctite the rear nips because of a couple of chronically loose spokes. They were pretty light with a low spoke count.

I really think that it boils down to how you ride. If you ride "aware" and dodge potholes, or ride smooth roads, I see no reason why you couldn't run whatever you wanted. The exception being if you were crit racing and needed a wheel you could really lean on.

If you like to stand up and really work the bike, you might want something that utilizes shorter spokes (either taller flange hubs, or a deeper dish rim, or combination of both) just to keep the rigidity of the wheel up.

I'd recommend a pair of 28h CXP 33's on the hub of your choice. I run the 32h on Ultegra's and their indestructable, yet heavy (I used straight gauge spokes, since that's what I had on hand at the time). The rim has a good balance of weight and aero profile, and Mavic has good quality control which will help ensure you get a good hoop from the get go.

Forget the "cool factor" and go minimum 2 cross f/r with a 14/15/14 DT spoke, or spring for aeros if that's your thing. You'll save the most weight probably by getting a quality hub, since the CXP isn't extremely heavy. You should be able to build something up around 1550g fairly easily.

The only other thing you could do to save weight is to look for some tubular rims. Then you could build a stupid light wheelset, with no strength penalty - but you'd have to be willing to switch to tubulars...:idea:

Hope that helps.

I'll 2nd the CXP-33's with 28 spoke DA hubs. Mine are 2x in front,3x in back 14-15 DB and alloy nipples everywhere but the drive side. I have 1000's of miles on them and had to give a spoke about a 1/2 turn a couple of years ago but that's it.

I weigh in at 195 and ride the Mavic Ksyrium SL's 1000's of miles and with my eyesight I manage to find potholes, crappy joints, you name it on a regular basis and have never had a bit of trouble from them.

+1 on the Ksyrium SL SSC. Mine are Tubulars, so a little lighter and a little stronger than the clincher. I'm 195lbs and live/ride in the hills, have about 2k miles on them this year and am very happy with them. Only a little light truing so far. My LBS talked me outta a custom wheel build and into the Mavic's. Only the second set of wheels I haven't built myself in over 25 years, both road and mountain, and I have to admit, Lee didn't steer me wrong.

you should take a look at neuvation.com

They have very inexpensive wheels that get great reviews by light and heavy riders a like.

I'm 210 and have had my SLs for three years with no problems (I've weighed as much as 220 during that span). There are some good deals on the 06 model out there, too.

When I first got them, it felt like I was cheating (previous wheels--Gipiemme Grecal Parades!--were wicked heavy, gimmicky looking and could not hold a spoke). That, of course, wore off with time. A testament to training with heavy wheels, I guess, but you would want something durable.

Hey guys,

I have ridden a pair of Reynolds Solitude all summer and I love them. They are claimed to be around 1500 grams and I weigh in at a svelte 190lbs.

I've been riding a set of shimano R540 so wont take much to notice a big defference

I'm guessing you could get a nice set of handmade Velocity or OP with 32 3x spokes and decent hubs at around 1500g for the set, and not a lot of $$$.

At >200 lb I'd be much more concerned about durability than weight, and such a build might accomplish both?

Lightweight Standards do not have a weight limit.

I would opt for the 20 spoke build on the front.

you should take a look at neuvation.com

They have very inexpensive wheels that get great reviews by light and heavy riders a like.
I weighed 235 last summer when I got my Neuvations. A vast improvement over my stock wheels. I have not had to true them, and no loose spokes. Can't beat them for the price. Go to the Neuvation site and check it out. Then give John Neugent a call. I talked to him for several minutes, he said my weight wouldn't be a problem for the M28 aero 2's I was considering, but I might want to consider round spokes instead of aero due to the stiff west Texas crosswinds. In the end I still chose the aero. I originally had ALX220 wheels (crap) and Vittoria Action HSD tires (crap). The wheels flexed so much I thought I had BB flex, and the bike had poor acceleration and a sluggish feel. After I changed to the Neuvations and WTB Solano tires it was like a magical transformation. Instant acceleration, no flex, and a more comfortable but responsive ride. I have hit a few potholes and thought "****, there go my wheels", but they are still like new. And the crosswinds are quite manageable, too! The wheels weigh 1470 grams (if memory serves me).

I should have knocked on wood while posting that response. The VERY NEXT MORNING I broke a drive side rear spoke on my K SLs on a seemingly innocuous downhill just a few miles from home.

I don't know what to think, because while I have loved these wheels (we big guys don't get to embrace too many lightweight parts without Lennying them), I have heard stories of others experiencing the same problem. Hopefully this is not the beginning of a recurring problem.

Keeping my fingers crossed. . .

Meanwhile, I usually commute on Zipp 404 clinchers (yes, I know it's sacrilege to commute on them, but it keeps me riding) and I haven't had a problem <<KNOCKING ON WOOD>>

"I'm guessing you could get a nice set of handmade Velocity or OP with 32 3x spokes and decent hubs at around 1500g for the set, and not a lot of $$$."

if you go this route put thicker spokes on the drive side of the rear wheel. you could use revolutions or XL14 spokes every where else. about less than $400 if you buy eBay and change spokes. done it on 2 sets.

I am riding Rolf Prima Elans at 195# and have found them to be better than the Race X Lites that I had been using. I found the RXL's to flex and scrub the brakes in turns. Not so with the Rolfs. The Rolf's are semi aero at 25mm deep and tip the scales at 1290 g or so.

I should have knocked on wood while posting that response. The VERY NEXT MORNING I broke a drive side rear spoke on my K SLs on a seemingly innocuous downhill just a few miles from home.

I put the gypsy hex on your K's! Buy handbuilt!:p

j/k...