So, I let my curiosity get the better of me and my titanium curiosity won out, I picked up a used independent fabrication crown jewel titanium from 2006-2012(ish)
It had been well cared for but ridden a lot in its day, so I was able to negotiate a fair price with the understanding I'd need some new stuff over the 1st year or so.
I've already done the bottom bracket as it felt fine at time of purchase but crapped out on my first ride. It had been sitting for several years in a basement so I'm sure the grease in there was all fouled up. No big deal.
I figured I'd need wheels sooner or later too. The front is in ok shape but the rear braking surface is pretty worn and the freehub has started making an intermittent awful noise. The current wheelset is probably the ones that came on it so could be pushing 20years old. They are mavic krysiums, aluminum rim brake.
I'm looking for a new wheelset that is decent but not crazy, I ride a lot but I'm by no means "serious" so I don't need carbon or anything fancy. I'm a bigger guy, and ride some harsh roads around boston so higher spoke count and durability count for a lot for me. Being an older frame it is from the end of the skinny tire era with an estimated max tire size of 700C x ~25mm so naturally I'll need an older style narrower rim. I currently have the 25mm tires that came on it, they clear just fine, but I tried to swap to a spare set of Schwalbe marathons from my commuter in 25mm and they did not clear. Happy to stay in the 23mm-25mm range.
So reddit, what do you have for me? What wheels should I get?
And yes……my Ti-curious nature seems to be paying off, it rides so nice, fast, clean, sharp, everything i wanted and more.
Thanks
by masswoodworks
4 Comments
Handbuilts, polished h+ son archetypes on hubs to suit budget with either CX-rays/aerolites (posh hubs) or race/comp (budget conscious)
Get the built by a local good wheel builder.
Hubwise – in order of increasing niceness…
– DT Swiss
– dura ace
– hope
– chris king
– extralight/tune
I’m quite interested. I’d ask the LBS to judge thier serviceability before I worry.
I have two bikes in the same boat. For one the rear rim had a noisy crack. The LBS sold me NOS Mavic Open C rims with Ultegra 600 hubs. The second has the same rims the first came with, I’ll probably follow the leads you generate when necessary.
Support your LBS! Order from them if necessary. When you’re in a bind they will be kind.
Those wheels are easy to throw tubeless tires on. Just need a tubeless stem. I’ve been riding Ksyriums tubeless since 2012. IF are nice framesets.
I’d look on eBay for good condition used high end wheels of that era. I got an almost unused set of handbuilt wheels with Mavic Open Pro rims and Ultegra hubs for about $160 shipped recently.