Best, Cheap, Strong, Easily Available, Winter Wheels?

[m-k-lewis@msn.com]

I have searched the archive and not found an answer to this so I thought I would start a fresh post.

Today was my first day out since the middle of December. Went up across the Aldwark Bridge and out to Boroughbridge. On the way home - "twang" - a rear spoke had broken. Managed to get home with an ever increasing rear wobble and now looking for advice.

I am pretty heavy (98kg at moment - though I was bigger!) and when I got my first road bike in 08 - Giant SCR2 I went through three broken rear spokes in as many months on the wheels that came with the bike. I asked the guys in cyclesense and they recommended a reasonable replacement Shimano WH R550 - it was only about £60 I think. Anyway it did the job very well through the rest of 2008 and into 2009, but it went out of true in Novemeber 09 and again 4 weeks later and now a spoke has snapped on this wheel as well.

Is that the end of this wheel? Is there a stronger one for the same sort of money that I can get quickly (I know some people are going to recommend hand built but I would hate to spend a lot and then break more spokes and I want to ride to work on Tuesday)?
This bike is now my winter bike so they would need to withstand some rough conditions - although on this occassion the spoke just went when I was pushing on, not after a bump.

Many thanks.

Mark

[willhub]

I have the R550's, not as heavy as you (77kg), and they have been awesome for me, not really gone out of true and rims still got plenty of life.

For heavier riders I'd have said Mavic Open Pro's, they're brilliant for as long as they last, fast despite 32 spokes and pretty light too and very stiff, I'm using them on my commuter now and they're still in true and they get a really harsh battering over big big post holes at over 20mph.

Mavic Aksiums are ok too, people say they're bomb proof, allthough IMO not as good as Open Pro's.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=42069

Aksiums used to be like 140 quid for the pair, I think I got em around 120 off eBay. You can get the rear for 90 quid there. Open Pro's you'd have to get the rims/spokes/hubs yourself and get someone to build them for ya though.

[G.]

I've got a Shimano RS20 on the back and it seems pretty bomproof, the hub especially is very well built. I've never gone above about 73kg though, so can't comment on weight bearing. Anyway, those wheels are about the same prise as the Aksiums.

[Chris T]

Go to your local bike shop, speak to the mechanics and they will be able to discuss different rim/spoke combinations to build a bombproof pair of wheels to suit. Price will obviously depend on your specifications, but should be reasonably competitive. Tell them that if they break after all that, you'll post on here and name and shame!

[bernard turgoose]

Mark, if you want to call around to my place tonight, I can loan you a very robust pair for you to try out, give me a call before you call,
Bernard