Cheap vs. Expensive Track Wheelsets | Is Spending More Worth It?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 23 ส.ค. 2024
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Aluminum track wheels range anywhere between $100-$1,000, and your wallet and your imagination is the limit for carbon track wheels. But all track wheels essentially do the same thing, so are expensive fixed gear wheels actually better than cheap ones, and is spending more actually worth it?
My fixed gear wheelset recommendations for any budget:
~$100 fixie wheels track wheels:
1. Sun M13: goo.gl/ILcJWB
~$200 entry level track wheels X Formula/Novatec hubs:
1. Velocity Aero: goo.gl/t75qn2
2. Veloctiy Deep V: goo.gl/Oqfykf
3. H+Son TB-14: goo.gl/wUmkQw
4. H+Son Archetype: ebay.to/2WNiNRM (price varies a lot)
$300-500 midrange track wheels:
1. Wabi Standard Wheelset: bit.ly/2BsnR5b
2. Wabi Sub-15 Wheelset (my daily wheels): bit.ly/2qigQ0z
3. Miche Pistard: ebay.to/2BtbyW0
$600-$1,000:
1. Anything hand tensioned laced to Phil Wood/Paul/Dura-Ace hubs: ebay.to/2MWQgES
$1,000+ competition track wheels (you know what you want, but here's some prices for fun:
1. FFWD 5 Spoke Track: amzn.to/2ULphyI
2. FFWD Disc Wheel: amzn.to/2TDsCj7
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Im a roadie, never ridden a fixie ... still love watching your vids man
BK - 6833 careful haha this videos turned me from a Rodie to a fixed rider for my commute
BK - 6833 Riding fixed is perfect for winter time. Back in the day, road racers trained fixed much of the winter. The constant pedaling develops a spin, keeps the legs supple and keeps you warmer. Thats why I still do it
For riding in truly nasty muddy, snowy, icy and sloppy conditions, the increased traction, braking and speed control really work. Especially if one uses lower than usual gears.
The low maintenance and high reliability of the drivetrain are the added bonuses. For me its as simple as a hose, creek or puddle for a bath, a quick chain wipe with a rag and a little bit of oil, then check the tires. 4 or 5 times every winter the bike gets a warm soapy bath, detail and a tuneup.
Truly nasty conditions demand a mountain bike in my experience
Truly the only way to go my good Sir 🚴
"Hm, I'm doing a medium budget bike build, I wonder what wheels I should get."
*Finds 11 ZG videos mentioning wheels*
"I am now informed from a variety of unbiased sources."
These price comparisons are always appreciated. Without tutelage, these lessons are hard earned. This idea can extend to mostly all components of the bicycle, and personally, I can use your expertise to shortcut a lot of spendy experimentation.
I enjoyed the video (thumbs up man) but I think you missed a really important point by not mentioning internal rim widths.
For example I really wanted a wheelset thats around 1500g - max 1700g. So the Pistard and eclipse were out of the question. I then considered the wabi sub 15s and was on the brink of buying them but they're just to damn narrow. If you put a 28mm tire on it you'll get a bad aerodynamic profile and if you go with a 25mm you'll get a low volume inside the tire. Which means less damping and more speed loss through little bumps. So I opted for a wheelset from 8Bar with a slightly wider internal rim width to optimise that and it was totally worth it. I wish someone would produce a version of the amc 420 rims with an even wider internal rim width. The benefits would be really amazing.
Like on the newer disc wheel aero bikes that have really wide internal rim widths so they can accommodate a 28mm tire perfectly and still have a perfect aerodynamic profile. They truly ride like tubular tires if you go tubeless its amazing how low psi's you can ride. Fast, smooth and comfortable.
One of the best value upgrades after good tires are handbuilt wheels. I just dont trust the quality of machine built wheels and very few high end wheelsets built by large companies. You just dont know what youll get!! I have very high standards and am a perfectionist with things involving my life and safety in general! I use my gear hard, maintain it and expect it to last. I can inspect a wheel in 2 minutes and usually tell you if its been handbuilt or not. Wheels are most important to a safe and sound, well rolling bike!
You cant beat wheels built and designed by someone you know and trust and can hold ACCOUNTABLE.
Or do what Ive done and teach yourself to build them! Theres no one better to hold accountable than YOURSELF!Thats what I did 30 years ago. Ive made a small side business building wheels. It will save you lots of money and you will know without a doubt your wheels are as good as YOU can make them. The money saved on labor can help to buy better quality components.
You dont NEED fancy expensive components to build VERY STRONG wheels. Patience and determination are most important! Theres nothing wrong with loose ball hubs such as inexpensive Shimanos or even Velocity’s arent bad. Use LOTS of butted spokes. 28 MINIMUM!!UNLESS THEYRE STRICTLY TRACK WHEELS!!!More spokes= more strength. PERIOD. If your wheels are used daily and or on rough roads use heavier rims and more spokes. BE PRACTICAL and REALISTIC when designing wheels. I like heavier rims because I band them into and over things. I ride a fixed gear ‘cross bike. Super light wheels can be a nightmare and waste of money if you expect them to handle abuse they cant take.
All my fixed wheels see use on rough city streets as well as technical singletrack.
My heaviest duty rear wheel is a Velocity Dyad, 36 hole Velocity hub and 2.0/1.6 WS spokes.
My ‘nice’ wheels (still plenty strong enough) are 32 hole White Industries polished Dos Eno hubs, H+Son TB14s POLISHED!! and black Wheelsmith 2.0/1.6 spokes. All these wheels get ridden really hard on rocky mtb trails. Polished components look great but scratch pretty easy, so be warned!!
Components for a good quality set of wheels can be had for under $300 retail. A well designed, well built , well maintained and reasonably ridden set of wheels can last a lifetime of hard use.
My trainer has lots of USSR track bikes💪😁 They are really good. He used to be one of the best trainers in USSR. Happy to have somebody like him.
He actually really hates seeing rode bikes on track and track bikes on road.
I got some used dura ace hb7600 laced to araya 540s for £104 from ebay. Had to clean them up, buy new bearings and sort out the corrosion on the eyelets but i got a huge deal for what they are.
What I did was buy some hope hubs and h plus archetype rims and got a local bike Shop to build up a pretty much bomb proof wheelset that cost around £350. I have 32 spokes in the rear and 28 up front. Have served me so well and haven't needed trueing once.
There’s a hugeeee difference in ride quality in alu and carbon, been dailying carbon in London (rough as roads) and they’re amazing
This is amazing! Loving it.
Nice one, lots of good stuff /info, I would add to your 200 range list Miche express, I believe it is a great wheelset fur street or track, the are on Miche sealed hubs come true out if the box the stiff and while not the lightest the still light. I bought these last year and out about 1k kilomètres on them on gravel, street and trail and they still true and stiff. Thanks again 🙏😊 keep up the good work!
Thanks for the video Zach. Please bring back fixie points.
I run Halo Aerotracks for my courier work. they're bombproof, slightly heavier but keep on rolling for 40-60 miles per day.
Hey Zach. I have a Wabi Classic with the standard wheels. I love them but for vanity (all silver) and weight weenie OCD points I'd love to get some sub15's. Would you say that's a lateral move or are the sub15's noticeably better / a worthy upgrade than the regular wheels? Thanks so much!
Great review. Just to add another under $1000 choice, it's possible to find DT Swiss on sale, or get them built at a few places.
Just got me some H+Son Archetype wheels laced to a Phil Wood HUB, I'm replacing my AVENTON PUSH WHEEL SET W/NOVATEC HUB ..............SHOULD BE A GREAT UPGRADE YES?
Had both for a little 3 years on two bikes and not gonna lie besides maintenance no difference in acceleration or top speed I think the one with Phil’s are lighter and lower spoke count
How do you like the archetype?
So, one best suited wheel set could be used on multiple frames. Like my steel winter frame, my speedy summer frame, and my little track geo sprinter?
Mavic Ellipse are lighter, have a brake surface, stiff aero spokes and 2 cock threads... i have ride both and and the ellipse is/feels more fast...its not much faster but in this price class its the best wheelset i know. If you need the extra speed you must go for carbon wheels but this budget i don't wanna spent for my street/training/commute track bike. I have pay 300€ for a new set and i'm super happy with them.
man, I just bought some Weinmann's thinking I was legit for replacing them with my stock wheelset hahaha
I bought a $300 bike years ago and put Weinnman's on it. They were still a significant upgrade, so no regrets
I have a Fuji Feather with Vera Corsa DPM27 rims 32h, alloy hubs, stainless spokes - would the ~$200 price range wheels be considered an upgrade?
Sick video zach! Quick question, with £150-£200, will a stiffer crankset or upgraded wheels be a better purchse for a sub £200 entry level fixed gear? keep up the great work
Wheels definitely. You can defuneyly feel the nicer rolling and the durability is great. You are not really going to notice stiffness in the crank and it is definitely not as necessary as a better wheel
My wheels from a 400$ 6KU track bike. More like entry level track bike. Anyways it has the sealed bearings, and really good. No issues except 1 fall I had when I fell because going to hands on fixie after riding a mountain bike for couple months. Anyways that's the only time I had to true them, it hit a bump at a leaning angle, that's why they bent. $10 and fixed. I'm considering getting something like aventon mataro next summer
I have sturney archer hubs halo rims and 32 halo spokes, built them myself, they feel beautiful
Will there be a wabi thunder review?
Joshua Brown it’s just a cheaper version of classic or a an expensive kilo tt
ツClinxeo It’s none of those things tho
great video bro!!
Wabis without upgrades are fine for average person but if you race, you probably wanna upgrade the crank/stem/seatpost/bars/definitely the saddle!
BeboSaab I’m sure that racing a stock wabi build would be perfectly fine but the not the best setup
Are you saying those $350 wheels need to be upgraded on the Wabi or do they come with a bike like that? Or others at that price range. Did you own a Wani before they offered to sponsor you? Just curious. Thanks for your videos. Helps a lot shopping for my next bike. Lol, I’m riding my bike right now at home while watching this
What are your thoughts on 6KU Aluminium bike for 299$ it has a 6160 double butted frame and novatec hubs.
seems like not the worst buy for Somone looking to dip there toes in and casually ride and upgrade later on.
Because for normal non cycling people even 300$ is a lot for a bike. So that price point seems like a huge deal for non cyclists.
I'd go with a State at $400 much better bike with way better components. Lighter. Likely faster and just as many color options.
@@DEFKNIGHT yes i understand that. i personally have the state 6160 in peach. what im saying is this is not the bike for the bike enthusiast. or the bike for the person looking to become a bike enthusiast. but what it could be is a decent buy for people that just want a bike to ride around once a week. a price point is a HUGE deal for alot of people and most non cyclists would be hard pressed to even spend more than 200$ on a bike. im saying for the people looking at the 6KU URBAN TRACK BIKE and a wall mart bike, the 6ku may be a very good deal for people like that. I personally have friends that refuse to even buy the kilo tt due to price.
@@TavernScoundrel im a neebie at fixies but how about the Critical cycles Harper
And what I am saying is a bike enthusiast wouldn't buy any of the bikes mentioned thus far. To me there are two types we're speaking of here. Those who can't afford much beyond $200 for a bike but need one as a mode of transportation and those who can afford more, but don't want to but want a good deal. As far as enthusiasts are concerned they already know what you don't. And that's that you'll ride the bike you own when you're happy with it and won't because you aren't. And I'm telling you, as a person who was just like you once, all cyclists are in the beginning , that if you by a cheap bike, you'll get cheap results and you'll be unhappy with it and so you won't ride it. $350 to $400 gets you a good single speed bike with wheels and components that are good enough that you will be happy with it. And so you will ride and then who knows you might become that enthusiast you lament for some reason. Trust me. Spend a little more and get last years State's Core Line on sale. If you can't afford that, that's one thing. But if you can... Do yourself a favor.
@@premeditadeds6304 hard no bro. sorry. just alot of red flags
nice video! i am looking for an advice. which one should i choose between( miche pistard , hson with grancompe hubs dt spokes or mavic ellipse) i’ll use them for track racing and track trainings. Thanks !
Just wanted to thank you. I’m new to the single speed world. I own a cannabis retail business in Toronto, ON and just got on Uber eats and I’m riding 50-70km a day downtown. Recently purchased a Fuji Feather based on your vids. I would like to upgrade my wheel set, can you help me with the technical specifics of spacing? 126 or 130? Right now I’m riding free wheel, does that impact which wheelsets I can do?
Also GREAT VID KEEP IT UP ZACH!
Hi do you have any experience on then DT Swiss hubs ? I'm really wanting to buy them and pair them with carbon rims and have them built in my local wheelbuilder. Wanna hear your thoughts thanks!
Karl Sison these are phenomenal hubs!!!! I have a set of DT Swiss T1800. Super fast, super smooth and a classic look. They’re light and durable. I’ve been riding them for over a year in the Pacific Northwest and have had zero problems. I’m planning to do the same as you for my new Allez Sprint I got.
Are they still producing the Velocity Aero? Cause I can't find them anywhere...
idts man
What are your thoughts on narrow rims and wider tires like 25c rim with a 28c tire is it a bad combo? also is it good to use 23-25c tubes with a 28c tire?
More like 19mm rims with 32-35c's.
Narrow rims under wider tires will give the bike a narrower contact patch BUT good protection from potholes, however they might roll under you at lower pressures. I wouldn't say it's the ideal setup but look at mountain bikes and what they go through and if you think you could do with a piece of that action the combo might be right for you!
Narrow rims... You can't feel it, but your times will definitely take a hit. I have the Wabi Sub 15s and they are stupid fast wheels and very durable. But the widest tires I'd recommend are 25's. 28's and they feel slower somehow. Preferably I'd want a wider rim at the same weight so I can use 28s without a drag penalty.
They work fine. Ive used old Mavic MA40s with 38mm tires. I dont think those rims are wider than 17mm. I use 40mm tires on Open Pros. Wider rims are nice as well giving the tire a wider footprint and more air volume. I have some ‘33c’ Clement MXP and PDX on 23mm TB14s and theyre actually closer to 35 or 36mm. But those tires are larger than advertised.
I run 25c weinmann thunderbird rims with 35c front and 38c back tyre. Would have gone for 42c on the back but clearance became an issue. Looks great and cushions my chubby ass well.
Wabi rims are very narrow though right? I like my hydras laced to novatec a. Hydras are 23mm wide (20mm internal) it stretches the tires out for a better tire profile.
I thought the Hydras were 25mm and the Archetypes were 23mm?
Yo Zack, those random bits of metal that you find in cheap rims, those are just spoke nipples that were misplaced when the wheels are machine built, you just gotta spin the wheel, potentially remove the rim tape and vwa la, it out.
And I am curious, nearly all my wheels, including racing wheels for both track and road have been loose bearing hubs, never had an issue, why do you say loose bearing hubs are such an issue? Obviously they are a little harder to put together, but there's something else right?
I have handbuild track rims and have the exact problem. But i cant find the metal; got any suggestions?
Would you ever try the most expensive wheelset u can buy
Hi, is it possible to change hub in rear TT disc wheel to have track disc wheel? Thanks
Yes
Like the h plus son hydra are made for disc breaks but I only see them on fixed gears.
Cycling jerseys/shorts... Worth the investment?
Hubs most important part of bike
Under 250euro wheelset, DT Swiss 370 track hubs laced to DT Swiss R460 rims
I'm always getting flats! It's always the tube
Learn to build your own wheel if you plan to use a bike as a principal mean of transportation.
can you recommend a video?
Prem Lee Barbosa I know you commented this a year ago, but if you want a REALLY GOOD wheel building tutorial, look for Ali Clarkson
My next wheel set will definitely be the wabi sub 15s...
Hi, for my fixie that i use in the city what kind of wheelset do you recommended among the 3 options I chose to buy? Thanks
h plus son archetype profile 25mm
h plus son tb14 profile 23mm
velocity deep v profile 30mm
I got the archetype and I'm very happy with them. I'm riding them mostly in the city on rought Roads and it's pretty smooth. Although I'm riding a 24mm Tyre.
miche primato hubs are bomb proof, best bang for buck
is using a mtb rim for a fixie a good idea?
Wth
Ive seen it been done in downtown chicago. If you like it and can ride fine fuck everyone else.
or get some campagnolo sheriff hubs with any classic campag rim, or shamals
Great vid. I was a bit confused about where mine land since the rim brand was mentioned in level 2, the hub was mentioned in level 3, and the build method and rim was featured in level 4 haha. (H Plus Son Formation Face/SL42 custom built and laced to Gran Compe track hubs)
What make is the black and white fork at 1:38? I’m trying to find it.
Nice vid!
How does this only have 200 views!??
400 now but wtf
41000 now lol
Where can i buu branded wheels?? Cant find a site to trust
Hey Zack what’s your thoughts on MAVIC
ELLIPSE WHEELS any good?
The mavic ellipse wheels are great wheels there super nice and light not as light as carbon but there still pretty nice
Super great wheels!
Was a little apprehensive when buying this with the few negative reviews on here, but this was exactly the kind of bike I was looking for. th-cam.com/users/postUgkxn_jUDSlprMIeubd9rHdEAnv59nKfjcKv I plan to ride it on paved roadways and trails, and wanted a "Grocery Getter" so to speak. After receiving it (without any damage), I had it out of the box, and fully assembled in about 30 minutes. I did not have to look at the manual, and I'm glad because I did look at it after I got it together, and it looks like it's a manual for several different styles. I did have to adjust the breaks and gear shifters, but that's been my experience with every bike I've owned. There was one review in particular that made me nervous, saying it was not meant for someone 6'4", it was too short. Well I'm 6'5" (230lbs) with a 36" inseam, and can tell you this bike fits perfectly, granted the seat is in it's highest safe position. I've only had it for 3 days so far, and if things change I will update my review, but I put 26 miles on it so far, and it rides like a dream. Very comfortable seating position. The front suspension is good for the occasional rock or bump you hit on asphalt, but this bike is not made to be taken off road, and I'm OK with that. I was particularly happy to see the wheels were trued perfectly. I was expecting to have to take them in and have them trued at a local bike shop, as I've had to do with all my past bike purchases, but in this case they were already in great shape. For the money, this is an awesome bike.
bruh as soon as Zach mentioned Fixie Points coming soon I smiled as hard as mona lisa
I need some nice wheels but I don't ride brakeless which sucks so I cant ride the miche pistard's
What about White Industries "Track" hubs?
He hasn't swapped for his sugino 75s because the wabi have equal quality, no mate u haven't swapped then cuz your drive side thread is stripped and you couldn't get them off your all city
thoughts on araya ar-713?
my bike was $80
I have 100$ bike she's 18years old and I still using it also I'm not a rich man I do have job still I don't want to waste my money for only to show my bike is expensive ,
What do u even mean
I can't ride my bike because I got hit by a car, but it's gonna get repaired soon
That’s lame asl
I just bought my Miche Pistard WR for 160€
I think you misunderstood tolerances. Higher tolerances actually mean more precise, though it doesn't sound intuitive.
I’m getting sealed halo wheels they are so good and they cost £85
I don't know which wheel s I have but they are light
Can anyone give me a good website for custom built wheels?
Here in México you can get a cheap wheelset for $50 or less and I really think they are pretty much the same quality than the first tier you mention... So i'd like to find out if is anything between $150 and $200 out there that is even more value than the mid range you mention. Greetings to everyone. And suoer cool videos, Zach!
Anyone know whats are the wheels at 7:21?
H+Son SL42 rim
You find a retailer for almost all bike parts besides the fork why is this so
Forks are mostly made for only one frame or a frame series and therefore won't fit perfecrly on other frames.
Just like every other bike part is made for a bike So is the fork so I’ll just wait here until I see a video involving forks or fork specifications or forks dimensions Or forks made out of carbon fiber chrome Molly I just want to see a video involving forks because I need one
Henry Rivera If you have a nice frame it might be worthwhile to go to a frame builder and have a fork made. It certainly wont be cheap but you’ll get a fork to match your geometry and using nice blades, improve the ride. You also get EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT!
My friends a builder, so I chose components, bent the legs, shaped all the metal and he brazed it together, then I did the finish filing. It was a lot of work! I am totally thrilled with the outcome! It made my ride so much more comfortable.
Find the specs of your fork online if you can, then find a fork with similar specs. Or learn how to measure the specs of the fork.
Henry Rivera *chromoly [r/boneappletea]
Mavic Ellipses are shit - insanely heavy for the price. Plus Mavic internals. Big old nothing-burger.
If you would have admitted to actually not knowing anything about bikes then you can be forgiven, but seriously have you even looked at Aliexpress? Hate to be the one breaking the news to you, but NOTHING that you have mentioned is even close to the price per quality stated. Its not only not close but the bizarre pricing you have decided upon for the public is highway robbery. These companies are buying direct from suppliers on Alibaba, and you should have figured this out at this stage.
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Not once a week or less
If you not a pro cycle racer every bike that cost more than 2-3000$ is waste of money...
l m surprised the cost of some wheels cost more than a whole bike and why are road wheels cheaper?? to a point if we re talking carbon wheels ,which l dont feel are worth the asking price ,as you stated only for pros and snobs. My LBS sells track wheels for 90$ each complete :) l m thinking of getting a rear one for my old lugged steel bike ....hmmmm
Depends but I don’t care I’m getting these halo wheels that are better
$2,000 wheelsets are made for racing a velodrome. But then again, you'll pee your pants if you even as much as set foot at a velodrome.
U look abit drained man,u ok?
unicrown forks are fine!... leave them alone ok! :\
HQ steel tubing with lugs will always ride the best on the pavement. Alu is the worst of all .. But the cheapest and it is light too.
I am sure that alu riders will attack me.. But they are never ridden that king of frame (road ot single/fixed)
First
Wabi bike suck tbh
I can't afford for expensive wheelset so I use cheap one instead🥲