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Triathlon/Cycling Newbie - Wheel problems

nickchristiannickchristian Posts: 2
in General Chat
Hi guys & girls.

I'm a newbie so go easy on me if I'm asking what some may consider dumb questions.

I bought a Giant Defy 3 road bike this year and have been doing alot of road miles in readiness for starting a triathlon season next year. Done the London Marathon previously & can swim too so figured combine the 3!!

The problem I have is the bike is absolutely fine for the level of entry competition I am going for but I am a tall & big guy, 6ft 4, 16st ex rugby player so I am no stick insect & I seem to be butchering cycle wheels like they are going out of fashion!! The factory standard wheels were rubbish to be fair & one big bump in the road saw the rear one off & the front one got replaced as part of a set upgrade. The problem still seems though that, despite me avoiding every bump & dud piece of tarmac I can I still seem to be throwing the rear wheel out of true resulting in loose spokes & interrupted rides out to get in the miles.

I upped the wheel spec to a decent model, more spokes per rim as recommended by a very good bike shop near me but Im still banging spokes & rims, anyone out there in a similiar boat to me in height/weight/build that has experienced this and found a wheel solution that isnt going to break the bank?

Any help, links to products or pics etc appreciated, thanks to all.

Comments

  • largeadelargeade Posts: 166
    You're my size and ex-weight, so its feasible. Bontrager SSRs on my Trek.

    The only time I've bust a spoke in years is when I was first in aerobars on the road bike, in a fit of clumsiness totally lost it, and had to fight to pick the bike up from a <45 degree angle. I was in the inevitable trees yet somehow recovered it; I'm glad it was just the spoke which broke.

    Apart from that I've not had to true a wheel yet.

    Thoughts:
    are you avoiding all the bumps in the road, or otherwise ploughing on through.
    Or maybe jumping up kerbs etc?
    bunny hopping?
    being generous with your weight estimate? ;-)

    Better alternatives:
    are you running high enough tyre pressures? 110-120psi.
    Is the wheel done up tightly;
    wheel running straight in the frame - the LBS will have a tool to measure the true of the frame hangers (or whatever they are called)
  • BmanBman Posts: 442
    I dont know much about this but have you considered some decent handbuilt wheels?

    You can get some really good value options out there, which will be much stronger than many more expensive others just down to the fact that they will be built properly. I was surprised at the prices when I did a google search.
  • jonEjonE Posts: 1,113
    I am 6 ft 2,and fifteen and a half stones,and use a simple pair of mavic open pro wheels for training and the occassional race.They were made up at the LBS for just over a £100.that was ten years ago,last year the rear rim split,but considering the mileage I had put on them they were definite value for money.
    They were not fancy aero ones but they did the job.Slightly weighty but solid.
    I also run a pair of corima aero+ wheels for high days and race days.Both these wheels should be able to do the business for you.
  • willieverfinishwillieverfinish Posts: 1,381
    American Classic's Hurracaines.

    Bomb proof

    Light

    Semi areo

    Look great

    The wheel of choice - there is a man with a bike shop - he swears by these, I got them on my bike when he built it, Scotty is a big lad - he was recommended them too.

    Here's a link

    http://www.btownbikes.com/products.php?plid=m6b0s118p915
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